Top 10 Viewpoints in California
California's geography runs from below sea level in Death Valley to the 4,421-metre summit of Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States. Between them lie the granite walls of the Sierra Nevada, a thousand kilometres of Pacific coast, redwood forests and stark deserts. Its viewpoints are correspondingly diverse, from fog-wrapped sea cliffs to high alpine passes. These ten capture the extraordinary range of the Golden State.
Glacier Point, Yosemite
At 2,199 metres, Glacier Point looks down nearly a kilometre into Yosemite Valley, giving the definitive view of Half Dome's sheer face and the waterfalls of the Merced River. Reached by a scenic road open roughly late spring to October, it is one of America's great overlooks. Sunset, when Half Dome catches the last light, is the signature moment.
Bixby Bridge, Big Sur
The Bixby Creek Bridge, an elegant concrete arch spanning a steep coastal canyon, is the icon of the Big Sur coast on Highway 1. The viewpoints on either side frame the bridge against the cliffs and the Pacific, with the road clinging to the mountainside. Sunset and coastal fog both lend it drama; it is one of the most photographed bridges in the world.
McWay Falls, Big Sur
A short walk in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park leads to the overlook of McWay Falls, an 24-metre waterfall that drops directly onto a sheltered beach and into the turquoise cove. The combination of waterfall, cliff and sea is unique on the California coast. The viewpoint is fenced; the cove itself is inaccessible, which keeps the scene pristine.
Tunnel View, Yosemite
The classic Yosemite composition — El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridalveil Fall framed together — greets drivers emerging from the Wawona Tunnel. It is a drive-up viewpoint and among the most famous landscape views in the world, especially when clearing storms or low afternoon light dramatise the granite walls.
Lake Tahoe, Emerald Bay
Emerald Bay on Lake Tahoe's south-west shore is a glacial inlet ringed by forested peaks, with the small Fannette Island at its centre. The viewpoint on Highway 89 above the bay frames the brilliant blue water and the island, around 1,900 metres up in the Sierra. It is one of the most photographed scenes in the Tahoe basin.
Zabriskie Point, Death Valley
Zabriskie Point overlooks a maze of eroded golden badlands in Death Valley, the lowest, hottest and driest place in North America. The viewpoint frames the rippled clay hills against the distant Panamint Range. Sunrise, when the badlands glow gold and the shadows are long, is the prime time; midday summer heat here is extreme.
Tioga Pass, Yosemite high country
At 3,031 metres, Tioga Pass is the highest paved pass in California and the eastern gateway to Yosemite's high country. The road climbs past Tenaya Lake and Olmsted Point, with views of glacially polished granite domes and the back of Half Dome. The pass is open only roughly June to October because of deep snow.
Mount Tamalpais, near San Francisco
Rising to 784 metres just north of San Francisco, Mount Tamalpais gives a sweeping view over the bay, the Golden Gate Bridge and the city, often above a layer of coastal fog. A road climbs near the summit, and trails reach the East Peak lookout. On clear days the Farallon Islands are visible far out in the Pacific.
Keys View, Joshua Tree
Keys View in Joshua Tree National Park sits at around 1,580 metres and looks across the Coachella Valley to the San Andreas Fault, the Salton Sea and, on clear days, Mexico. The viewpoint frames the stark desert basin and the surrounding ranges, with the famous Joshua trees and granite boulders of the park behind.
Cabrillo and the Lone Cypress, Monterey
Along the 17-Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsula, the Lone Cypress stands on a granite outcrop above the sea, a centuries-old tree that has become a symbol of the California coast. The clifftop viewpoints frame the cypress, the rocky shore and the Pacific, especially fine in the soft light of a clearing coastal morning.
Explore on the map
From the granite of Yosemite to the cliffs of Big Sur and the badlands of Death Valley, every viewpoint above is plotted on the interactive map. Use it to see which require a seasonal mountain pass, which are coastal stops on Highway 1, and plan a route across the immense range of California's landscapes.