33 Most Visited Best State Parks In California You Must Visit in 2023

Here is a list of the 33 Most Visited Best State Parks In California You Must Visit in 2023. These list of the best state parks in California will be a magical event during your visit. California state parks are an endless experience for the adventurous visitor. They far surpass all other California national park sites and have dramatic waterfalls and spectacular mountains.

These public areas can provide opportunities for walking, camping, catching fish and scuba diving–or simply looking at nature’s beauty. California State Park offers varying contrasts to the busy urban environment. From the redwood forest in North California to the ever sunny shoreline in Southern California, the diversity in scenery to be explored reflects the broad variety in the State.

California State Park is a fantastic place to visit the scenic beauty of Golden California. If you plan an excursion to the state then you definitely should consider incorporating some of the finest California parks in your trip. Scattered across California state parks are easily accessible for visitors seeking an escape into nature. A number of California state parks showcase state history and culture. For example, the Bodie State Historic Park in the eastern Sierra represents a monument to gold-rush times. California's state parks are an excellent stopping place on highway trips.

We are more interested in escaping the hectic everyday world and enjoying the beautiful outdoor spaces scattered throughout California. Golden State offers more than 300 state parks and nine spectacular natural parks. But because national parks often dominate the spotlight, I decided to focus my post more upon the state parks. These are the most beautiful California Stateparks you can visit this year, and many hidden gems as well. However, in these article i discuss 33 most visited California State Parks. So, continue reading and discover these prettiest popular state parks in California!

01. MacKerricher State Parks California

These popular beach-based State Parks are located north of Fort Bragg, near the coast of Mendocino County. It covers roughly nine miles of coastline and there are various habitats that include tide pools, sandy cliffs and thousands of moving beaches. The historic Haul Road navigates many sections of the coastline and offers a popular way for walking, cycling and those who enjoy views of the ocean.

Other popular attractions available to tourists in MacKerricher State park are whale viewing, horseback riding and fishing with the proper California fishing license. Nights are also popular and the park offers over 140 camping spaces catering for tent and RV.

02. Bodie State Historic Park

The Bodies State Historical Park is essentially alive in Wild West spirit. More than 10,000 people lived in the town during the late 1800s, most of them working for mining companies (gold, presumably, dominated).

In the early days Bodie had around 60 saloons and some casinos and opium dens. In fact, it's considered as being illegal. The village sank out by 1932 after decades of declining mining activities and two major fires.

But most of the town is largely unchanged, you can still see the gunfights on the streets, and hear the squints on the tavern windows swing as the Sheriff enters.

03. Morro Bay State Park

Morro Bay is an important small town in California because its south boundary has Morro Bay State Park. This property offers generous views of Morro Rock and nearby beaches and includes a postcard marina, an 18-hole golf course and a natural history museum.

Morro Bay Park provides campsites for campers and RVs. The campground allows for easy access to an important hike in the park, Black Hill, which offers sweeping panoramas of the region and includes Morro Bay.

The park has several scenic areas, including Montoa de Oro State Park. Address: 60 Statepark Road, Morro Bay, California.

04. Crystal Cove State Park

It covers acres on pristine sand beaches and vast areas of the inland forest off the Pacific Coast Highway between Corona Del Mar and Laguna Beach. Crystal Cove offers a wonderful experience for visitors from Southern California.

The park is popular among beach visitors and hikers. Weekend activities at Crystal Cove usually include skin-dives and snorkeling, and the viewing of sunsets from a bluff-side campsite.

Several hiking paths extend to Moro Canyon inside the State Park and connect to Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. Address: 84770 North Coast Highway Laguna Beach California.

05. Columbia Historic State Park, Tuolumne County

Columbia is the best preserved Gold Rush town of California, so it might be the most useful place to begin with when looking to understand the Gold Coast history.

Gold was first discovered in 1850, and the state is home to the largest collection of buildings from the gold rush era. Columbia is an amazing place to be visiting California for a history lover.

There's shops, exhibitions and everything from the 1850s to the 1900s. Take a tour around Blacksmith's shop, enjoy candle scents and soap shops, shop leather cowboy boots and pants and even photograph a Gold Rush Costume.

06. Julia Pfeiffer. Burns State Park

Big Sur spans about 90 miles of rugged coast at the intersection of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range and Pacific Ocean. The scenic trail features many State Park, Natural, and Pulloff locations.

