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Los Angeles · California

National parks near Los Angeles

Last verified Straight-line miles · drive times estimated
The closest national park to Los Angeles is Channel Islands National Park, about 86 miles away as the crow flies. 7 national parks are within 300 miles. Here are the nearest 8, a few road trips, and the Park Service sites even closer to home.
123456Los Angeles
★ Los Angeles. Numbers match the list below; dashed lines are straight-line distance.

At a glance

Los Angeles to the parks

National parks near Los Angeles at a glance
Closest national parkChannel Islands National Park 86 mi straight-line
Within 150 / 300 / 500 miles2 / 7 / 15 national parks
Day trip (≤ 3 h, est.)None
Closest NPS site of any kindSanta Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, 21 mi
Metro population12,844,441 (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro, Census 2025 est.)

The closest three

Nearest to Los Angeles

  • Photo: NPS/Brett Seymour

    California

    Channel Islands National Park

    Straight line
    86 mi
    Drive (est.)
    No road
    Quiet month
    May
    Entrance
    Free entry

    “While the mainland visitor center in Ventura is readily accessible by car or public transportation, the islands are only accessible by park concessionaire boats and planes or private boat.” (NPS)

  • Photo: NPS / Emily Hassell

    California

    Joshua Tree National Park

    Straight line
    148 mi
    Drive (est.)
    ≈ 3 h 30 min
    Quiet month
    May
    Entrance
    $30 / vehicle

  • Photo: NPS/Rick Cain

    California

    Sequoia National Park

    Straight line
    167 mi
    Drive (est.)
    ≈ 4 h
    Quiet month
    September
    Entrance
    $35 / vehicle

The nearest 8

National parks by distance from Los Angeles

Straight-line miles from the city to each park's NPS reference point (often its center, not an entrance). Drive times are a rough estimate: miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route.
National parks nearest Los Angeles, with straight-line distance and estimated drive time
#ParkStraight lineDrive (est.)2025 visitsQuiet month
1Channel Islands National ParkCA86 miChannel Islands is not reachable by road227,186May
2Joshua Tree National ParkCA148 mi≈ 3 h 30 min2,932,644May
3Sequoia National ParkCA167 mi≈ 4 h1,378,337September
4Death Valley National ParkCA · NV185 mi≈ 4 h 20 min1,320,134May
5Kings Canyon National ParkCA192 mi≈ 4 h 30 min779,791September
6Pinnacles National ParkCA232 mi≈ 5 h 30 min343,208February
7Yosemite National ParkCA272 mi≈ 6 h 20 min4,278,413May
8Zion National ParkUT378 mi≈ 8 h 50 min4,984,525November

No drive estimate for Channel Islands: NPS says it's reached by boat or plane.

Make it a road trip

Park pairs within reach of Los Angeles

Groups of parks where every pair is within about six hours of each other by our drive estimate.

Closer to home

National Park Service sites within 200 miles

Not national parks, but run by the same Park Service: monuments, historic sites, seashores and recreation areas. Links go to nps.gov.

Straight-line miles to each site’s NPS reference point. Long-distance trails are left out.

FAQ

National parks near Los Angeles, answered

What is the closest national park to Los Angeles?
Channel Islands National Park, about 86 miles from Los Angeles in a straight line (channel islands is not reachable by road). Next closest: Joshua Tree (148 mi) and Sequoia (167 mi).
Can you visit a national park on a day trip from Los Angeles?
Not easily. The closest, Channel Islands, is not reachable by road, so plan on at least one night.
How many national parks are within a day's drive of Los Angeles?
6 by our rough estimate (up to 8 hours of driving): Joshua Tree, Sequoia, Death Valley, Kings Canyon, Pinnacles and Yosemite. 7 national parks are within 300 straight-line miles.
Are there National Park Service sites closer to Los Angeles?
Yes. Within 200 miles there are 5 other NPS sites, the nearest being Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (21 mi), César E. Chávez National Monument (84 mi) and Cabrillo National Monument (115 mi).

Sources · 6

  1. 1.Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Population Totals: 2020-2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
  2. 2.City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
  3. 3.2025 Gazetteer Files: Places · U.S. Census Bureau
  4. 4.NPS Data API — /parks (all park units) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
Show 2 more
  1. 5.NPS park directions text used for road access · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
  2. 6.NPS Visitor Use Statistics — monthly recreation visits, 2021–2025 (IRMA stats REST service) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior) — Visitor Use Statistics Program

City location: the U.S. Census Bureau’s internal point for Los Angeles city, California. Metro: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (2025 estimate).

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