The 11 Most Spectacular State Parks In Northern California You Need To Visit

This iconic spot is the reason why many of our ancestors headed out west and how California became a state in the first place. James W. Marshall discovered gold in 1848 on the South Fork of the American River in the valley the Nisenan Indians knew as Cullumah. This event started the gold rush and the area has never been the same...it has been well-preserved, however. In addition to the historic buildings and interpretive trails, it's now a popular white water rafting destination and camping area. The park is located in Coloma on Highway 49 between Placerville and Auburn.

Visit the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park web page for more information.

Known for its incredible recreation opportunities that include picnicking, hiking, horseback riding, fishing, skin and SCUBA diving, and camping, this dramatic coastline is just breathtaking. There is an underwater preserved area as well as over 20 miles of hiking trails to be found here. This park offers plenty of things to do outside in Northern California. Salt Point is located on Highway One approximately 90 miles north of San Francisco.

Read our previous coverage to learn more about Salt Point State Park.

Sinkyone Wilderness State Park is located on the southern portion of the Lost Coast, a 60-mile stretch of wilderness that is made up of the park and the King Range National Conservation Area. It features primitive campsites and rugged, steep trails, but if you can bear with those, you will be rewarded with waterfalls, dark sand beaches, turquoise waters, and plenty of wildlife to view. Directions: North end of wilderness - (Needle Rock): 36 miles southwest of Garberville/Redway on Briceland Road. Take Briceland Road west from Redway. Briceland Road becomes Mendocino County Road 435. The last 3.5 miles are unpaved, steep, and narrow.

The south end of wilderness - (Usal Beach): Approximately one hour north of Ft Bragg on Highway 1 or 15 miles west of Leggett on Highway 1 from Highway 101. Look for mile marker 90.88 on Highway 1. Turn north for approximately 6 miles onto unpaved, steep, and narrow road.

Read our previous coverage to learn more about Sinkyone Wilderness State Park.

Established in 1902, Big Basin Redwoods is California’s oldest state park. The trees here are like nothing else on earth... literally. Some of these giants are more than 50 feet around and as tall as the Statue of Liberty. At 1,000 to 2,500 years old, some may predate the Roman Empire. It's one of the most amazing state parks to visit in Northern California. The park is about 65 miles south of San Francisco. From Santa Cruz, travel approximately 25 miles northwest via Highways 9 and 236 to reach Park Headquarters.

Read our previous coverage to learn more about Big Basin State Park.

Formerly known as Patrick's Point State Park, Sue-Meg State Park is a 640-acre park in the heart of the California coast's redwood country. It features dense forests of spruce, hemlock, pine, fir, and red alder. The ocean headland is also full of lovely wildflower-filled meadows and a dramatic shoreline with broad sandy beaches and sheer cliffs that rise high above the Pacific Ocean. It offers great opportunities to explore tide pools, search for agates and driftwood, watch whales and sea lions, and view brilliant sunsets. It's located 30 miles north of Eureka and offers plenty of things to do outside in Northern California.

Visit the Sue-Meg State Park web page for more information.

Known for the high volume of driftwood found here, thanks to the shape of the beach, this spot also features sand dunes, flat grasslands, and views to the south of the Point Arena lighthouse. It's also popular for steelhead fishing in the park’s two streams, Brush Creek and Alder Creek. The main park entrance is located at 44500 Kinney Lane (off Hwy 1), 1/2 mile north of the town of Manchester.

Visit the Manchester Beach State Park web page for more information.

Pictured here is the famous Black Sand Beach in Del Norte Coast State Park where the ocean meets the redwoods in one of the most scenic locations in the world. The area sees about 100 inches of rain each year, so come prepared! This park is located seven miles south of Crescent City, CA where you'll turn east on the campground road. The camp is two miles east of the highway.

Visit the Del Norte Coast State Park web page for more information.

The landscape here is dramatic and awe-inspiring, to say the least. More than 170 million years old, these 6000-foot tall granite spires in the Castle Crags Wilderness border the northwestern edge of Castle Crags State Park. There are several places to camp and hike in this area. It's one of the best parks in Northern California to visit. Castle Crags State Park is located six miles south of Dunsmuir or 48 miles north of Redding along I-5; exit 724.

Read our previous coverage to learn more about Castle Crags State Park.

The 129-foot Burney Falls is the crowning attraction of this park, which sees high traffic from April through November each year. Expect crowds, especially if you visit on the weekend. The waterfall is well-worth braving the other spectators, however. The park is northeast of Redding, six miles north of Highway 299 on Highway 89 near Burney.

Visit the McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park web page for more information.

Grover Hot Springs is named after the naturally warm waters that flow through this area. The park has a pool complex with a hot pool and a swimming pool, hot springs, a campground, picnic area, and hiking trails. It's located in Alpine County in the high Sierra and is the perfect park to visit if you're looking for things to do outside in Northern California. It's located four miles west of Markleeville at the end of Hot Springs Road. The park is in an alpine meadow and pine forest at 5,900 feet and surrounded by peaks that just top 10,000 feet.

Read our previous coverage to learn more about Grover Hot Springs State Park.

Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park is one of the most remote state parks to visit in Northern California. It's located in Shasta County and is only accessible by boat. Here you can paddle through reeds and grasses as you take in incredible views of Mount Shasta. Over two-thirds of the area is covered by recent (three to five thousand years) lava flows including vast areas of jagged black basalt. Find the park from McArthur by turning north off Highway 299 onto Main St., continuing past the Intermountain Fairgrounds, crossing over a canal, and proceeding three miles north on a graded dirt road ending at a dirt launch ramp.

Read our previous coverage to learn more about Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park.