CA California Porch

Big Places

Redwoods, deserts, mountains, and big parks

A practical first stop for redwoods, Sierra parks, desert roads, islands, volcanoes, and the official pages that control roads, permits, weather, and access.

Where-to-go guide Last reviewed June 29, 2026

The big places are not one system. A redwood grove, desert wash, Sierra trailhead, island campsite, or volcano overlook may be run by National Park Service, State Parks, USFS, BLM, a local agency, or more than one manager.

The name on the map does not tell you the rules. The manager page tells you roads, closures, pets, reservations, permits, fires, water, and whether you can get there today.

The simple rule is to pick the exact place before you pack. Then check roads, weather, heat, snow, smoke, and any permit or reservation before you drive.

First moves

  1. 1

    Pick the exact park, forest, BLM area, island, state park, or trailhead.

  2. 2

    Check the official manager page for road status, closures, parking, pets, camping, permits, shuttles, and alerts.

  3. 3

    For redwoods, start with the exact grove or park because redwood country is split across national, state, local, and private lands.

  4. 4

    For deserts and high mountains, check heat, snow, water, gas, cell service, and the road home.

  5. 5

    For islands, check boat or plane transportation before you assume a date is easy.

Watch for

  1. 1

    Famous parks can need reservations, wilderness permits, timed entry, shuttle planning, or early campground work.

  2. 2

    Desert heat and mountain snow can turn a short trip serious. Bring water, layers, and a turn-around plan.

  3. 3

    Roads to remote trailheads can close from snow, fire, flood, rockfall, or storm damage.

  4. 4

    A parking spot, campsite, dog rule, fire rule, or drone rule allowed on one side of a boundary may be banned or different across the line.

Go deeper

Camping and public lands

How to check the manager, reservation, fire, food, pet, water, road, and closure rules before you camp.

Outdoor weather and hazard checks

A last-check guide for weather, smoke, fire, heat, surf, rivers, snow, roads, earthquakes, and the live sources to trust before you leave.

Stargazing and night sky

How to plan a night-sky trip without guessing about gates, parking, clouds, smoke, roads, moonlight, or whether you can legally be there after dark.

Directory paths

Keep moving through the directory.

Use the related shelf when this guide is the right lane, or jump back to the full directory if the task changed names.

ShelfOutdoorsReturn to California outdoor checks and public-land paths.DirectoryGuidesBrowse the full guide shelf.PaperworkPaperwork & MoneyFind a calculator, checklist, or official-office route.A-ZFind another California pathUse the index when the task has a different name.