Ca Trail Guides

Alta Peak Trail

📍 Sequoia National Park, California

Strenuous 📏 13.0 Out-and-Back

Alta Peak at 11,204 feet is the highest easily accessible summit in Sequoia National Park and commands one of the most s…

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Ano Nuevo Point Trail

📍 Pescadero, CA

Moderate 📏 3.5 Out-and-Back

The Ano Nuevo Point Trail leads visitors to the largest mainland elephant seal rookery in the world, hosting over 10,000…

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Arroyo Sequit Canyon

📍 Malibu, CA

Easy 📏 1.5 Out-and-Back

The Arroyo Sequit Canyon Trail enters a lush canyon immediately behind the famous Leo Carrillo beach to reach a seasonal…

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Azalea Glen Loop

📍 Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 4.0 Loop

Azalea Glen Loop is named for the western azalea shrubs that bloom spectacularly along the stream corridors of Cuyamaca …

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Backbone Trail West

📍 Topanga, CA

Strenuous 📏 8.0 Out-and-Back

The Backbone Trail West section traverses the high ridgeline of Topanga State Park as part of the 67-mile Backbone Trail…

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Badwater Basin Salt Flats Walk

📍 Badwater Basin, Death Valley

Easy 📏 2.0 Out-and-Back

Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level, a vast salt flat that stretches nine mi…

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Balconies Cave Trail

📍 West Pinnacles Visitor Center, Soledad

Moderate 📏 2.4 Loop

Balconies Cave Trail on the west side of Pinnacles explores a series of talus caves — formed where large boulders have s…

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Balconies Cave Trail

📍 West Entrance, Pinnacles National Park

Moderate 📏 2.4 Loop

The Balconies Cave Trail loops through one of two talus caves in Pinnacles National Park, formed not by water erosion bu…

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Barker Dam Nature Trail

📍 Joshua Tree National Park, San Bernardino County, California

Easy 📏 1.1 Loop

The Barker Dam Nature Trail loops through the heart of the Wonderland of Rocks, Joshua Tree's most dramatic boulder land…

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Beach Loop

📍 Andrew Molera State Park, CA

Easy 📏 2.0 Loop

Beach Loop at Andrew Molera State Park provides a gentle introduction to one of the most beautiful and least developed s…

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Beach Trail

📍 La Jolla, CA

Moderate 📏 1.0 Out-and-Back

The Beach Trail at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve descends dramatically from the reserve's mesa top to Torrey Pines …

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Black Hill Trail

📍 Morro Bay, CA

Strenuous 📏 2.0 Out-and-Back

The Black Hill Trail ascends one of the ancient volcanic peaks of the Morro Bay area, climbing 640 feet to a rocky summi…

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Black Rock Canyon Loop

📍 Black Rock Canyon, Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Moderate 📏 9.0 Loop

The Black Rock Canyon Loop is one of the finest moderate hiking circuits in Joshua Tree National Park, combining the Hig…

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Bluff Trail

📍 Los Osos, CA

Easy 📏 3.5 Loop

The Bluff Trail at Montana de Oro State Park delivers some of the most dramatic coastal scenery in California, traversin…

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Bluffs Trail

📍 Andrew Molera State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 8.0 Loop

Bluffs Trail at Andrew Molera State Park is among the finest coastal hikes in California, combining rugged sea cliff sce…

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Borrego Palm Canyon Trail

📍 Borrego Springs, CA

Moderate 📏 3.0 Out-and-Back

The Borrego Palm Canyon Trail is the premier hike in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California's largest state park, le…

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Boucher Hill Lookout Trail

📍 Palomar Mountain, CA

Moderate 📏 1.5 Out-and-Back

The Boucher Hill Lookout Trail ascends to the highest accessible point in Palomar Mountain State Park, reaching an histo…

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Broken Hill Trail

📍 La Jolla, CA

Moderate 📏 2.5 Loop

The Broken Hill Trail is the most extensive hiking route within Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, offering a rewarding…

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Brokeoff Mountain Trail

📍 Lassen Volcanic National Park, Southwest Entrance

Strenuous 📏 7.4 Out-and-Back

Brokeoff Mountain is the highest peak accessible by trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park at 9,235 feet, offering what …

