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»CA.STATE & NATIONAL PARKS extinction, are now protected within California's redwood parks. At Humboldt Redwoods State Park, home to the largest continuous old growth redwood forest on earth, drive the 31-mile Avenue of the Giants and make stops along the way to stroll among the titans. Founders Grove with its majestic 346-foot specimen is always a favorite. Visit in spring to see the pink redwood lilies and purple calypso orchids in bloom. Farther north and closer to the coast, the Redwood National and State Parks is a collection of four parks with miles of unspoiled coast and hiking trails. The tallest recorded Coast Redwood hides here, its location kept secret to protect it. However, you can visit the remote Tall Trees Grove if you have a day to spare and want to nab one of the 50 daily permits. But all the parks provide easy access to magnificent groves as well as picnic sites, campgrounds and trails for hikers, cyclists and horses. Burning Sands & Delicate Wildflowers Miles from the coast, California's deserts are lands of extremes. Vast Death Valley National Park holds the record for the hottest temperature, driest climate and lowest elevation in North America. It is also famous for its explosion of wildflowers after winter rains. For a bird's eye panorama, stop at Dante's View. On the valley floor, walk the Badwater Salt Flats or take an afternoon drive to Zabriskie Point to snap the garishly colored badlands. At Scotty's Castle, take a living-history tour to sample the life of one of the valley's most colorful settlers. Trips to Titus Canyon and the Racetrack take you deeper into the park's unique landscape, but only for those with proper vehicles and preparation. Furnace Creek Campground, one of nine in the park, with sites for RVs, groups and tents, makes for a central location for exploring the park. Because of favorable weather and temperatures, fall to spring is the park's busiest time. The Mojave National Preserve is famous for its singing sand dunes and seven-million-year-old volcanic cinder cones. Joshua Tree National Park, a favorite with rock climbers, 42 2 013 travel guide to c al ifo r n i a HEARST CASTLE'S Neptune Pool, top; clockwise, Bodie State Historic Park; Malibu Creek State Park at sunset; elephant seals released in Crystal Cove State Park; Point Loma Lighthouse in Cabrillo National Park, San Diego. mountain bikers and birders, is home to the gangly tree that gives the park its name. While both have spring wildflower displays, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is legendary. Its flowers are usually the first to burst into color—catching the park's cactus bloom is the prize. To the Beach A visit to California is incomplete without spending time on the beach, but not all of them are the iconic white sandy kind. You will find black sand at Sinkyone Wilderness State Park on the north coast. At the Mendocino Headlands State Park, bundle up and enjoy a beach walk with a view of the Victorian village. Closer to San Francisco, the sweeping arc of Point Reyes National Seashore is home to a dozen beaches, with drive-up Drakes Beach and hike-in Limantour as favorites. Make your way to park headlands in early spring to view the gray whale migration. Edging the entrance to San Francisco Bay, the beaches and cliff trails of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area are the gateways to urban adventures and historic sights such as Alcatraz Island. Continuing down the coast to Santa Cruz and Monterey, surfing spots alternate with quiet coves home to sea otters and seals. At Año Nuevo State Reserve, witness elephant seals in breeding season. In Carmel, whose