California National Parks Road Trip: Yosemite to the Desert in 9 Days

The Route at a Glance

California is too big to see every park in one trip, so this itinerary picks the four that connect into a clean loop: Yosemite and the southern Sierra parks, then the two desert parks. Start in the San Francisco Bay Area, drop into Yosemite, work south to Sequoia and Kings Canyon, cross the mountains to Death Valley, finish at Joshua Tree, and roll out through Palm Springs or Los Angeles. Total driving is roughly 1,000 miles over nine days, which sounds like a lot but breaks into short, scenic legs with two or three nights in most stops.

Timing matters more here than on almost any other California trip. The Sierra is a summer-and-fall park; the deserts are an October-through-April park. The overlap that lets you do both comfortably is late April into early June, and again late September into October. Do the same loop in July and Death Valley routinely runs past 115 degrees, which is not a place to hike. Do it in January and Sequoia's high roads and much of the Sierra high country are under snow. Aim for the shoulder seasons and the whole plan gets easier.

You need a rental car for all of it. There is no train or bus network that ties these parks together, and cell service drops out for long stretches inside Death Valley and along the Sierra passes. Download offline maps before you leave the Bay Area, keep the tank above half in the desert, and carry more water than you think you need. This route headlines our roundup of California's national parks for a reason: it is the most park-per-mile drive in the state.

Days 1-3: The Bay Area to Yosemite

Day 1 is a travel day. From San Francisco or Oakland it is about 4 hours and 190 miles to Yosemite Valley, and the last stretch is mountain road rather than freeway, so it drives slower than the mileage suggests. Come in on Highway 140 through Mariposa for the gentlest grade. Base your first two nights either inside the park or in a gateway town. In-park options like Yosemite Valley Lodge and the historic Ahwahnee book months ahead; if they are full, Oakhurst on Highway 41 and Mariposa on Highway 140 both sit within an hour of an entrance. Tenaya Lodge at Fish Camp, just outside the south entrance, is the full-service resort choice near the Mariposa Grove.

Day 2 is your full Yosemite Valley day. Start early, because valley parking fills by mid-morning in season and the park has run a peak-season day-use reservation system in recent summers. Walk the Mist Trail toward Vernal and Nevada Falls (about 3 miles round trip to the first bridge, 7 to the top of Nevada), catch Tunnel View off Highway 41, and if Glacier Point Road is open drive up for the look down at Half Dome. The waterfalls are loudest in May and June when the snowmelt peaks. Read the full Yosemite National Park guide before you go so you have the reservation and trail details straight.

Day 3 you drive south toward the next parks. Yosemite Valley to Three Rivers, the gateway town for Sequoia, runs about 4 hours through Fresno. Grab lunch and groceries in Fresno or Visalia, because in-park food is limited and pricey. Settle into Three Rivers for two nights; it has the closest beds to the Sequoia entrance and a handful of casual spots like the Gateway Restaurant along the river. If you would rather stay inside the park, Wuksachi Lodge sits up in the sequoia groves at 7,200 feet.

Days 4-5: Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and the Crossing to the Desert

Day 4 is the big-tree day. Sequoia and Kings Canyon are managed together and share an entrance road. In Sequoia, walk the short loop to the General Sherman Tree, the largest tree on Earth by volume, then climb the 350-odd steps up Moro Rock for a view over the Great Western Divide. The Congress Trail through the Giant Forest is a quiet two-mile loop among trees older than most human history. Drive north into Kings Canyon for the General Grant Tree and, if the road is open (it closes in winter), the switchbacks down into the canyon itself along the Kings River. Dig into the details on the Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park pages.

Day 5 is the longest drive of the trip and the most dramatic transition: from 7,000-foot conifer forest to below sea level. Three Rivers to Furnace Creek in Death Valley runs about 5 to 6 hours and roughly 300 miles. The scenic way climbs over to Lone Pine on Highway 395, where you can look up at Mount Whitney (the tallest peak in the Lower 48) and then drop east on Highway 190 into the valley. Fuel up in Lone Pine, because gas is scarce and expensive once you are in the park. This is where the trip flips from mountains to the wide-open Deserts region.

Base two nights at Furnace Creek. The Oasis at Death Valley runs two properties there: the upscale Inn at Death Valley and the more affordable Ranch at Death Valley, and Stovepipe Wells Village is a cheaper option farther north. Book ahead in the cool season, because the valley has limited rooms and they go fast from November through March.

Days 6-9: Death Valley to Joshua Tree and Out

Day 6 is your Death Valley day. Hit the marquee stops in the cool morning hours: Zabriskie Point for the golden badlands at sunrise, Badwater Basin's salt flats at 282 feet below sea level (the lowest point in North America), the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes near Stovepipe Wells, and the one-way loop through Artists Palette for the mineral-streaked hills. In spring after a wet winter the valley floor can bloom with wildflowers. The full playbook is on the Death Valley National Park page, including the heat rules that make timing non-negotiable.

Day 7 you cross the Mojave to Joshua Tree. Furnace Creek to the town of Twentynine Palms runs about 4 hours and 230 miles, mostly through open desert via Baker and the I-15/I-40 corridor. Base near the park in Twentynine Palms or the town of Joshua Tree, both of which have small motels, vacation rentals, and a growing crop of cafes and taco spots. Palm Springs, about 45 minutes south, is the resort alternative if you want a pool and more dining after a week of park food.

Day 8 is Joshua Tree itself. This is where the Mojave and Colorado deserts meet, so you get the twisted namesake trees up high and cholla cactus gardens down low. Walk the Hidden Valley loop, scramble the boulders at Jumbo Rocks, drive up to Keys View for the look across the Coachella Valley, and stay for the stars, which are some of the darkest you will see near a major city. See the Joshua Tree National Park guide for the loop that hits the most in a single day.

Day 9 you roll out. Joshua Tree to Los Angeles is about 2.5 hours; to Palm Springs it is under an hour if you want a final resort night before flying home. If you have appetite for more California once the parks are done, this loop pairs naturally with a Napa and Sonoma wine country weekend up north or a summer Tahoe and Yosemite mountain run. Start planning from the California travel guide if you are stitching several trips together.

Before You Go

Buy the America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) before your first park. It covers entrance at all four on this route, and since each park charges $30 to $35 per vehicle on its own, the pass pays for itself by park two. Every park on this loop is included.

Check road status the week you travel. Sequoia's Generals Highway and Kings Canyon's Highway 180 can close for snow or rockfall, Death Valley roads wash out after flash floods, and Yosemite's Tioga and Glacier Point Roads are seasonal. The nps.gov page for each park lists current closures. Reserve any in-park lodging and popular campgrounds months ahead, since they are the first things to sell out.

Pack for both extremes. You will want a fleece and rain layer for 7,000-foot Sierra mornings and sun protection, electrolytes, and a gallon of water per person per day for the desert. A small cooler saves you money and time, because in-park dining is limited and lines run long at midday. Keep the fuel tank topped up whenever you pass a station in the desert legs; the gap between fill-ups can be over 100 miles.