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Brokeoff Mountain Trail

📍 Brokeoff Mountain Trailhead, Mineral

Strenuous 📏 7.4 Out-and-Back

Brokeoff Mountain Trail climbs the remnant rim of the ancient Mount Tehama — a massive shield volcano that preceded Lass…

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Buena Vista Peak

📍 Kings Canyon National Park, Fresno County, California

Moderate 📏 2.0 Out-and-Back

Buena Vista Peak is among the most rewarding short summit hikes in Kings Canyon, offering a true 360-degree panorama fro…

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Bull Creek Flats Trail

📍 Humboldt Redwoods State Park, CA

Easy 📏 3.5 Loop

The Bull Creek Flats Trail winds through the heart of Rockefeller Forest, home to the largest remaining old-growth coast…

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Bulldog Motorway

📍 Malibu Creek State Park, CA

Strenuous 📏 9.5 Loop

Bulldog Motorway is the most demanding and rewarding hike in Malibu Creek State Park, climbing to the park high point wi…

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Bumpass Hell Trail

📍 Bumpass Hell Trailhead, Mineral

Moderate 📏 3.0 Out-and-Back

Bumpass Hell Trail leads to the largest hydrothermal area in Lassen Volcanic National Park -- a 16-acre basin of boiling…

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Burney Falls Loop

📍 McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 1.3 Loop

Burney Falls Loop delivers one of the most spectacular waterfall experiences in California, encircling the magnificent 1…

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CA - Evolution Valley Section

📍 Kings Canyon National Park, California

Strenuous 📏 20.0 Point-to-Point

Evolution Valley is widely celebrated as the most beautiful section of the entire John Muir Trail, a sweeping glacial ca…

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CA - Forester Pass Section

📍 Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Parks, California

Strenuous 📏 16.0 Out-and-Back

The Forester Pass Section of the JMT climbs to the highest point on both the John Muir Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail…

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CA - Half Dome via JMT

📍 Yosemite National Park, California

Strenuous 📏 14.5 Out-and-Back

Half Dome via the JMT is one of the most celebrated and challenging day hikes in the United States, ascending from Yosem…

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CA - Happy Isles to Vernal Falls

📍 Yosemite Valley, California

Moderate 📏 3.0 Out-and-Back

The Happy Isles to Vernal Falls hike marks the official starting point of the John Muir Trail, beginning at the Happy Is…

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CA - Lyell Canyon Section

📍 Lyell Canyon, Yosemite, California

Easy 📏 12.0 Out-and-Back

The Lyell Canyon Section of the John Muir Trail offers the flattest and most leisurely stretch of the entire 211-mile ro…

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CA - Muir Pass Day Hike

📍 Kings Canyon National Park, California

Strenuous 📏 16.0 Out-and-Back

The Muir Pass Day Hike climbs to one of the most remote and storied points on the John Muir Trail, reaching 11,955-foot …

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CA - Tuolumne Meadows to Cathedral Lakes

📍 Tuolumne Meadows, California

Moderate 📏 7.4 Out-and-Back

The Tuolumne Meadows to Cathedral Lakes hike departs from one of the most beautiful subalpine meadow systems in the Sier…

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CA - Whitney Portal to JMT Terminus

📍 Whitney Portal, California

Strenuous 📏 22.0 Out-and-Back

The Whitney Portal to JMT Terminus route climbs to the southern end of the John Muir Trail at the summit of Mount Whitne…

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Castle Crags Trail

📍 Castle Crags State Park, CA

Strenuous 📏 5.5 Out-and-Back

The Castle Crags Trail ascends to a dramatic zone of ancient gray granite spires rising 6,000 feet above the Sacramento …

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Castle Rock Trail

📍 Castle Rock State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 5.5 Loop

Castle Rock Trail is the premier hike in Castle Rock State Park, exploring the dramatic sandstone formations that have m…

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Cathedral Lakes via JMT

📍 Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, CA

Moderate 📏 7.4 Out-and-Back

The Cathedral Lakes hike is one of the most beloved trails in Tuolumne Meadows, following the iconic John Muir Trail thr…

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Cavern Point Loop

📍 Scorpion Anchorage, Santa Cruz Island

Moderate 📏 2.0 Loop

The Cavern Point Loop climbs from Scorpion Anchorage — the main visitor landing on Santa Cruz Island — to a coastal bluf…

