National Parks Near Santa Ana
National Parks near Santa Ana. There’s so much more to the great state of California than the Santa Ana Zoo.
In this article, we’ll familiarize you with the incredible national parks that are within a day’s drive of downtown Santa Ana.
I’ve been to so many of these amazing places since retiring from teaching in 2018. Did I mention that I taught history? I spent a lifetime teaching about the history behind these momentous sites. Then I got to see them firsthand. And now I’m sharing the stories of these incredible places with you. It doesn’t get any better than that!
Well, actually it does. I attended college in Southern California so the Golden State has a very special place in my heart.
Now let’s go ahead and share those 7 reasons why you’ll want to make that day’s drive from Santa Ana to one of these amazing places.
Table Of Contents
- Why Trust Us About National Parks Near Santa Ana?
- Meet The Parks Brothers
- Channel Islands National Park
- Death Valley National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Pinnacles National Park
- Sequoia National Park
- Kings Canyon National Park
- Yosemite National Park
- Hooray For Hollywood
- Map Of National Parks Near Santa Ana
Why Trust Us About National Parks Near Santa Ana?
You should probably know that we don’t just make this stuff up out of thin air. My sons have spent their entire adult lives exploring and filming America’s national parks and public lands.
As for me, I’m a retired lifelong educator and a proud dad of these two wonderful guys who are hopelessly obsessed with the national parks. I taught history for over a quarter of a century. Now I enjoy researching and writing articles for More Than Just Parks. I’m always on the hunt for topics where nature and history intersect so please feel free to share any ideas that you might have with me.
We’ve worked with the National Park Service, the Department of Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service for years creating films on important places and issues. Our work has been featured in leading publications all over the world and even some people outside of our immediate family call us experts on the national parks.
Meet The Parks Brothers
We’re Jim Pattiz and Will Pattiz, collectively known as the Pattiz Brothers (and sometimes the Parks Brothers) and we absolutely LOVE the national parks.
Our goal here at More Than Just Parks is to share the beauty of America’s national parks and public lands through stunning short films in an effort to get Americans and the world to see the true value in land conservation.
We hope you’ll follow our journey through the parks and help us to keep them the incredible places that they are. If you’re interested in joining the adventure then please sign up below!
Best National Parks Near Santa Ana
1. Channel Islands National Park
Distance from Santa Ana: 2 hours
I attended college in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California. I have fond memories of some of the amazing road trips that I took with my friends. In this article, I’m going to outline 7 amazing road trips which you can take to see some of America’s most spectacular national parks.
You can embark on a journey to experience five incredible islands off of the coast of Southern California. They’re known as the Channel Islands. [Please note: While you can drive there in a little over an hour’s time, the islands themselves are only accessible by park concessionaire boats (Island Packers) or private boats.]
Located in Ventura County, Channel Islands National Park offers it visitors five remarkable islands and their ocean environment. There you will experience a wealth of natural and cultural resources.
These islands unique geography over thousands of years has created animals, plants, and archeological resources found nowhere else on Earth. The Channel Islands have helped to preserve a very special place where visitors can experience coastal California as it once was a very long time ago.
Camping is available year round on all five islands. There are many trails and roads which traverse these islands and provide you with spectacular hiking opportunities.
RELATED: 6 AMAZING National Parks Near San Diego You’ll Love
2. Death Valley National Park | National Parks Near Santa Ana
Distance from Santa Ana: 4 hours via CA-14 N.
Death Valley is situated on California’s southeastern border with Nevada, Death Valley National Park spans over 5,000 square miles of otherworldly vistas. The largest national park in the continental United States, Death Valley is a park for superlatives.
It’s the hottest place on earth, the lowest place in North America, and the driest place in the United States. It is also the largest national park outside of Alaska.
While you’re there, check out the massive slanted valleys that go on forever and seem to lack only the crashed spaceship in the distance, snow-capped mountains, a year round waterfall (insane, right?), expansive forests, abandoned mines, conifer groves, and some of the most stunning dune fields in North America comprise the park with the most morbid name.
RELATED: Death Valley National Park
The Death Valley Video
If you’re visiting the park be sure to check out our full Death Valley National Park Guide!
“Let us get the overall picture of this extraordinary sink and its forbidding mountain barriers.
The valley is boxed, east and west, by precipitous slopes–the Amargosa Range on the Nevada side, and the Panamints on the other. From Dante’s View or Zabriskie Point, on a day when the haze permits, the High Sierra can be seen.”
-Freeman Tilden, The National Parks
3. Joshua Tree National Park | National Parks Near Santa Ana
Distance from Santa Ana: 2 hours via CA-91 E.
