Summary

• Yosemite is popular but crowded. Explore lesser-known state parks like Prairie Creek Redwood for a quieter but equally stunning experience.
• Humboldt Redwoods, Calaveras Big Trees and Mono Lake offer unique natural wonders and hikes away from the crowds and high costs of Yosemite.
• Pfeiffer Big Sur, Julia Pfeiffer Burns and Mount San Jacinto State Parks offer diverse landscapes and wilderness experiences that are worth visiting.

California is home to nine impressive national parks, each uniquely showcasing its stunning natural beauty and diversity. Welcoming more than 3.5 million travelers each year, Yosemite is the most visited national park in the Golden State. The park has a reputation for being home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the USA, and the views from places like Half Dome will make your heart skip a beat.

With picturesque waterfalls, scenic hiking trails, and some of the best rock climbing in the U.S., this national park definitely lives up to its reputation. However, it’s one of the biggest tourist traps among national parks, and the hordes of vacationers that flock to the park each summer may not allow you to enjoy the full experience.

It is also one of the most expensive national park trips. Fortunately, there are several state parks that are just as fascinating and guarantee unforgettable adventures. Here are state parks that are more worth visiting than Yosemite National Park.

7 Prairie Creek Redwood State Park

Explore the redwood grove, spectacular prairies and wildlife – without the crowds

If you love Yosemite’s impressive redwood grove, be sure to plan a visit to Prairie Creek Redwood, a sanctuary for some of California’s most incredible redwood trees. It also features spectacular prairies, secluded sandy beaches, and amazing Roosevelt elk herds that spend their time grazing in the open grasslands. Receiving just over 400,000 visitors each year, this hidden wilderness is home to several scenic hiking trails that reveal its natural splendor.

When you visit this park, you’ll also have endless opportunities for nearby adventures at Jedediah Smith Redwoods and Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Parks, as well as Redwood National Park. Together, the four parks make up Redwood National and State Parks.

6 Humboldt Redwoods State Park

Enjoy a fascinating collection of redwoods in California’s largest redwood state park, without the crowds

Located along the Eel River, Humboldt Redwoods is one of the state parks that’s better than Yosemite National Park, thanks to a fascinating collection of ancient redwood groves. 11,000 acres of the park (53,000 acres) are covered with majestic old-growth coast redwoods, making it the largest redwood state park in California.

There are so many unique experiences in the park, including a drive through the Shrine Drive Thru Tree, one of the park’s most beautiful tourist attractions. There are also scenic hiking trails and overall the park offers a more peaceful atmosphere than Yosemite.

5 Calaveras Big Trees State Park

Explore the remains of the world’s largest known sequoias without crowds

Established in 1931, Calaveras Big Trees is famous for containing the remains of the largest known giant sequoias, making it one of the most unique places in California and a perfect alternative to Yosemite National Park. It is home to two groves of giant sequoias: the North Groves and the South Groves.

Additionally, travelers will be captivated by volcanic formations, beautiful meadows, hiking trails, and impressive views of the Stanislaus River; this park is the definition of a breathtaking wonderland. And unlike Yosemite, you won’t have to contend with crowds and timed entry reservations.

4 Mono Lake Tufa State Wildlife Area

The otherworldly landscape of this nature reserve, which includes a million-year-old lake and spectacular tufa rocks, easily rivals the splendor of Yosemite.

Mono Lake Tufa is an underrated nature reserve worth skipping Yosemite for, thanks to its otherworldly landscape of an ancient lake whose waters shimmer in unique shades of blue and are home to stunning tufa towers. The lake has no outlet and is believed to be over a million years old, making it one of the oldest lakes in North America.

You’ll have plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation, including boating, swimming, hiking, and bird watching. Additionally, from here you can access Tuolomne Meadows, Olmsted Point, and Tenaya Lake, some of Yosemite’s most impressive sights. The park offers a quieter atmosphere, which is another reason to visit it instead of the crowded Yosemite National Park.

3 Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

Enjoy a hike through tall redwood trees in “Mini Yosemite”

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is a hidden park in California that is worth seeing and has been called a “mini Yosemite” thanks to its tall redwood trees and stunning natural scenery. Located on the western slopes of the Santa Lucia Mountains, this underrated state park offers many scenic hiking trails and campgrounds, some of which are located along the Big Sur River that flows through the park.

You’ll also enjoy incredible wildlife viewing opportunities, including black-tailed deer, raccoons, and bobcats. It’s one of the least visited state parks in the Golden State, so travelers won’t have to contend with crowds.

2 Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

Explore one of California’s only two tidal falls, as well as deep canyons and an impressive collection of redwood trees

Julia Pfeiffer Burns is famous for its McWay Falls, one of California’s only two coastal waterfalls. Although it offers some of the state’s most stunning coastal views, it is California’s most overlooked state park. Watching the waterfall cascade over a steep granite cliff into a sandy cove and into the ocean is an experience you’ll never forget.

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is home to deep canyons and some of the largest and oldest redwood trees in Big Sur. Hiking the Ewoldsen Trail will reveal many of the park’s redwood trees. The park also offers some of the most desirable and scenic beach camping experiences (accessible only by foot) in California. The park welcomes only 400,000 visitors annually and is a hidden gem that is not as crowded as Yosemite.

The 80-foot-tall McWay Falls are in water year-round, but at high tide (when they meet the ocean directly) the view is most impressive.

1 Mount San Jacinto State Park

Discover unique ecosystems, diverse wildlife, and fun outdoor recreation (without the crowds you’d experience at Yosemite National Park).

If you like the granite and alpine landscape of Yosemite, you’ll love Mount San Jacinto State Park. The park is home to unique ecosystems and incredibly diverse wildlife, including the rarely seen mountain lions, coyotes, and mule deer.

This 14,000-acre park enjoys a beautiful setting in the San Jacinto Mountains and offers endless opportunities for fun outdoor recreational activities. It is suitable for hikers and climbers of all levels, as well as campers who want to stay overnight to fully immerse themselves in the natural beauty. Mount San Jacinto State Park is one of the lesser-known state parks and therefore offers a more peaceful experience.