Updated July 2026
Best Time to Visit California National Parks
California has 23 National Park Service units that report visitation. Below, each is ranked by annual visits, with the month our data recommends for the best balance of light crowds, comfortable weather and daylight. Crowds peak in summer almost everywhere — the recommended months show where the quieter shoulder seasons fall.
California parks on the map
Click a marker for the park page, or use Where to stay in the table.
Ways to pick a California park
Quietest months
- Tule Lake — January
- Lassen Volcanic — February
- Whiskeytown — December
- Lava Beds — January
Most-visited
- Golden Gate — 15,748,676 visits
- Yosemite — 4,278,413 visits
- San Francisco Maritime — 2,944,483 visits
- Joshua Tree — 2,932,644 visits
Most-visited parks in California
Golden Gate
California
View Golden Gate →Yosemite
California
View Yosemite →San Francisco Maritime
California
View San Francisco Maritime →
Joshua Tree
California
View Joshua Tree →Point Reyes
California
View Point Reyes →
Death Valley
California, Nevada
View Death Valley →| Park | Annual visits | Best time | Busiest | Quietest | Stays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden GateNational Recreation Area | 15,748,676 | February | Aug | Jan | Where to stay → |
| YosemiteNational Park | 4,278,413 | May | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| San Francisco MaritimeNational Historical Park | 2,944,483 | November | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Joshua TreeNational Park | 2,932,644 | September | Mar | Jul | Where to stay → |
| Point ReyesNational Seashore | 2,429,601 | March | Jul | Mar | Where to stay → |
| Death ValleyNational Park | 1,320,134 | January | Mar | Jun | Where to stay → |
| RedwoodNational and State Parks | 1,202,480 | October | Jul | Feb | Where to stay → |
| Fort PointNational Historic Site | 1,010,870 | November | Aug | Jan | Where to stay → |
| CabrilloNational Monument | 845,912 | September | Jul | Sep | Where to stay → |
| WhiskeytownNational Recreation Area | 763,798 | October | Jul | Dec | Where to stay → |
| Muir WoodsNational Monument | 756,573 | October | Jul | Feb | Where to stay → |
| Santa Monica MountainsNational Recreation Area | 722,626 | December | May | Dec | Where to stay → |
| MojaveNational Preserve | 569,844 | August | Nov | Aug | Where to stay → |
| Lassen VolcanicNational Park | 504,777 | May | Jul | Feb | Where to stay → |
| PinnaclesNational Park | 343,208 | September | Mar | Sep | Where to stay → |
| Channel IslandsNational Park | 227,186 | November | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Lava BedsNational Monument | 143,659 | September | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| ManzanarNational Historic Site | 95,764 | March | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| John MuirNational Historic Site | 38,384 | September | Apr | Dec | Where to stay → |
| Rosie the Riveter WWII Home FrontNational Historical Park | 34,913 | October | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| César E. ChávezNational Monument | 31,497 | August | Apr | Dec | Where to stay → |
| Eugene O'NeillNational Historic Site | 14,881 | January | May | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Tule LakeNational Monument | 4,868 | September | Aug | Jan | Where to stay → |
California park crowd calendar (23 parks, all 12 months)
Download the full best-months table for all 23 of California's national parks — each park's month-by-month crowd index (1.0 = its average month), busiest and quietest months, and Best-Time-to-Visit score. Built from NPS visitation data. Enter your email to download. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Where to stay near California's national parks
Find hotels, cabins and vacation rentals across California to base your national-park trip — live availability and prices.
Top-rated places to stay near California national parks
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a California parks trip?
Get the best time to visit California's national parks plus lodging deals by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.