Why go? Because Joshua Tree National Park is a world famous American destination known for it’s wacky namesake, the Joshua Tree. It’s the iconic southwestern desert park that you’ve heard so much about and probably seen featured in countless movies, television shows, and yes, of course music videos.
Named for the one-of-a-kind trees that call the area home, Joshua Tree National Park is a true desert wonderland.
Watercolor sunsets and night skies teeming with stars, fairy tale trees and giant boulder piles, warm desert air and endless vistas, these are the hallmarks of this iconic southwestern destination.
If you’re visiting the park be sure to check out our full Joshua Tree National Park Guide.
The Joshua Tree Video
4. Pinnacles National Park
Distance from Santa Ana: 5 hours & 11 minutes via I-5 N.
As one of the newest national parks, the list of things to do at Pinnacles National Park is still growing but already has some great additions.
The most recent addition of the California National Parks is a beauty featuring some lovely dry mountain scenery, caves exploration, condor viewing, and lots of great rock climbing opportunities.
With that being said, hiking is the main activity in the park and there’s plenty of it. A great time to check out the park is in the spring when the wildflowers are blooming.
RELATED: 10 [EPIC] Things To Do At Pinnacles National Park
5. & 6. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Distance from Santa Ana: Five hours via I-5 N.
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks had 1.2 million visitors in 2020.
Sequoia National Park was established on September 25, 1890, making it our country’s second oldest national park.
Kings Canyon was established fifty years later on March 4, 1940.
Together, these two parks offer a truly unique experience for travelers looking to experience some of America’s most amazing natural wonders.
The Tallest Trees In The World
Of course, you’re going to want to be sure to visit the two stars of these two parks. The General Sherman Tree is the world’s largest tree, measured by volume. It stands 275 feet (83 m) tall, and is over 36 feet (11 m) in diameter at the base. It’s located in Sequoia National Park.
The General Grant Tree is located in Grant Grove in Kings Canyon National Park. The General Grant Tree is the second-largest tree in the world, standing 267 feet tall, and nearly 29 feet wide at the base.
RELATED: General Grant Tree: Everything You Need To Know About The World’s Second Tallest Tree
Of course, these two iconic two trees are named after the two victorious Civil War Generals Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman.
RELATED: General Sherman Tree: Everything You Need To Know About The World’s Largest Tree
7. Yosemite National Park | National Parks Near Santa Ana
Distance from Santa Ana: 5 hours & 26 minutes via I-5 N & CA-99 N.
We’ve saved the best for last.
Yosemite National Park is not America’s oldest national park though it was first protected eight years before the creation of Yellowstone-America’s oldest national park.
RELATED: 8 BEST NATIONAL PARKS NEAR SAN FRANCISCO
It is by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter.
-John Muir
things to see
Yosemite is best known for its waterfalls, but within its 1200 square miles you’ll also find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.
The magnificent valley is a 7 mile wide canyon with incredible rock formations, including El Capitan, the world’s tallest granite monolith and one of the world’s top rock climbing destinations.
Another place to visit it Yosemite Falls. It’s the largest waterfall in North America with breathtaking views. Peak visitation at the falls is in the spring as it is comprised entirely of melting snow. The park is also known for its Giant Sequoia trees, which are estimated to be over 3,000 years old. (Source: NPS)
If you want to learn more about this amazing park then check out 10+ (AMAZING) Yosemite National Park Facts You Probably Didn’t Know
Hooray For Hollywood | Check Out 2 Great Articles From More Than Just Parks
Santa Ana is close to the “City of Stars” (a.k.a. Los Angeles) and one of its brightest stars would have to be the “Dream Factory” otherwise known as Hollywood.
If you love the national parks (and why else would you be here if you didn’t) and would like to know which parks played cameo roles in some of Hollywood’s Greatest Films & Most Beloved Television Shows then we’ve got two great articles for you.
CHECK OUT: LOOK FAMILIAR? 25+ CLASSIC MOVIES FILMED IN THE NATIONAL PARKS
CHECK OUT: LOOK FAMILIAR? 10 + CLASSIC TELEVISION SHOWS FILMS IN THE NATIONAL PARKS
List Of National Parks Near Santa Ana
- Channel Islands National Park
- Death Valley National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Pinnacles National Park
- Sequoia National Park
- Kings Canyon National Park
- Yosemite National Park
Map Of National Park Sites Near Santa Ana
Our goal here at More Than Just Parks is to share the beauty of America’s national parks and public lands through stunning short films in an effort to get Americans and the world to see the true value in land conservation.
We hope you’ll follow our journey through the parks and help us to keep them the incredible places that they are. If you’re interested in joining the adventure then please sign up below!
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- 10 [EPIC] Things to Do at Pinnacles National Park (Expert Guide)
- JOSHUA TREE National Park: A (Very) Helpful Guide with Photos + Video
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