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Century Lake Trail

📍 Malibu Creek State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 5.0 Loop

Century Lake Trail explores the diverse interior of Malibu Creek State Park, combining the iconic volcanic gorge scenery…

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Chalone Peak Trail

📍 East Entrance, Pinnacles National Park

Strenuous 📏 9.0 Out-and-Back

North Chalone Peak, at 3,304 feet, is the highest point in Pinnacles National Park and rewards the demanding 4.5-mile cl…

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Cholla Cactus Garden Loop

📍 Cholla Cactus Garden, Twentynine Palms

Easy 📏 0.25 Loop

The Cholla Cactus Garden is a remarkable concentration of teddy bear cholla — a species whose detached joints cling read…

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Cholla Cactus Garden Trail

📍 Joshua Tree National Park, Riverside County, California

Easy 📏 0.25 Loop

The Cholla Cactus Garden Trail winds through a dense stand of teddy bear cholla (Cylindropuntia bigelovii) in the Colora…

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Clouds Rest Trail

📍 Tenaya Lake, Yosemite National Park, CA

Strenuous 📏 14.0 Out-and-Back

Clouds Rest is the largest exposed granite surface in Yosemite National Park and one of the most spectacular summit dest…

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Clouds Rest Trail

📍 Sunrise Lakes Trailhead, Tuolumne Meadows

Strenuous 📏 14.4 Out-and-Back

Clouds Rest Trail reaches the highest viewpoint accessible by day hike in Yosemite, the 9,931-foot summit where sheer dr…

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Coastal Trail -- Gold Bluffs Section

📍 Elk Prairie Campground, Orick

Moderate 📏 6.0 Out-and-Back

The Coastal Trail section along the Gold Bluffs traverses dramatic headlands where the redwood forest ends at vertical c…

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Condor Gulch to High Peaks

📍 Bear Gulch Visitor Center, Paicines

Strenuous 📏 2.0 Out-and-Back

Condor Gulch Trail offers the most direct route to the high peaks overlook from the east side visitor area, climbing ste…

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Condor Gulch Trail

📍 Bear Gulch Visitor Center, Paicines

Strenuous 📏 2.0 Out-and-Back

Condor Gulch Trail offers the most direct route to the high peaks overlook from the east side visitor area, climbing ste…

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Cove Beach Trail

📍 Pescadero, CA

Easy 📏 1.5 Out-and-Back

The Cove Beach Trail at Ano Nuevo State Park descends through coastal scrub to a sheltered cove where Cascade Creek meet…

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Cypress Grove Trail

📍 Carmel, CA

Easy 📏 0.8 Loop

The Cypress Grove Trail winds through one of only two naturally occurring stands of Monterey cypress in the world, makin…

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Damnation Creek Trail

📍 Highway 101, Del Norte County

Strenuous 📏 4.0 Out-and-Back

Damnation Creek Trail drops 1,100 feet in two miles from Highway 101 through old-growth coast redwood and Sitka spruce f…

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Darwin Falls Trail

📍 Darwin Falls Trailhead, Panamint Valley

Easy 📏 2.0 Out-and-Back

Darwin Falls is one of Death Valley's most surprising destinations — a 30-foot waterfall fed by a perennial spring in a …

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Desolation Wilderness Lake Aloha

📍 Desolation Wilderness, El Dorado National Forest, California

Strenuous 📏 10.0 Out-and-Back

Desolation Wilderness contains one of the highest concentrations of alpine lakes in the Sierra Nevada, with over 115 lak…

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Devastated Area Interpretive Loop

📍 Devastated Area Trailhead, Manzanita Lake

Easy 📏 0.7 Loop

The Devastated Area Interpretive Loop crosses terrain blasted and buried by the 1915 eruption of Lassen Peak, which gene…

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Doane Valley Nature Trail

📍 Palomar Mountain, CA

Easy 📏 1.0 Loop

The Doane Valley Nature Trail is a gentle and enchanting loop through one of the most beautiful and ecologically rich va…

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Eagle Rock Loop

📍 Topanga, CA

Strenuous 📏 10.0 Loop

The Eagle Rock Loop traverses the heart of Topanga State Park, the largest urban wilderness park in the United States at…

