California Trails

Crave big views? Get your fix on this challenging 15-mile dayhike in the San Gorgonio Wilderness and bag SoCal's third-highest summit.

Want to get higher than a Hollywood star? Shoot up 5,400 feet and scrape the sky on SoCal's tallest peak on this 13.2-miler in San Gorgonio Wilderness.

Explore a once-active seismic hotbed of sheer canyons and towering spires on this 4.5-mile loop. Bird bonus: See California condors up close.

Visit stream-fed meadows and regenerating woodlands on this 5.3-mile loop to a 1922 plane wreck in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.

On this 16.2-mile weekend, you'll cross through a giant, glacier-carved basin with shimmering lakes and camp at first-class High Sierra campsites.

With views at every turn, this 22.8-mile, 3-day Trinity Alps route visits soaring spires of bleached granite and a basin full of shimmering lakes.

Scale rugged coastal hills to a solitary peak in the Santa Ynez Mountains on this 6.7-mile loop. Bonus: Soak in the natural hot springs.

This 4.8-mile dayhike takes you past rare plants as you climb 1,200 feet to a summit with knockout views from Mexico to the Pacific.

Seaside waterfalls, campsites, and swimming lakes earn this 10.4-mile route in Point Reyes National Seashore a 5-star rating among big-city hikes.

Take a weekend for this 21.8-miler, which features a stout 3,000-foot climb up into the foothills and mountains of the San Rafael Wilderness.

This 9.8-miler reveals the hard-knock life of the West--an old cowboy camp with jailhouse. Also, check out the rare shrimp in seasonal pools.

Take the Metro to this 4.8-mile loop, then soak up sunny ocean views from the foothills of Will Rogers State Park.

Ride the bus to the rugged hills of Mission Trails Park and bag the city's high point on a 3-mile out-and-back.

The views over SoCal and the Pacific keep getting better and better during this 2,000-foot climb to the Main Divide of the Santa Ana Mountains.

A lakeside campsite awaits at the end of this 4.2-miler that passes old-growth cedars, a mining camp, and meadows splashed with wildflowers.

Jack up your heart rate on this 6.4-mile out-and-back past giant boulders to a sun-baked peak with incredible ocean-to-mountain views.

Lasso together the Pacific Ocean, two deep canyons, and an unnamed high point on this 11.9-mile loop in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Catch killer views of Big Bear Lake and hike a short leg of the Pacific Crest Trail on this 7.8-mile out-and-back to an 8,200-foot peak.

Grab a quick overnight on this 8.8-miler past two lakes, where bald eagles soar the blue skies and dive for fish in Eldorado National Forest.

Test your map skills on this moderate 4.7-mile hike into the woodland maze along the Ventura River in El Nido Preserve.

This 8.4-mile out-and-back gains 2,500 feet to unbeatable desert-to-ocean views over the San Jacinto Mountains.

Earmark a long weekend for this 31-miler linking tree-shaded lowlands, old mining homesteads, waterfalls, and a beautiful alpine lake.

Loop 8.3 miles through coastal sage and eucalyptus to views of mountain-ringed beaches and the Pacific Ocean.

This challenging 10.4-miler climbs past lowland scrubs, a wildfire zone, and several campsites to a tall pine forest in Los Padres National Forest.

This challenging 10.4-miler climbs past lowland scrubs, a wildfire zone, and several campsites to a tall pine forest in Los Padres National Forest.

Take a springtime ramble through the red rocks of Mojave National Preserve.

Bag four peaks all over 8,000 feet along this 13.8-mile out-and-back with two short off-trail summit scrambles.

Follow a nineteenth-century toll road to an abandoned gold mining town on this 11.5-mile out-and-back.

Dive into wild and scenic Gold Rush country on this 20-mile hike past mining relics in Tahoe National Forest.

Cruise along the San Luis Obispo Creek on this 4.1-mile out-and-back that starts in Avila Beach and passes blue herons, butterflies, and two seaside resorts.

High altitude peak bagging abounds on this 20-mile loop in the heart of Southern California. Starting from the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in Palm Springs, CA, this 3-night backpack offers easy access to multiple 10,000+ ft peaks, alpine meadows, and jaw-dropping views.

String together two 10,000-foot peaks on this 19.4-mile loop with a mix of trail and off-trail pursuits. Enjoy fine campsites and views of Southern California too.

Bypass the weekend crowds on this 8.6-mile hike past old mining claims to a campsite near Horton Lake.

This 3-mile off-trail route leads to Slims Peak, a 7,000-foot summit with 360-degree views of the Mojave Desert and Sierra Nevada.

This 23-mile out-and-back in the Trinity Alps features pristine mountain lakes, stunning views and an easy, off-trail scramble.

This moderate 4.3-mile lollipop-loop leads to a stunning overlook above the emerald blues of Lake Tahoe. Don't miss: The wooden lighthouse perched on a granite ledge above the lake.

This 10.6-mile out-and-back links thick lodgepole pines, stunning overlooks, and jade-colored waters reflecting the high Sierra.

This 6.4-mile loop follows trails and jeep roads to Waterman Mountain, where sweeping views of the San Gabriel Wilderness await.

This paved 11.4-mile out-and-back travels Lake Tahoe's mountainous southwest shoreline to an overlook with views across Emerald Bay.

Ascend two rigorous saddles on this 6.3-mile out-and-back up to the unsung Mount Markham and panoramas of the San Gabriels and L.A. basin.

Discover wildflower-filled meadows, swimmable subalpine lakes, and Sierra Nevada vistas on this 9-mile out-and-back through Stanislaus National Forest’s Emigrant Wilderness.

