Located on the coast of Northern California, the Redwood National and State Parks complex preserves some of the last surviving stands of old-growth coast redwoods in the world.
Rising up to 350 feet, these massive trees are the tallest on Earth. Protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these parks include three state parks—Jedediah Smith Redwoods, Del Norte Coast Redwoods and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Parks—and Redwood National Park.
In addition to pristine forests of towering redwoods, there is also a spectacular coastline, complete with remote sand beaches, as well as prairies home to resident herds of Roosevelt elk.
Heading deep into a park’s backcountry, setting up camp, exploring an unspoiled landscape, encountering wildlife,… Spending any number of nights backpacking in one of the national parks is something you’ll never forget.
I wholeheartedly believe that you can’t experience a national park to the fullest without spending the night there. As the saying goes, in many national parks “half the park is after dark.” So far, these are our all-time favorite national park campgrounds.
One of the best things about American national parks is their variety. From different landscapes to iconic wildlife to usually a historical aspect as well, there’s plenty to discover in these epitomes of nature conservation, especially if you have a car at your disposal.
Have you always wanted to ascend an epic mountain pass? Or encircle a volcano rim? Maybe ride through a desert or along a historic trail? Perhaps even share the road with iconic wildlife? Luckily, you can find all that asphaltic amusement in the following best national parks for road cycling.
San Francisco is one of the greatest cities for a national parks road trip. The Bay Area itself is home to several beautiful and fascinating National Park Service sites, while half a dozen epic national parks are dotted across northern California, within maximum half a day’s drive from San Francisco.
More than 40 National Park Service sites allow mountain biking, an increasingly popular outdoor adventure sport. Along with many NPS units like national monuments and national recreation areas, those include these nine amazing national parks for mountain biking.