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East Anacapa Island Loop

📍 Anacapa Island Landing, Ventura

Easy 📏 1.5 Loop

Anacapa Island is the closest island to the mainland and the most accessible in Channel Islands National Park, reached b…

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East Peak Summit Trail

📍 Mount Tamalpais State Park, CA

Strenuous 📏 5.0 Out-and-Back

The East Peak Summit Trail climbs to the 2,572-foot summit of Mount Tamalpais, offering some of the most breathtaking pa…

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El Moro Canyon Loop

📍 Crystal Cove State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 4.0 Loop

The El Moro Canyon Loop is one of the most rewarding hikes in Crystal Cove State Park, combining a shaded canyon section…

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Elephant Trees Discovery Trail

📍 Borrego Springs, CA

Easy 📏 1.0 Loop

The Elephant Trees Discovery Trail is a gentle and botanically fascinating loop in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Calif…

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Emerald Bay Overlook Trail

📍 Tahoma, CA

Easy 📏 0.5 Out-and-Back

The Emerald Bay Overlook Trail leads to the most photographed viewpoint at Lake Tahoe, delivering one of the most iconic…

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Ewoldsen Trail

📍 Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, CA

Strenuous 📏 4.0 Loop

The Ewoldsen Trail offers the most immersive backcountry experience in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, climbing steeply…

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Fern Canyon Trail

📍 Little River, CA

Easy 📏 2.5 Loop

The Fern Canyon Trail at Van Damme State Park descends into a lush coastal canyon where five-finger ferns and sword fern…

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Fortynine Palms Oasis Trail

📍 Canyon Road Trailhead, Joshua Tree

Moderate 📏 3.0 Out-and-Back

Fortynine Palms Oasis Trail climbs over a rocky ridge and descends into a dramatic desert oasis where California fan pal…

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Fortynine Palms Oasis Trail

📍 Twentynine Palms, Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Moderate 📏 3.0 Out-and-Back

The Fortynine Palms Oasis Trail leads to one of the most enchanting and well-preserved fan palm oases in Joshua Tree Nat…

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Founders Grove Nature Loop

📍 Humboldt Redwoods State Park, CA

Easy 📏 0.6 Loop

The Founders Grove Nature Loop is a short but profoundly moving walk through an old-growth coast redwood grove dedicated…

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Four Mile Trail

📍 Yosemite National Park, California

Strenuous 📏 9.6 Out-and-Back

The Four Mile Trail is Yosemite's historic route connecting the Valley floor to Glacier Point, originally constructed in…

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General Sherman Tree Loop

📍 Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park

Easy 📏 2.0 Loop

The General Sherman Tree is the largest living organism on Earth by volume at 52,508 cubic feet -- a fact that becomes c…

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Goat Rock Loop

📍 Castle Rock State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 2.0 Loop

Goat Rock Loop explores one of the most spectacular tafoni sandstone outcrops in Castle Rock State Park, circling the dr…

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Gower Gulch Loop

📍 Golden Canyon Trailhead, Death Valley

Moderate 📏 6.0 Loop

Gower Gulch Loop combines Golden Canyon and Gower Gulch in a satisfying circuit through some of Death Valley's most colo…

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Grasshopper Peak Trail

📍 Humboldt Redwoods State Park, CA

Strenuous 📏 8.8 Out-and-Back

The Grasshopper Peak Trail climbs to the highest point in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, reaching an elevation above 3,37…

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Guy Fleming Trail

📍 La Jolla, CA

Easy 📏 0.75 Loop

The Guy Fleming Trail is a short and extraordinarily scenic loop in Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve in La Jolla, Cali…

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Haul Road Trail

📍 Fort Bragg, CA

Easy 📏 9.0 Out-and-Back

The Haul Road Trail follows an abandoned coastal logging railroad grade converted to a multi-use path, extending nine mi…

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Hazard Canyon Reef Trail

📍 Los Osos, CA

Easy 📏 3.0 Loop

The Hazard Canyon Reef Trail loops through coastal scrub to reach the broad tidepool reef and sheltered cove at Hazard C…

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Headlands Loop

📍 Mendocino, CA

Easy 📏 3.5 Loop

The Headlands Loop at Russian Gulch State Park traverses dramatic coastal bluffs above the Pacific Ocean to reach the pa…

