Destinations

Channel Islands National Park

CA

Channel Islands National Park is five islands off the Southern California coast — close enough to see from Ventura on a clear day, remote enough that getting there requires a boat, a reservation, and a plan. The backcountry here isn't measured in trail miles but in logistics: ferry schedules, water you carry from the mainland, wind that can strand you for days, and an ecosystem so isolated it evolved its own foxes. For paddlers, backpackers, and divers willing to work for it, the Channel Islands offer some of the last truly wild coastline in Southern California.

Death Valley National Park

CA

Death Valley is 3.4 million acres of basin and range desert straddling the California-Nevada border, holding both the lowest point in North America and summer temperatures that regularly exceed 120°F. The backcountry here is defined by extremes of scale, heat, and remoteness: slot canyons with no water for miles, 11,000-foot peaks visible from 282 feet below sea level, and dirt roads that wash out faster than the park can fix them. This is not a place that forgives poor planning, but for desert travelers who know what they're doing, it is one of the most rewarding landscapes in the American West.

Devils Postpile National Monument

CA

Established in 1911 by presidential proclamation, Devils Postpile National Monument protects and preserves the Devils Postpile formation, the 101-foot high Rainbow Falls, and pristine mountain scenery. The formation is a rare sight in the geologic world and ranks as one of the world's finest examples of columnar basalt. Its' columns tower up to 60 feet and display a striking symmetry.

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

CA

Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history from California’s indigenous cultures, Spanish colonialism, the Mexican Republic, US military expansion and the growth of San Francisco. All of this and more awaits you, so get out and find your park.

Joshua Tree National Park

CA

Joshua Tree National Park sits at the collision of the Mojave and Colorado deserts in southern California — 790,000 acres of granite monzogranite piles, creosote flats, and the namesake trees that give the higher elevations their alien silhouette. The backcountry here is open, waterless, and largely trailless, which means most visitors never leave the road corridor. For those willing to carry every drop and navigate by map, the solitude is immediate and the terrain is unlike anything else in the desert Southwest.

Lassen Volcanic National Park

CA

Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to steaming fumaroles, meadows freckled with wildflowers, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes. Jagged peaks tell the story of its eruptive past while hot water continues to shape the land.

Lava Beds National Monument

CA

Lava Beds National Monument is a land of turmoil, both geological and historical. Over the last half-million years, volcanic eruptions on the Medicine Lake shield volcano have created a rugged landscape dotted with diverse volcanic features. More than 800 caves, Native American rock art sites, historic battlefields and campsites, and a high desert wilderness experience await you!

Mojave National Preserve

CA

Mojave preserves a diverse mosaic of ecological habitats and a 10,000 year history of human connection with the desert. Offering extensive opportunities to experience desert landscapes, the preserve promotes understanding and appreciation for the increasingly threatened resources of the Mojave Desert. This remote preserve encourages a sense of discovery and a connection to wild places.

Muir Woods National Monument

CA

Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908, this primeval forest is both refuge and laboratory, revealing our relationship with the living landscape. What will you discover in Muir Woods?

Pinnacles National Park

CA

Around 23 million years ago, a series of volcanic eruptions shaped the landscape that is now Pinnacles National Park. The remnants of these ancient eruptions have formed a striking terrain of rocky spires and deep canyons. Visitors can explore diverse environments, from chaparral and oak woodlands to the cool, shaded depths of canyon floors.

Point Reyes National Seashore

CA

From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches to its open grasslands, brushy hillsides, and forested ridges, Point Reyes offers visitors over 1500 species of plants and animals to discover. Home to several cultures over thousands of years, the Seashore preserves a tapestry of stories and interactions of people. Point Reyes awaits your exploration.

Redwood National and State Parks

CA

Redwood National and State Parks is a 60-mile-long patchwork of federal and California state land running up the Del Norte Coast, managed jointly by the NPS and California State Parks out of Crescent City. The backcountry here is different from what most people expect: this isn't a high-route alpine traverse but rather old-growth creek corridors, fog-soaked ridge walks, and a handful of small designated camps spread across more than 200 miles of trail. The permit system is free and relatively low-friction — the bigger challenge is timing your trip around Redwood Creek's seasonal closures and the park's reliable winter soaking.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

CA

The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultural sites, from old movie ranches to Native American centers. What will you and your family discover?

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

CA

Two parks managed as one, straddling the Great Western Divide in California's southern Sierra. Sequoia and Kings Canyon protect over 800,000 acres of granite peaks, glacier-carved canyons, and the largest trees on Earth — but the real draw for backcountry travelers is the scale. This is the heart of the largest contiguous wilderness in California, where multi-day routes cross passes above 13,000 feet and entire drainages see fewer visitors in a season than Yosemite gets in a weekend. The road to Mineral King alone filters out anyone who isn't serious about being here.

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

CA

Whiskeytown Lake’s crystal-clear waters are iconic, but this 42,000-acre National Recreation Area offers much more. Explore waterfalls, hike rugged trails, uncover Gold Rush history, and witness the resilience of nature in its post-fire recovery. Adventure awaits at every turn—Whiskeytown is calling!

Yosemite National Park

Sierra Nevada · CA

Yosemite National Park covers 760,000 acres of the central Sierra Nevada, from the glacier-carved Valley floor at 4,000 feet to granite peaks above 13,000. Most people know it for Half Dome, El Capitan, and the waterfalls, but over 94% of the park is designated wilderness with 800 miles of trail. Whether you're car-camping in the Valley and day-hiking to waterfalls or planning a week-long backpacking route through the high country, Yosemite rewards anyone willing to lace up boots and go.

759,620 acres