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There are a number of popular tourist attractions in the state of California. Many people head to the northern area of the state to experience the rocky coastline and the many attractions in the San Francisco area. Still many more people head to Southern California where the sun and sand of the beaches, along with the amusement parks and Hollywood inspired attractions, have been beckoning travelers for many years. While there are many great man made attractions in the state of California, the natural resources of the state are also something to truly marvel at. Many of the most beautiful sights to be seen in the entire country can be seen in California. Many of those sights also reside within the borders of California's National Parks.

Yellowstone National Park, established in 1890 is thought of by most to be the first official National Park within th borders of the United States of America. It was a major undertaking to get the park designated as such a national treasure, and since then many wise men have set aside millions of acres in various parts of the country as national park lands. California is home to eight of America's National Parks, more than any other state.

Channel Islands National Park

Five islands actually make up Channel Islands National Park, each of which sits off the shore of, but in close proximity to, the mainland of California. The water around the islands is popular with local fishing and boating enthusiasts, but few people actually make the trip to the mainland of Channel Islands National Park. Certain locations on the islands have developed into semi-popular camping locales, while most of the islands remain uninhabited by man and seldom visited. Whale watching is popular in the area in the spring and fall. Although the scenery is beautiful, there is little natural wildlife on the islands themselves other than Deer Mice, Spotted Skunk, and what is known as the Channel Islands Fox. There are, however, a great many birds that make their home on the islands, and many of them are hard to spot in other locations. The names of the five islands that make up the park are San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Anacapa, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz.

Death Valley National Park

A distinct departure from what most people envision a National Park to be, Death Valley National Park is a mostly arid area of land that sits east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Though a small portion of the park extends into neighboring Nevada, nearly all of the park sits within the borders of California. Of all of the National Parks in the entire United States, Death Valley National Park is the hottest and driest. At 282 feet below sea level, Death Valley National Park is also home to the lowest point in North America. Before entering the National Park system, first as a National Monument, in 1933, the Death Valley area was primarily known for mining. There is still a great deal of evidence left behind by these early mines and their miners. The old mining locations are popular with those interested in treasure seeking as well as those just interested in history. The area was also very popular in the early to mid 1900s with movie producers as on-location filming sites for various western movies and television shows. There are numerous trails to explore in Death Valley National Park, though novices are warned against exploring too much on their own without the proper training and materials.

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is located in southeastern California, and is another example of the arid dry areas that are legendary in the inland parts of the state. The park is largely made up of two different deserts, the low Colorado Desert and the much higher Mojave Desert. The Joshua Tree that the park gets its name from is found primarily in the Mojave Desert. One of the most popular outdoor recreational activities in Joshua Tree National Park is rock climbing. There are many popular rock climbing locations within the park that make it popular with enthusiasts of the sport. Bird watching is also popular within the park with more than 200 different species of birds being sighted from time to time. Camping and hiking are the other two primary activities people head to Joshua Tree National Park to do. Like most areas in the desert, it is recommended that only experienced hikers and survivalists spend much time exploring on their own.

Kings Canyon National Park

Located in the southern Sierra Nevada mountain range, Kings Canyon National Park has been popular with outdoor enthusiasts since the early 1900s. The park is directly north of and bordering on neighboring Sequoia National Park. From the perspective of the National Park Service, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks are administered as one entity. Kings Canyon National Park contains many rugged mountains and beautiful waterfalls.

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Lassen Peak is the most famous and recognizable feature in Lassen Volcanic National Park. The park itself is located in Northeastern California, and the famous peak is the last of the volcano peaks in the Cascade Mountains that stretch north from there. The area is popular with both scientists and amateurs studying volcanic activity. There are many geothermal areas within Lassen Volcanic National Park, and witnesses describe fire in the sky in the area in the late 1800s. Scientists, however, can only date the most recent volcanic activity from approximately the late 1600s. Lassen Volcanic National Park is one of the more unusual and simultaneously beautiful National Parks in the entire country.

Redwood National Park

Located along the northern coast of California, Redwood National Park is famous for the massive redwood forests that remain there today. As popular as the park is the huge redwood trees that tower over the millions of visitors that visit it every year. The park also preserves grassland areas. Redwood National Park is home to many rivers and streams as well, and is one of the more popular locations in Northern California for photographers, both professionals and amateurs. Although there are virtually no accommodations to host travelers within the borders of the park, there are plenty of small communities surrounding it that serve that purpose well. Camping and backpacking in the area are allowed and very popular, though by permit only.

Sequoia National Park

Named the second National Park in the United States in 1890, Sequoia National Park is home to some of the most famous and beautiful scenery in the nation. Mount Whitney, which stands as the highest point in the contiguous 48 United States, is found within the borders of Sequoia National Park. The park is also home to a great many Giant Sequoia trees, including the most famous one, the largest tree on Earth, the General Sherman tree. The General Sherman tree stands more than 270 feet high, and measures more than 108 feet in circumference on the ground. The park is popular with campers, hikers, fishermen, and backpackers. There are also a number of famous attractions that tourists trek to see, including Tunnel Log which is a fallen tree that has been carved to allow vehicles to travel underneath it, Crystal Cave which is the only one of the more than 200 caves in the park that can be toured by visitors, and Crescent Meadow which is a Sequoia lined meadow that is one of the most beautiful places in the park.

Yosemite National Park

Quite possibly the most famous National Park in California, if not the entire United States, Yosemite National Park is home to many of the signature sights in the state that end up on postcards and calendars. Yosemite National Park is located in East Central California, and is home to many of the tallest waterfalls in the United States. A number of the most popular waterfalls can be viewed from the roads that weave through the park, making Yosemite National Park very popular with both tourists and locals. There are a great many featured attractions within the park, some of which are Bridalveil Falls, Sentinel Rock, Half Dome, El Capitan, the Clark Range, Tuolumne Meadows, Dana Meadows, Mount Dana, Mount Gibbs, Mount Lyell, Mount Conness, Yosemite Falls, Ribbon Falls and Wapama Falls. The park is open throughout the year, though much of it is inaccessible from late fall to early spring due to snow. The easiest area of the park to access is the Yosemite Valley, and most tourists visit and stay there for the day. With more than 800 miles of trails to explore, Yosemite National Park is popular with hikers and backpackers, though a permit is required to enter the park for that purpose. There are also many miles of paved bike paths in the park for its visitors to explore. Other than hiking and backpacking, the most popular activity in the park is rock climbing. When winter comes, the park doesn't slow down as Yosemite hosts a great many cross country skiing and snowshoeing enthusiasts. Yosemite National Park is also home to the Badger Pass Ski Area which is the oldest downhill skiing area in the entire state of California.

For anyone wanting to escape the urban trappings of tourist locations when they visit the state of California, a visit to any of the National Parks within the state is exactly what may be needed. The National Parks of California are as diverse as they are beautiful, offering everything from remote island locations (Channel Islands National Park) to arid desert locations (Death Valley National Park) and up into the mountainous regions (Yosemite National Park). California has absolutely every type of location anyone seeking outdoor recreational experiences could want all in one state. The National Parks of California are truly a treasure to be both protected and experienced by everyone who enters or lives in the state.