5 California National Parks Where You'll Find Beautiful Fall Foliage

When a chill pricks the air and pumpkin spice everything hits store shelves, it's time to take a road trip to see some colorful fall foliage. California may not be the first state that comes to mind for viewing autumn colors; however, there are some beautiful national parks in the Golden State that put on quite a show in the later months of the year. Perhaps unsurprisingly, though, the most vivid fall displays are in the northern half of the state, where you'll find dense forests and cooler temperatures. Depending on which parks you visit, you may also get to see some of California's giant, ancient towering trees while you explore.

As with any other state, the best time for peak foliage-viewing depends largely on the weather. However, if you're planning a trip in the near future, your best bet is to check foliage maps to pinpoint when each place is expected to have the prettiest palette. One good resource is the California Fall Foliage Map, which allows you to search by location or scroll in and out of the map for specific spots. You can do the same with the California Fall Color Map. 

Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California near Redding is known for having the largest plug dome volcano in the world. It's one of the best national parks in California for camping, according to visitors. However, it's also a wonderful place to see some changing leaves. Cottonwood and aspen are the types of trees to look for in the park, and one good place to see them is the pretty Manzanita Lake below Lassen Peak. You can also check out Paradise Meadows, accessible via a nature trail.

Sequoia National Park and the next entry, Kings Canyon National Park, are right next to each other and run by the same team. They're about an hour east of the city of Fresno and boast enormous sequoias, which is the obvious draw. However, the bigleaf maples, quaking aspen, and dogwood all change color in the autumn, and they put on a stunning show. You can hit stops along the viewing areas of Generals Highway, which connects the two parks, or trek hiking routes such as the Big Trees Trail.

Kings Canyon National Park is the more northern of the two adjacent parks, and it's another spot for great leaf-peeping. It's home to the deepest canyon in the country and the General Grant Tree, one of the largest sequoias on the planet. The General Grant Tree Trail has some pretty colors in the fall, so make sure you check this area out. The best part is that you only have to pay one entry fee to visit both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

About 4 miles south of Crescent City in Northern California along the coast is Redwood National and State Parks, yet another prime location for riotous fall color. Bonus: It's also free to visit. The dogwoods, alders, and bigleaf maples change color while the coniferous trees stay green. One commenter on a thread in Reddit's r/Humboldt suggests the Skunk Cabbage Trail and the Redwood Creek Trail as prime peeping locations. In a separate comment, they also recommend the Bald Hills overlook for prime colors.

You may know Yosemite National Park for its famously breathtaking, towering waterfalls or the wildlife within the park's borders, but it's also a standout location to see fall foliage in California. You can find autumn colors under El Capitan, in Tuolumne Meadows, in Valley, and at Tioga Pass, as well as at Glacier Point, Wawona, and El Portal. The quaking aspens, black cottonwood, and bigleaf maples shift to a lovely gold, while black oak turns orange. Even the poison oak puts on a new outfit for the fall. Late October is generally a good time to visit.