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Heron Rookery Loop

📍 Morro Bay, CA

Easy 📏 1.0 Loop

The Heron Rookery Loop at Morro Bay State Park circles through a grove of mature Eucalyptus trees that hosts the largest…

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Hidden Valley Trail

📍 Joshua Tree National Park, San Bernardino County, California

Easy 📏 1.0 Loop

The Hidden Valley Trail loops through a natural rock enclosure in the Wonderland of Rocks, a nearly enclosed basin ringe…

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High Peaks Trail

📍 Bear Gulch Visitor Center, Paicines

Strenuous 📏 8.4 Loop

High Peaks Trail traverses the volcanic spires that give Pinnacles National Park its name -- a chaotic jumble of ancient…

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High Peaks Trail

📍 Bear Gulch Visitor Center, Paicines

Strenuous 📏 8.4 Loop

High Peaks Trail traverses the volcanic spires that give Pinnacles National Park its name — a chaotic jumble of ancient …

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High Sierra Trail — First Section

📍 Crescent Meadow Trailhead, Giant Forest

Moderate 📏 8.0 Out-and-Back

The High Sierra Trail is one of the finest long-distance trails in the Sierra Nevada, traversing 72 miles from the Giant…

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Hotel Creek to Cedar Grove Overlook

📍 Cedar Grove Village, Kings Canyon

Strenuous 📏 5.0 Loop

Hotel Creek Trail climbs steeply from the valley floor at Cedar Grove to Cedar Grove Overlook — a chaparral-covered benc…

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Hotel Creek to Cedar Grove Overlook

📍 Kings Canyon National Park, Fresno County, California

Strenuous 📏 8.0 Loop

The Hotel Creek to Cedar Grove Overlook loop climbs out of the Kings Canyon floor to one of the Sierra Nevada's most dra…

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John Muir Trail / PCT Kings Canyon

📍 Kings Canyon National Park and Inyo National Forest, California

Strenuous 📏 35.0 Point-to-Point

The Kings Canyon section of the combined John Muir Trail and Pacific Crest Trail traverses some of the most spectacular …

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Juniper Canyon Trail

📍 West Entrance, Pinnacles National Park

Strenuous 📏 4.3 Out-and-Back

Juniper Canyon Trail climbs to the High Peaks, a series of volcanic spires and narrow ridge walks that are the most dram…

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Kings Creek Falls Trail

📍 Lassen Volcanic National Park, Kings Creek Meadow

Moderate 📏 2.5 Out-and-Back

Kings Creek Falls descends through a spectacular volcanic canyon to reach a 30-foot cascade at the base of a sheer basal…

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Kruse Rhododendron Reserve

📍 Salt Point State Park, CA

Easy 📏 2.0 Loop

The Kruse Rhododendron Reserve trail winds through the largest grove of wild Pacific rhododendrons in California, a brea…

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Lady Bird Johnson Grove

📍 Bald Hills Road, Redwood National Park

Easy 📏 1.3 Loop

Lady Bird Johnson Grove was the site chosen for the formal dedication of Redwood National Park on August 27, 1969, when …

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Lady Bird Johnson Grove Loop

📍 Bald Hills Road, Orick

Easy 📏 1.4 Loop

Lady Bird Johnson Grove Loop circles through a ridge-top old-growth coast redwood grove dedicated in 1969 during the nat…

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Laguna Point Seal Watch

📍 Fort Bragg, CA

Easy 📏 0.5 Loop

The Laguna Point Seal Watch loop is one of the most rewarding short wildlife viewing routes on the Northern California c…

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Lake Cleone Loop

📍 Fort Bragg, CA

Easy 📏 1.5 Loop

The Lake Cleone Loop circles a sheltered freshwater lake at MacKerricher State Park that sits just steps from the Pacifi…

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Lakes Trail

📍 Sequoia National Park, California

Strenuous 📏 13.0 Out-and-Back

The Lakes Trail in Sequoia National Park is celebrated for linking four pristine alpine lakes in a single day hike, show…

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Lassen Peak Trail

📍 Lassen Peak Trailhead, Mineral

Strenuous 📏 5.0 Out-and-Back

Lassen Peak Trail climbs to the summit of the only active composite volcano in the contiguous United States outside of M…

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Lava Bluffs Trail

📍 Arnold, CA

Easy 📏 2.0 Loop

The Lava Bluffs Trail at Calaveras Big Trees State Park explores a geologically distinct section of the park where ancie…

