Discover ancient archaeology and island isolation (playful sea lions excepted) on this 5.2-mile loop through Santa Rosa's steep canyons and sandy beaches.

This easy 4.7-mile route loops past Sycamore Canyon Falls and the shady bottom of Big Sycamore Canyon.

Every hiker's life list should include the 270 miles between Mt. Whitney and Sonora Pass. It may take a month, but it's a trivial sacrifice to make for the most unrelenting wilderness eye-candy you'll ever feast on.

US 50 to I-80: Visit two scenic wilderness areas, swim in countless lakes, and traverse above Lake Tahoe‰Ûªs rim on this 56-mile section.

OLD STATION POST OFFICE to BURNEY FALLS: This 43.8-mile leg, possibly the longest waterless stretch on the PCT, follows the sweltering contours of Hat Creek Rim before ending at a 129-foot cascade. In early spring, wildflowers are top-notch on the rim.

BURNEY FALLS to GRIZZLY PEAK: Scope a raging 129-foot waterfall to start this tough-and-dry 37.5-mile leg through rolling fir-forest basins to an isolated peak that rewards with views of Mount Shasta.

TIMBERLINE LODGE to CASCADE LOCKS: Swift creeks, several waterfalls, and long photogenic views near Mt. Hood highlight this 41-mile segment.

This 5.4-mile out-and-back has it all: 5-star camping, superlative swimming, and picture-postcard scenery along a patchwork of lakes in Tahoe National Forest.

Pass 21 waterfalls on this 6.2-mile, five-star loop through a wrinkled ravine and tranquil forest in Ricketts Glen State Park.

It's an easy 0.75-miles through the El Dorado National Forest to a sweeping view of Lake Tahoe and this hike's payoff--perfect toe-dipping pools atop Cascade Creek Falls.