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is perhaps the best expression of the mountain slopes, redwood forest and picturesque coast. McWay Falls within Julia Pfeiffer Burns, an 80 ft fall descending on a rock slope to the ocean is an important natural phenomenon in the area.

Visitors can view this dramatic natural scenery by completing a short walk away from the accessible parking lot.

07. Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

Lobos is located approximately 75 miles southwest of Pigeon Point and is known for its nine-million-acre marine protected area - a dive paradise. Certified divers will travel through sea turtles and sea urchins and explore submarine canyons in kelp woodlands ooh and ahh.

Are there diving enthusiasts? The park's Dive Into Point Lomos app entitles visitors to see the research team in depth. There is a lot of activity in the air too.

The park spans the waterfront and along Highway 1, presenting a variety of trails, cultural history museums and bird-watching activities.

08. Van Damme State Park

The Van Damme State Park is situated two miles from Mendocino near the village of Little River. It is the coastal north of California's finest 1,831 acres of redwood and fern forests, cliffside beaches and rivers with quirky nature in the form of a pine forest.

The area starts at the coast before it extends into the interior, including Little River that runs through Pacific.

You can spend the rest of your time at the beach or you can even go down the coast to the forest to take in the water. Another popular hike is the Fern Canyon Trail, 5.5-mile roundtrip.

09. Red Rock Canyon State Park

The Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area in Nevada should not be confused with Red Rock Canyon State Park. A number of underlying layers of colorful canyons have dating back more than 65 million years.

It's an easy park to visit when visiting Death Valley or Sequoia National Park. It is the least-visited park in California and is a popular movie venue. Fans will recognize red rocks in movies like " Stagecoach " or " Jurassic Park ".

Bring dinos for the dinosaur experience at the visitor centre or take in rock formations at one of the various walks.

10. Limekiln State Park

Limekiln State Park provides a vibrant landscape along Big Sur coast of Central California. Statepark is just outside the Pacific Coast Highway along sloping coast lines directly below the Limekiln Creek Bridge.

And inland, the Redwoods offer neckcraning adventure. The vast tree canopy and dynamic shoreline in Limekiln offer many different activities for the whole week.

State park campgrounds, a mix of redwood and ocean camping sites, provide lodging for overnight travelers. These well-known campsites are an excellent choice on a trip to the Big Sur.

11. Castle Crags State Park

The 7,000 foot granite spires at Castle Crags attract visitors from all over the country to this state park. A half-hour drive from Redding, the parks features over 30 miles of hiking paths at the base of this impressive landscape.

Castle Crag campsite is an ideal location for adventure with more than 75 camping spots available. The Park has one of the finest day walk routes on the Pacific Crest Trail.

The trail crosses Castle Crags, with stunning views of the Castle Dome along the way. Location: 102 Castle Creek Road, Castella, California 90220.

12. Garrapata State Park

Another iconic park on Highway 1 in Garrapata represents Big Sur beauty in the finest form. It is considerably less populous compared to Lobos Point, so hikers who enjoy solitude in nature are welcome here.

The park is located east of the coast towards Santa Lucia Mountain in southern California. There's a rugged cliff that is famous for Big Sur.

Soberan Canyon Trail, 2.8 miles by road, leads into inland woods with sweeping views of Big Sur's coastal region. Summer and Spring seasons are rich in wild flowers from poppies to wild irise plants.

13. Fremont Peak State Park

Fremont Peak State Park is undoubtedly an unknown jewel. This can be reached from San Juan Bautos, about 30 min north of Salinas. Immediately on the narrow road to the elevated national park, huge views overlook Monterey Bay emerge.

A mere 20 camp sites within State Park allow you to enjoy the stunning sunsets from the top spot of this state park. It is also possible to see in the night and in darkness, because the Park has amazing night skies to see celestial objects. Fremont Peak Observatory occasionally provides a public program.

14. Malibu Creek State Park

Malibu Creek State Park is surrounded by the Santa Monica Mountains that surround the stunning coast city of Malibu. This area has a lengthy history, spanning Indigenous culture, Spanish settlers and filmmakers until 1976, becoming a national park.

The park covers over 8000 acres and is surrounded by 35 miles of trails and fire trails. Those routes often include portions of the 14-mile-long Malibu River, which provides abundant riparian habitat and abundant bird sightings. Then some hiking trails lead to prominent film locations.

15. Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is just five miles south of Santa Cruz and offers many of Santa's top hiking routes. Henry Cowell has an international appeal due to its towering redwoods located within its borders.

He covers more than 400 acres, including day-use fall Creek Unit. This area offers endless options for enjoying giants which helped kickstart California's conservation movement.

Among the most popular outlets of enjoyment of Redwood Park is jumping onto the less-than-one-mile Redwood Loop near the visitor centre.

16. Emerald Bay State Park

Emerald Bay StatePark may provide “the best possible picture of the world”. The view is stunning at the moment. Emerald Bay is an arm of Lake Tahoe formed from a glacier of the Pleistocene age and the picturesque island is called Fannette.

In addition to being oddly named Vikingholm, this place has a replica of a Scandinavian castle. In the winter, you will see Lora Josephine Knights original summer house, built in 1928 and learn all the secrets behind the sod roofs and six fireplaces. Nature has an attraction to me.

17. Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

As you travel along the northern California coast you will pass several state parks that celebrate the redwoods. Jedediah Smith Redwoods Statepark is the last on this chain—it is just 12 miles away from Oregon's border and 5 miles from the shore—and is among the least-visited.

Despite its size, the park has seven percent of the world's oldest redwoods, with ages between 500 and 2000 years. Then why don't we look at them on our way through the narrow highway that leads to the park?

18. Columbia State Historic Park

Columbia State Historic Park was built in the center of Gold Country a mere 15-minute drive from Sacramento. The park focuses on the California Gold Rush city of Columbia, which has been the site for many gold mines from 1853 to 1870.

In the subsequent years, the village declined, buildings were torn down and countless residents fled, but unlike the others in the gold rush, Columbia wasn't completely deserted. The park has been established for conservation of the remaining areas since 1945.

Today Columbia is a live city with over 200 structures built during the gold rush era. You may search for gold on stagecoaches or watch blacksmiths at work or just have a tour around.

19. Calaveras Big Trees State Park

Calaveras Big Trees National Park is surrounded by two magnificent groves of large sequonias, the largest trees in the world, and a beautiful landscape. Besides conifers, the park has many different species.

The scenic Stanislaus river passes through the park and the magnificent Beaver Creek is accessed by foot. Swimming in these stunning swimming areas, fishing, kayaking or hiking is a must-see.

During the winter it is common for the park to hike along the northern slope of giant sequoias and enjoy the view. The trail stretches about 1.5km, generally easy. Located at 5 miles, the South Grove Trail runs along giant sequoias and a variety of evergreen forests.

20. Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle is a historical landmark and historic building built by William Randolph Hearst. Hearst Castle is a picturesque stopover on the beautiful Pacific Coast Highway.

Designed by the famed San Francisco architect Julia Morgan and constructed in the early 20th century the hilltop estate stretches across the Pacific Ocean with sweeping panoramic views and features the beautiful main house and guesthouses and beautiful gardens.

The Hearst Castle interior is accessible through guided tours; a varying day and evening tour can also be arranged.

21. Angel Island State Park

The largest natural island of San Francisco Bay Angel Island features 180 degree views of the bay and views of the San Francisco Bay. It has a rich history that began in the times of Native Americans living here through Spanish exploration in San Francisco and ended in the middle of the 20th century.

In 1960 Angel Island was finally turned into an attraction for visitors. Angel Island will be accessible by ferry. Ferries run between San Francisco and Tiburon. During a winter vacation the ferry service may be limited, make a reservation.

22. Mount Diablo State Park

Mount Diablo State Park is situated near Clayton, a 90-minute drive over the Bay of San Francisco. Mount Diablo State Park is a fantastic day trip for anyone who loves nature and the outdoors.

Drive through the Visitor Center at Mt Diablo' s summit, about 400 m above sea level. It is possible to hike to the summit and climb Mt Diablo on foot or ride bikes.

On clear nights the view is fantastic and one could even take pictures of the summit, peeking through the roof at the visitor center!

23. Hearst San Simeon State Park

Located at the southern tip of the California coast, this special state park is accessible without obstructions. Alongside a beautiful view of the sea and the great view of an elephant seal sanctuary the park offers access to a spectacular historic castle, Hearst Castle and a beautiful architectural masterpiece.

Guided tours are provided to all rooms at the zoo, swimming pool and other facilities. Located in Cambria, California 4001 San Simeon-Monterey River Road.

24. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Prairie Creek is part of a major Redwood National Park in northern California. The area is 50 miles north of Eureka, offering diverse habitat. During ordinary day visitor encounters unusually large trees, isolated beaches, and Roosevelt elk calling in bushes.

In addition, there are 74 km of trails that are paved. Camping is a good place to explore Prairie Creek. This state park includes 2 campgrounds: Elk Prairie Campground and Golden Bluffs beach Campsite.

25. Empire Mine State Historic Park

Empire Mine Historic Park reflects the rich history of the 19th-century California Gold Rush. The park contains several preservation structures dating back to when the mining was going on. They contain machines, clubs, and the entrance to a water-logged mine shaft.

The 14km trail is built around a historic village, lined with interpretive materials and artefacts. Marshall Gold Discovery is the first site visitors should take based on its historical value.

26. Montaa de Oro State Park

Montaa de Oro continues along the coast. Spooner's Cove is an excellent beach and draws beachcombers and kayakers (there are kayak rentals near Morros). Bonus: The place is very close to its primary campground, Islay River.

Hikers can take their pleasure on a variety of trails from the gentle 3.3-mile Bluff Trail to the highly recommended 11.2-mile Hazard Peak Trail. Wildlife lovers can peek into the tide pools at Corralina Cove and see seals or otters.

27. Salt Point State Park

Salt Point is a geologically interesting park situated between Highway 1 in Sonoma County. Named for the salt which crystallizes on the cliffs of the area, this park was once an important source for the Kashaya Pomo Native tribes.

The area covers 6,000 acres, including 10 miles of trails. If you hear ocean waves hitting shores, you can either hike the 3.7 mile loop trail to a Pygmy Forest. The trail can also be followed by Fisk Mill Cove.

28. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Anza-Borrego State Park stretches for 600,000 acres near the border in the state. The Azaba-Borrego region is an important desert state park for visitors and requires preparation for the rough terrain which is highly characterised by an unspoiled desert.

The National Pacific Crest Trails crosses Anza Borrego. There are several interpretive trails that offer other trails.

Address: 200 Palm Canyon Boulevard, Borrego Springs, CA.

29. McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park

This famous state-owned recreation site lies at Lake Briton in northern Cascades. Many visitors enjoy the spring flowing water at the edge. Visitors have access to the visitor center on downtown Burney Creek Trail for views on the 129 ft waterfall located on the cliffs.

The Pacific Crest Trail is an excellent stop near Falls and 5 miles of other trails extend throughout the park. Located at: 24896 CA 88 Scenic, Burney, CA.

30. Plumas-Eureka State Park

Zoom back up at Plumas - Eureka State Park in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges. Prospects discovered gold here in 1851 and a decade later over eight million were mined from what has been creatively called Gold Mountain.

The volcano still holds some 60 km of mine tunnel. Its only gold can be found in tree trunks in autumn and you can still have a Gold Rush feeling. Explore the old brick and red museum.

31. Ao Nuevo State Park

Ao Nuevo State Park is an hour from San Francisco's coast. Guided excursions are provided between mid December and March when elephant seal breeding starts. Most weekends can visit on guided tours with permission.

Seals are seen throughout the year. A hike to Ao Nuevo Point would take about three to four miles round trip. The Northern Elephant Seal may be there when you are watching it!

And if you come into the viewing area, you can see thousands of seals lying on the beach. The trail has a historic charm and beauty in it.

32. Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve

Mono Lake is viewed as Californias unique lake and is a must-see for travelers planning trips to Western Sierras. Mono Lake Tufan Tower is beautiful! Mono Lake Tufa National Reserve is protected by the stunning Tufa Towers seen along the Lake and its coast.

Mono Lakes are an old salt water lake which provides wetlands for millions of bird species. Walk along this scenic boardwalk route to a viewpoint that offers spectacular views of the lake. You'll pass some tufas to have a good view. Visit the tufas on the beach.

33. Mendocino Headlands State Park

Mendocino Headland State Park surrounds the seaside village Mendocino in North Californie. The trail system is scattered throughout the landscape allowing multiple angles at the sea and connecting the surrounding community.

Tourists are able to see estuaries and wetlands at the Big River Beach unit in the state. The entire Mendocino coastal zone contains several other wonderful national park sites worth visiting. Besides unique sand dunes and waterfalls, the park is surrounded by rocky hills north of Moscow.