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Lembert Dome Trail

📍 Lembert Dome Trailhead, Tuolumne Meadows

Strenuous 📏 2.8 Out-and-Back

Lembert Dome is the most accessible high-granite-dome scramble in Yosemite, rising directly from Tuolumne Meadows on a s…

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Lewis Creek Trail to Sentinel Meadow

📍 Lewis Creek Trailhead, Cedar Grove

Strenuous 📏 6.0 Out-and-Back

Lewis Creek Trail climbs steeply from the Cedar Grove valley floor through a series of waterfalls and cascades on Lewis …

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Lighthouse Loop

📍 Tahoma, CA

Moderate 📏 1.5 Loop

The Lighthouse Loop at D.L. Bliss State Park circles through old-growth forest and granite outcroppings to reach the res…

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Little River Beach Trail

📍 Little River, CA

Easy 📏 2.0 Out-and-Back

The Little River Beach Trail connects Van Damme State Park campground to the sandy beach cove at the mouth of the Little…

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Los Caballos Loop

📍 Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 5.5 Loop

Los Caballos Loop traverses a beautiful cross-section of Cuyamaca Rancho State Park landscape, passing through open mead…

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Lost Horse Mine Trail

📍 Lost Horse Mine Trailhead, Joshua Tree

Moderate 📏 4.0 Loop

Lost Horse Mine Trail leads to the most significant historical site in Joshua Tree National Park -- a gold and silver mi…

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Lost Man Creek Trail

📍 Lost Man Creek Trailhead, Orick

Moderate 📏 8.0 Out-and-Back

Lost Man Creek Trail follows a clear cold salmon stream through recovering redwood forest that documents one of the most…

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Manzanita Lake Loop

📍 Manzanita Lake Campground, Manzanita Lake

Easy 📏 1.8 Loop

Manzanita Lake Loop circles the most photogenic lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park on a flat paved path with a celebr…

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Mastodon Peak Loop

📍 Cottonwood Spring, Twentynine Palms

Moderate 📏 3.0 Loop

Mastodon Peak Loop in the Cottonwood section of Joshua Tree — the lower-elevation Colorado Desert portion of the park — …

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Mastodon Peak Loop

📍 Cottonwood Springs, Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Moderate 📏 3.0 Loop

The Mastodon Peak Loop is a rewarding desert hike in the Cottonwood Springs area of Joshua Tree National Park, located i…

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Matt Davis Trail

📍 Mount Tamalpais State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 6.0 Point-to-Point

The Matt Davis Trail is one of Mount Tamalpais's classic routes, traversing the mountain's southern flanks from the coas…

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McWay Falls Overlook Trail

📍 Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, CA

Easy 📏 0.7 Out-and-Back

The McWay Falls Overlook Trail leads to what is arguably the most photographed scene in California, a stunning 80-foot w…

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Mill Creek Falls Trail

📍 Lassen Volcanic National Park, Southwest Area

Moderate 📏 3.6 Out-and-Back

Mill Creek Falls is the tallest waterfall in Lassen Volcanic National Park at approximately 75 feet, yet it sees far few…

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Mist Falls Trail

📍 Roads End, Cedar Grove

Moderate 📏 9.0 Out-and-Back

Mist Falls Trail is the most popular full-day hike in Kings Canyon National Park, departing from Roads End and following…

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Mitchell Canyon to Summit

📍 Mount Diablo State Park, CA

Strenuous 📏 9.0 Out-and-Back

Mitchell Canyon to Summit represents the most botanically rich approach to the top of Mount Diablo, ascending through a …

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Moro Ridge Trail

📍 Crystal Cove State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 4.5 Loop

Moro Ridge Trail winds through the backcountry terrain above the Orange County coast, offering sweeping views of the Pac…

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Moro Rock Summit Trail

📍 Moro Rock Trailhead, Giant Forest

Moderate 📏 0.5 Out-and-Back

Moro Rock is a granite exfoliation dome rising 300 feet above the giant sequoia forest on paved switchbacks and stairway…

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Moro Rock Trail

📍 Sequoia National Park, California

Moderate 📏 0.6 Loop

Moro Rock is a massive granite exfoliation dome rising 6,725 feet above sea level in the heart of Sequoia National Park'…

