7 Beautiful Small Towns In California With Easy National Park Access

The Golden State is huge and various, with 149 wilderness areas covering nearly 15% of the state. On a California Nationwide Parks street journey, you may cowl a variety of surroundings, from the most well liked locations on this planet at Loss of life Valley to among the largest bushes on earth at Sequoia and Kings Canyon. You get to see the weird look of Joshua bushes, the uncommon talus caves at Pinnacles Nationwide Park, and extra large bushes at Redwoods Nationwide Park.

In fact, your nationwide park can’t be full with out having fun with probably the most scenic waterfall hikes at Yosemite, the number one rated national park (for hiking). Whereas visiting these nationwide parks is thrilling, spending time within the close by communities can even be value your time.

From Furnace Creek, the place the world’s hottest temperature was recorded in 1913, to El Portal, a historic city from the 1800s, these cities have distinctive options that make them stand out as bucket-list locations. Listed here are California’s most stunning small cities with straightforward Nationwide Park entry.

7 Furnace Creek

Close to Loss of life Valley Nationwide Park (13.5 miles)

Holding the world’s highest recorded temperature (134°F), Furnace Creek is among the most stunning cities in California, with straightforward nationwide park entry. Positioned in Loss of life Valley Nationwide Park, it’s the principle and solely settlement within the park, internet hosting 130 residents with a median age of 54.4 years.

These individuals work for the Nationwide Park Service in inns or eating places. Furnace Creek is among the main highlights of Loss of life Valley and has so much to supply, from beautiful views of the panorama’s surreal magnificence to unbelievable wild creatures, together with cactus wrens, coyotes, and equipment foxes.

Loss of life Valley’s key hub consists of numerous eating and lodging alternatives, a customer middle, a gasoline station, a campground, and extra.

This city is the most well liked on this planet, and even in spring, it’s as scorching as different locations in summer season, with the temperatures reaching over 90, typically exceeding 100. Winter is one of the best time to go to Loss of life Valley Nationwide Park, when temperatures hover round 68°F, on common. Guarantee you could have loads of water when visiting the park, irrespective of the time of the 12 months.

6 Soledad

Pinnacles Nationwide Park (10.1 miles)

Nestled within the coronary heart of the Salinas Valley, Soledad is a haven for outside fans and far more than being the gateway to Pinnacles National Park.

The city has a wealthy historical past, which started in 1791 when the Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad was established by the Spanish, whose affect can nonetheless be seen within the city’s structure.

It’s situated within the Monterey wine area, with a number of vineyards and wineries inside a brief distance. Wine tasting is among the greatest issues you are able to do in “The Gateway to Pinnacles.”

5 Chester

Close to Lassen Volcanic Nationwide Park (9.3 miles)

Chester is the closest city to Lassen Volcanic, one of many national parks with active volcanoes. This proximity means Chester has entry to many hikes with the best views in Lassen Volcanic Park, together with Cinder Cone Trail, which lets you get pleasure from sweeping views of the park’s otherworldly magnificence from the highest of a cinder cone.

The city additionally has easy accessibility to Lake Almanor, the biggest in Plumas County and a must-visit for watersports lovers. Among the city’s outside areas embody Chester Park and Lake Almanor West Golf Course.

4 Three Rivers

Close to Sequoia & Kings Canyon Nationwide Parks (5.8 miles)

Nestled within the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, this underrated small town is right next to Sequoia National Park. It’s the proper gateway to Sequoia and Kings Canyons, because of an superior number of lodging choices, from inns and inns to cottages and cabins, in addition to nice eating and purchasing alternatives.

The city boasts picturesque views and unbelievable outside spots, together with Slick Rock Recreation Space, the place you may get pleasure from numerous actions, from mountaineering and picnicking to swimming.

3 Twentynine Palms

Close to Joshua Tree Nationwide Park (4.7 miles)

Nestled on the essential entrance of Joshua Tree National Park, giving entry to among the most scenic hikes in the park, Twentynine Palms is a world-class outside vacation spot. It is usually a gateway to Mojave National Preserve, certainly one of America’s most underrated desert parks, and Mojave Trails Nationwide Monument.

You may get pleasure from a number of outside actions, from stargazing to mountaineering, biking, and mountaineering. Twentynine Palms boasts a vibrant arts scene with loads of thrilling experiences, together with galleries like 29 Palms Art Gallery and Glass Outhouse Art Gallery, road murals, and efficiency arts venues.

2 Crescent Metropolis

Close to Redwood Nationwide & State Parks (3.9 miles)

The gateway to the Redwoods, Crescent, is among the most stunning cities in California, and it has straightforward nationwide park entry. It hosts the Redwood National and State Parks headquarters, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Website in 1980.

The city offers entry to varied trails, from sandy hikes to forested paths, scenic drives, and water actions, together with swimming and browsing. Crescent additionally hosts the historic Battery Point Light, one of many oldest lighthouses on California’s coast.

1 El Portal

Close to Yosemite Nationwide Park (Three miles)

The western gateway to Yosemite, El Portal, is among the most stunning cities in California to go to. The town’s first settlement dates back to 1843 and have become an organization city for mining, logging, and railroad operations earlier than tourism took over.

It offers entry to a number of choices for outside recreation, from whitewater rafting on the Merced River and scenic mountaineering trails, such because the Hite Cove Trail, a scenic roundtrip hike alongside the Merced River, taking vacationers to Hite Cove, an ideal alternative to peep into the city’s mining historical past.

Keep in
Yosemite View Lodge
, just a few minutes from Yosemite Nationwide Park’s entrance, for a mixture of beautiful views and a spooky expertise. Earlier guests have reported having ghostly experiences throughout their keep.