California may be the Golden State, but it’s coastal highways and National Parks are gems of an exceptional quality. From the winding roads and foggy cliffs of Big Sur to the ancient rain forests of the Redwoods and on to the epic Yosemite Valley, words can’t articulate the grandeur of the nature found between the Pacific and the Sierra Nevada range. Lucky for us, photographer Jonah Reenders captured the experience on a recent road trip with his brother, and each picture is worth a thousand words.

Jonah Reenders is a photographer based in Northern Michigan. He’s currently studying in the rainforests of South America. You can find him on Instagram at @JonahReenders.