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Morro Rock Trail

📍 Morro Bay, CA

Easy 📏 0.5 Loop

The Morro Rock Trail circles the base of one of California most iconic geological landmarks, a massive 576-foot volcanic…

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Mount Whitney PCT Approach

📍 Inyo National Forest, Inyo County, California

Strenuous 📏 21.4 Out-and-Back

Mount Whitney at 14505 feet is the highest peak in the contiguous United States, and the PCT approach from Guitar Lake p…

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Nevada Fall via Mist Trail

📍 Happy Isles, Yosemite Valley

Strenuous 📏 7.0 Loop

The Mist Trail to Nevada Fall is the finest strenuous day hike in Yosemite Valley, climbing the famous stone staircase b…

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Nicholas Flat Trail

📍 Malibu, CA

Strenuous 📏 7.0 Out-and-Back

The Nicholas Flat Trail climbs relentlessly from the Leo Carrillo beach campground to a remote chaparral plateau in the …

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North Dome Trail

📍 Porcupine Creek, Yosemite National Park, CA

Strenuous 📏 9.0 Out-and-Back

The North Dome Trail offers one of the most unique and jaw-dropping perspectives in all of Yosemite National Park, deliv…

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North Grove Trail

📍 Arnold, CA

Easy 📏 1.0 Loop

The North Grove Trail loops through the historic heart of Calaveras Big Trees State Park, home to the grove of giant seq…

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North Trail Loop

📍 Mendocino, CA

Moderate 📏 4.5 Loop

The North Trail Loop at Russian Gulch State Park climbs from the canyon floor into the inland hills above the Mendocino …

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Ocean Vista Trail

📍 Malibu, CA

Moderate 📏 2.0 Loop

The Ocean Vista Trail at Leo Carrillo State Park loops above the Pacific Coast Highway along coastal bluffs that reveal …

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Octopus Trees Trail

📍 Patrick Point State Park, CA

Easy 📏 0.5 Loop

Octopus Trees Trail leads to one of the most botanically fascinating features of Patrick Point State Park, a grove of an…

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Pacific Crest Trail at Burney

📍 McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 4.0 Out-and-Back

The Pacific Crest Trail segment accessible from McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park offers thru-hikers and day vis…

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Palmer Creek Trail

📍 Patrick Point State Park, CA

Easy 📏 2.5 Loop

Palmer Creek Trail explores the interior forest and wetland habitats of Patrick Point State Park, providing access to ol…

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Partington Cove Trail

📍 Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 1.0 Out-and-Back

The Partington Cove Trail descends to a dramatic rocky inlet on the Big Sur coast through a remarkable hand-cut rock tun…

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Pelican Point Beach Walk

📍 Crystal Cove State Park, CA

Easy 📏 2.0 Out-and-Back

The Pelican Point Beach Walk is a gentle coastal stroll connecting some of the most pristine and accessible tide pools a…

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Pfeiffer Falls Trail

📍 Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, CA

Easy 📏 1.6 Out-and-Back

Pfeiffer Falls Trail leads through one of the most enchanting redwood canyons on the California coast, following Pfeiffe…

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Pine Ridge Trail

📍 Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, CA

Strenuous 📏 6.0 Out-and-Back

Pine Ridge Trail climbs from the redwood canyon floor of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park to an exposed backcountry ridge abo…

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Pipeline Road Trail

📍 Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, CA

Easy 📏 5.0 Loop

Pipeline Road Trail follows an historic water conveyance corridor along the San Lorenzo River through the diverse landsc…

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Pond Loop Trail

📍 Pescadero, CA

Easy 📏 2.5 Loop

The Pond Loop Trail at Ano Nuevo State Park offers a pleasant self-guided walk through coastal scrub habitat during the …

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Potato Harbor Trail

📍 Scorpion Anchorage, Santa Cruz Island

Moderate 📏 4.5 Out-and-Back

Potato Harbor Trail travels east from Scorpion Anchorage along the northern coast of Santa Cruz Island to an overlook ab…

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Prairie Creek Trail

📍 Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Redwood National and State Parks

Easy 📏 7.0 Loop

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park protects a long meadow corridor flanked by old-growth coast redwood, and the Prairie C…

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Pygmy Forest Discovery Trail

