If California had one of the World's Natural Wonders, what National Park would it be?

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

The reason that San Diegans don't grow Torrey Pines is that they ONLY survive in the very small micro-climate immediately surrounding Torrey Pines State Park (i.e. parts of Del Mar, La Jolla). Plant one in downtown, in Mission Valley, or El Cajon and it'll be dead in a year.

San Diegans don't have much choice when it comes to native trees that grow widely. Most of San Diego county is chapparal, and really our only native trees in the chaparral area are oaks. Thus, we supplement with trees like Eucalyptus, Palms, Calif. Peppers, and a thousand other trees.

Have a great weekend enjoying our state's beauty!

This is total nonsense. Torrey Pines have been planted in Australia, New Zealand and Kenya but they can't be grown with a little extra care in other parts of the climate in the area they are native to? Come on.

They can only grow NATURALLY in their native range but we are talking about landscaping which is never on it's own.

[sourdough]

And they grow naturally on Santa Rosa Island….
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torrey_pine

[Iaskwhy]

California has the biggest tree (and biggest single organism) in the world, the hottest desert in the world and arguably the most impressive glacial valley in the world. I think it would have to be either Sequoia NP, Death Valley NP or Yosemite NP.

[PrincessoftheCape]

No Shasta love? *Frownie face.*

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

That's a pretty tall statement. Are you sure about that? Remember the guy who posted here, who, as a ranger or guide in Yosemite handling groups of European tourists, said that it wasn't unusual for the visitors to comment that they didn't know what the fuss was about, Europe had much more spectacular scenery than Yosemite? ROFL! That just kills me! They thought Yosemite was just another example of overblown American marketing. Now granted, the Alps and the Norwegian fjords are quite breathtaking. But they don't have redwoods! And you're right about the waterfalls; tall waterfalls like that aren't common in Europe.

Neither does Yosemite. Sequoias yes, there is the Mariposa grove and I think another one.

I'm shocked, The Europeans I don't know think that. They think California and the West's natural wonders are like no place on earth.

I've been to the Alps. They are breathtaking but in a different way. Europe's landscape and environment even where beautiful and scenic at least compared with the American West is more modified and altered from centuries of dense and intense human presence. I think the Alps are certainly beautiful, but I felt in a lot of ways there was a rural (albeit very picturesque) village every five miles with the high country being more commercialized for skiing.

BTW: I voted Yosemite. California has endless natural wonders, but Yosemite is iconic in a way that few places are.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

Didn't see this addition. I think a couple of other California wetlands beat it out. In terms of being right next to the beach, I think Orange County, in particular Bolsa Chica win. In terms of wildlife, both in biomass and variety, the wetlands around San Francisco Bay win.

agreed

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

Gosh, you sure left out a lot of beautiful and awesome places. Off the top of my head, I can think of hundreds of places throughout California that you didn't mention that are state and national treasures. That includes quite a few that are ALREADY national parks, national monuments or national forests that you skipped over, like Sequoia National Park, King's Canyon National Park (you know, the places with those "other" big trees), Joshua Tree National Park, Channel Islands National Park, Lassen, Mohave, Shasta, etc. that you didn't mention.

And, of course, Yosemite and Death Valley are already national parks too, so it seems kind of odd to be debating whether they should be made into National Parks.

And while I love the Tijuana River Estuary National Wildlife Preserve (the name for the biggest part of that "wetlands" in IB, in San Diego County alone, there's Torrey Pines (rare pine trees that only grow there and in one other place on dramatic cliffs over looking the sea), Palomar Mountain, The Laguna Mountains, Anza Borrego State Park (the biggest state park in the U.S. acreage wise and awesomely beautiful), miles of beaches, Cleveland National Forest, etc.

But, pick any county in the state of California, and you can find a host of awesome places to list there too -- there really is no county in California that doesn't have some sort of scenic outdoor wonder of one kind or another that is worth a visit.

California is truly a beautiful place. No need to debate which places are "best" or "most scenic." Everyone has their personal favorites. You could spend a lifetime trying to take all of California's wonders in, regardless of whether they're national parks, national monuments, state parks, county parks, or just beautiful places in the middle of nowhere. I know I have.

Great post. I tell people this all the time. Its the top I love this state.