Can you camp in Yosemite Valley?
Yes—but reservations open five months out and sell out in minutes.
Can you camp on the cliffs in Big Sur?
Yes—Kirk Creek campground sits 100 feet above the Pacific Ocean.
Are Joshua trees actually trees?
No—they're the world's largest yucca plant, native to the Mojave Desert.
How deep is Lake Tahoe?
1,645 feet—deep enough to submerge the Empire State Building.
What is the hottest place on Earth?
Death Valley, which recorded 134°F in 1913.
How big is the General Sherman tree?
It weighs an estimated 2.7 million pounds—the largest living organism on Earth.
Can you camp near the beach in San Diego?
Yes—but the best camping is an hour east in the pine-covered mountains at 5,000 feet.
How tall do redwood trees grow?
Over 380 feet—taller than the Statue of Liberty.
How do you get to Channel Islands?
By boat only—there are no bridges or airstrips on the islands.
Is there camping near Los Angeles?
Yes—Angeles National Forest sits 30 miles from downtown, topping out above 10,000 feet.
What is the hardest camping reservation in California?
Steep Ravine cabins in Marin—they book out in seconds.
Is Kings Canyon deeper than the Grand Canyon?
Yes—at 8,200 feet, it's one of the deepest canyons in North America.
Can you camp in Napa and Sonoma?
Yes—state parks like Sugarloaf Ridge and Bothe-Napa put you minutes from world-class wineries.
What is the best camping on the Central Coast?
Montana de Oro State Park—miles of wild coastline with almost none of the crowds.
What is the best road trip in California?
Highway 395 along the Eastern Sierra—hot springs, volcanoes, and alpine lakes.
What is the least visited national park in California?
Lassen Volcanic, despite having boiling mud pots and pristine alpine lakes.
Does Mount Shasta have glaciers?
Yes—seven named glaciers, making it one of the most glaciated peaks in the Cascades.
What is Glass Beach in Mendocino?
A former dump where decades of wave action turned broken glass into smooth, colorful pebbles.
Can you camp anywhere in Anza-Borrego?
Yes—free dispersed camping across 600,000 acres, no permit or reservation required.
Does Pinnacles National Park have a pool?
Yes—it's the only national park with a swimming pool at the campground.
How long is the John Muir Trail?
211 miles, crossing six mountain passes above 11,000 feet.
Where did the California Gold Rush start?
At Sutter's Mill in Coloma, on the South Fork American River, in 1848.
Why is it called the Lost Coast?
Highway 1 couldn't be built here—the King Range was too steep.
Can you camp in California's Central Valley?
Yes—river camps along the San Joaquin and reservoir sites at Millerton Lake are wide open spring and fall.