Breathtaking Beauty of Nature

California is state that has a lot of diversity in nature. It is home to the highest point, Mount Whitney and the lowest point, Death Valley on the continent. There are a lot of natural wonders to admire in the Golden State.

The Castle Mountains National Monument lies along the Nevada state line and the Mojave Desert. The Castle Mountains are home to Joshua tree forests and rare desert grasslands. This area can be reached by 4W vehicles along dirt roads. In the spring wildflowers bring an abundance of many different colors. The highest elevations here are the Mid-Hills and the New York Mountains.

One of the lesser-visited national parks in California is the archipelago of Channel Islands National Park. This is only accessible by boat. There are five islands among them Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel. The nearest launching points are from Oxnard or Ventura.

These have been named the Galapagos of North America. They’re home to the Island Fox, and the Island scrub jay. There are many strange looking flowers here. You can enjoy the hiking paths with views of the surrounding waters, kayak on the ocean and enjoy snorkeling and scuba diving.

This is a great place to see dolphins, orca whales, harbor seals and humpback whales.

Grover Hot Springs State Park is located south of Lake Tahoe, near Markleeville. Here you can find hot springs coming up from underground with a temperature of 148 degrees Fahrenheit. These waters are then cooled off and piped into two concrete mineral pools within the park.

Lassen Volcanic National Park is located in northeastern California. It is home to four types of volcanoes found on Earth – cinder cones, composite, lava, and shield volcanoes with 300 active domes. The park has an interesting landscape with sulfur vents, fumaroles, mud pots, wildflower meadows, mountain lakes, waterfalls, lava tube caves, and steaming hot springs.

There are 150 miles of trails. Hiking the Cinder Cone Volcano in the Butte Lake section will give you 360-degree views of the Painted Dunes and the volcano crater.

The Lava Beds National Monument lies just south of the border with Oregon. Here you’ll find a butte-studded high desert wilderness has over 800 caves, Native American rock art sites, and impressive topography.

At Petroglyph Point there is antiquated Modoc rock craftsmanship. In the caves you can see a variety of bat species among them Townsend’s big-eared bats.

At Pinnacles National Park you can see the endangered California condor. This is the newest national park in California. The park has piney chaparral and oak woodlands and more than 30 miles of trails.

One of the most popular hikes is the High Peaks Loop.

Red Rock Canyon State Park has many desert cliffs, buttes, and rock formations. Many Old Hollywood westerns have been filmed here. There are towering walls striped in reds and oranges. Trails will take you to Hagen Canyon and Red Rock Canyon.

Among the wildlife are three-toed horses, saber-toothed cats, and alligator lizards.

The Trona Pinnacles has been a National Natural Landmark since 1968.. Gigantic pinnacles rise above Searles Dry Lake Basin. There are amazing turfa tower formations.

Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park is located northeast of Nevada City. This park is home to the largest hydraulic mining site in California. There are towering cliffs that were carved out by hydraulic mining to wash out gold. The park offers scenic hiking trails.

Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park located in Weaverville is home to the oldest Chinese temple in California. The temple was built in 1874. On display here you’ll find mining tools, weapons, pictures and more. The temple is still used for worship and is a reminder of the huge influence of early Chinese immigrants on California.