5 State Parks Better Than Yosemite National Park: There are nine beautiful national parks in California. Each one shows off its own amazing natural beauty and variety. Over 3.5 million people visit Yosemite every year, making it the most popular national park in the Golden State.
It is known that the park has some of the most beautiful views in the U.S., and the views from Half Dome will make your heart race. This national park really lives up to the hype. It has beautiful waterfalls, hiking trails, and some of the best rock climbs in the U.S.
5 State Parks Better Than Yosemite National Park
However, it’s one of the most popular tourist spots in the national park, and the huge crowds of people who come every summer might keep you from fully experiencing it.
It’s also one of the most expensive places to stay in a national park. Luckily, there are many other state parks that are just as interesting and will give you experiences you’ll never forget. You should visit these state parks instead of Yosemite National Park.
1. Prairie Creek Redwood State Park
If you love the beautiful grove of redwoods in Yosemite, you should plan a trip to Prairie Creek Redwood. It’s basically a haven for some of California’s most amazing redwood trees.
It also has beautiful prairies, secluded stretches of sand, and huge groups of Roosevelt elk that graze in the open fields. This secret wilderness only lets more than 400,000 people in every year. It has many beautiful trails that show off its natural beauty.
2. Humboldt Redwoods State Park
With its interesting group of old redwood groves, Humboldt Redwoods is one of the state parks that is better than Yosemite National Park.
It is located along the Eel River. Out of the park’s 53,000 acres, 11,000 acres are covered in beautiful old-growth coast redwood trees. This makes it California’s biggest redwood state park.
Enjoy a variety of unique activities in the park, such as going through the Shrine Drive Thru Tree, which is one of the most beautiful places to visit. The park is generally quieter than Yosemite, and there are also beautiful climbing trails.
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3. Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Calaveras Big Trees was founded in 1931 and is famous for having the remains of the world’s biggest known sequoia trees.
This makes it one of the most interesting places to visit in California and a great alternative to Yosemite National Park. The North and South Groves are where the two groups of big sequoias are located.
Visitors will also be amazed by the park’s volcanic features, lovely fields, hiking trails, and stunning views of the Stanislaus River. This park truly is a breathtaking wonderland. You also won’t have to deal with crowds or timed reservations like you do in Yosemite.
4. Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
If you want to skip Yosemite and go to Mono Lake Tufa instead, you’ll be rewarded with strange views of an ancient lake whose waters shimmer in unique blue shades and towering tufa rocks that look like they could be hauntingly beautiful.
The lake is thought to be over a million years old, which makes it one of the largest lakes in North America. You’ll have many chances to have fun outside, like boating, swimming, hikes, and watching birds.
From here, you can also get to some of Yosemite’s most beautiful places, like Tuolomne Meadows, Olmsted Point, and Tenaya Lake. It is less busy in this park, which is another reason to go there instead of Yosemite National Park.
5. Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is a secret gem in California that you should check out. The tall redwood trees and beautiful scenery have earned it the nickname “mini Yosemite.”
This state park is hidden away on the western slopes of the Santa Lucia Mountains. It has many beautiful hiking trails and campsites, some of which are along the Big Sur River, which runs through the park.
Plus, you’ll have great chances to see amazing wildlife, like black-tailed deer, foxes, and bobcats. People don’t go to this state park very often, so there won’t be many other people there.