Bag one of the highest peaks in the San Gabriel Mountains.

This 10-mile trek down the East Fork of the San Gabriel River ends at the 120-foot-high Bridge to Nowhere, a popular bungee jumping destination.

Experience Tahoe scenery without Tahoe crowds on this 12-mile riverside out-and-pack path which passes under rugged crags en route to the lake shore.

Climb over the picturesque north face of Mount Wilson, the site of a historic observatory, on this 11-mile loop in L.A.'s San Gabriel Mountains.

Explore the ruins of historic taverns and watch clouds roll over two 8,000-foot San Gabriel peaks on this 14-mile out-and-back in the Cucumonga Wilderness.

Hidden deep inside the Santa Cruz Mountains, this 2.4-mile out-and-back wanders through old-growth forests and past meandering creeks to century-old limestone kilns.

Cruise, walk, run, blade, or skate this 5-mile out-and-back with views of world-class surfers, jagged coastline, and jaw-dropping sunsets.

An isthmus crossing and a killer climb reward with cross-channel views and a glimpse of Catalina Island's rugged backside on this 5.4-mile loop above Two Harbors.

Look for banana slugs, newts, and canyon tree frogs on this 2.5-mile hike to Tangerine Falls, the largest cascade in the Santa Barbara frontcountry.

Marvel at Pacific coast views, tree-lined canyons, snowy peaks and tumbling waterfalls on this 7.5-mile highlight reel of Santa Barbara's frontcountry.

Delve deep into the Santa Ynez Mountains on this 4.7-mile, creek-hopping, canyon traverse to rock climbing walls and a hang glider launch pad.

Don't forget to pack a swimsuit: This 2.4-mile out-and-back leads to a multi-tiered cascade with sandstone swimming holes and views of the Santa Ynez Mountains.

Cruise through oak-filled canyon country and shrubland meadows to overlooks of the Channel Islands, city lights, and the Pacific coast on this 7-mile out-and-back.

Hike or run past oak forests, vernal pools, rock climbing walls, and fields of chaparral on this 9-mile out-and-back to the Santa Ynez Ridge.

Ascend razor-thin ridgelines and scramble up sheer rock faces on this 10.7-mile loop to Strawberry Peak, one of the most challenging summits in the San Gabriel frontcountry.

Find solitude less than an hour from 20 million Angelenos on a 14-mile out-and-back peppered with fishing spots, waterfalls and rock pools.

Climb 1,100 feet along Catalina Island's west-end ridge on this 6.5-mile loop that cruises three west-end coves en route to an ice-cream window finish in Two Harbors.

Explore a wild shore bypassed by modern development.

Invigorating 8+ mile hike up to one of the great East Bay Peaks.

Clocking in at 36.5 miles, this trail is a fine choice for hikers to see high desert landscapes, mind-blowing rock formations, and absolutely no one.

Hike, push a stroller, or even roll a wheelchair into a mining relic from 1859. This former aqueduct above the South Yuba River offers easy access to rugged wilderness and amazing mountain views.

Explore Little Fisherman's Cove and Two Harbors' popular campground on this easy 1.4-miler that is a perfect escape for boat-bound island guests.

Visit a Scandinavian-inspired castle and one of Tahoe's most beautiful beaches on this family-friendly 2.3 miler in Emerald Bay 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.

This 2.6-mile loop in Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve links three park trails, sandstone bluffs, and views of undeveloped coastline.

Climb 1,400 feet through a shady stretch of the Angeles National Forest on this 7-mile out-and-back that rewards with summit views from 8,250-foot Mount Islip.

Play tag with the pounding surf by day and camp in misty coves by night on this 26-miler along the wildflower-swathed hillsides of the Lost Coast.

High in the Matilija Wilderness is a narrow ridge that only widens where four dry lakes are located. They catch winter rains and freeze, permafrost laying icing over scrubby chaparral. The views along this hike are incredible.

This 5.6-mile out-and-back in Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge runs across pristine sand dunes that overlook the Pacific Ocean.

Explore "California's Serengeti" on this 14-mile out-and-back to a 4,404-foot summit high above Carrizo Plain National Monument

Hike some of the most rugged yet picturesque coastline along the Central California coast at this secluded state park in San Luis Obispo County.

This 4.6-mile trek to Grass Mountain is a steep one (2,100 feet in 1.5 miles), but the payoffs are worth it. You'll find spectacular summit views and some of the best wildflower displays in the state.

Warm up alongside Cat Harbor before a steep ascent—900 feet in 0.4 miles—to Ballast Point. This 3-miler loops east of Cat Harbor to a vantage point overlooking Two Harbors and a string of other islands.

This 6.2-mile round-trip links a series of beaches and coastal bluffs 15 minutes from Santa Barbara.

Old cattle ranchers didn't call this desert canyon Hellhole Canyon for nothing. They used to herd cattle up the canyon to an oasis for 3 miles. It must've been tough for the cattle scrambling over granite boulders, but for day hikers it's a gem in the middle of the Colorado Desert.

Hike the western fringe of the Santa Ynez Mountains, one of the few ranges that runs east to west. Gaviota Peak overlooks the Pacific Ocean, the scenic Gaviota Coast and the Los Padres National Forest.

This out and back hike runs through one of the prettiest backcountry canyons in Santa Barbara County in the Los Padres National Forest. A steady creek runs the entire length of Fir Canyon underneath a canopy of Douglas fir, sycamore and pine trees

Hike up this narrowing canyon along a trickling creek to Darwin Falls.

Fascinating rock walls and formations make for an interesting hike up this canyon near Stovepipe Wells Village in Death Valley National Park.