📍 Little River, CA

Easy 📏 1.0 Loop

The Pygmy Forest Discovery Trail at Van Damme State Park traverses one of California most extraordinary botanical curios…

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Pygmy Forest Trail

📍 Salt Point State Park, CA

Easy 📏 1.0 Loop

The Pygmy Forest Trail explores one of California's most unusual botanical phenomena, a specialized ecosystem where anci…

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Rae Lakes Loop

📍 Roads End Trailhead, Cedar Grove

Strenuous 📏 41.0 Loop

Rae Lakes Loop is the most celebrated backpacking route in Kings Canyon National Park and one of the premier wilderness …

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Rae Lakes Loop Day 1 Approach

📍 Kings Canyon National Park, Fresno County, California

Strenuous 📏 8.0 Out-and-Back

The Rae Lakes Loop is considered one of the finest week-long backpacking circuits in the Sierra Nevada, and the Day 1 ap…

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Redwood Grove Loop

📍 Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, CA

Easy 📏 1.8 Loop

The Redwood Grove Loop at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park offers an accessible and intimate encounter with old-growth c…

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Ridge Fire Trail

📍 Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 4.0 Loop

The Ridge Fire Trail climbs from the redwood canyon floor to the chaparral-covered ridgeline of the Santa Cruz Mountains…

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Ridge Trail

📍 Andrew Molera State Park, CA

Strenuous 📏 4.5 Out-and-Back

Ridge Trail at Andrew Molera State Park climbs steeply from the coastal valley to a high ridgeline with breathtaking vie…

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Ridge Trail to Saratoga Gap

📍 Castle Rock State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 5.0 Out-and-Back

Ridge Trail to Saratoga Gap follows a segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail through the forested terrain of Castle Rock St…

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Rim Trail

📍 McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, CA

Easy 📏 2.5 Loop

The Rim Trail at McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park provides a gentle overview of the spectacular canyon carved b…

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Rim Trail

📍 Patrick Point State Park, CA

Easy 📏 2.0 Loop

Rim Trail at Patrick Point State Park follows the dramatic headland rim above the Pacific Ocean, offering spectacular vi…

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Rock City Loop

📍 Mount Diablo State Park, CA

Easy 📏 2.0 Loop

Rock City Loop explores one of the most fascinating geological features of Mount Diablo State Park, weaving through a la…

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Rock Pool Trail

📍 Malibu Creek State Park, CA

Easy 📏 3.5 Loop

Rock Pool Trail is the signature hike at Malibu Creek State Park, leading through a dramatic volcanic gorge to one of th…

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Rocky Ridge Trail

📍 Garrapata State Park, CA

Strenuous 📏 5.0 Out-and-Back

Rocky Ridge Trail climbs to one of the most commanding viewpoints above the Big Sur coast accessible to day hikers, asce…

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Root Creek Trail

📍 Castle Crags State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 2.4 Out-and-Back

The Root Creek Trail follows the Sacramento River canyon into a quiet, forested drainage where a seasonal waterfall rewa…

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Round Valley Loop

📍 Palm Springs, CA

Moderate 📏 4.0 Loop

The Round Valley Loop is an exceptional moderate hike through the subalpine landscapes of Mount San Jacinto State Wilder…

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Rubicon Trail

📍 Tahoma, CA

Moderate 📏 9.0 Point-to-Point

The Rubicon Trail is widely considered the most scenic hike at Lake Tahoe, hugging the western shoreline between D.L. Bl…

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Russian Gulch Falls Trail

📍 Mendocino, CA

Moderate 📏 6.0 Out-and-Back

The Russian Gulch Falls Trail follows a fern-lined canyon upstream from the Mendocino coast to a spectacular 36-foot wat…

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San Jacinto Peak via PCT

📍 Mount San Jacinto State Wilderness, Riverside County, California

Strenuous 📏 15.0 Out-and-Back

San Jacinto Peak at 10804 feet is one of the most dramatic summit experiences in Southern California, accessed most effi…

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San Jacinto Peak via Tramway

📍 Palm Springs, CA

Strenuous 📏 11.0 Out-and-Back

The San Jacinto Peak via Tramway route is one of the most dramatic and accessible wilderness hiking experiences in Calif…

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San Miguel Island -- Point Bennett

📍 San Miguel Island, Ventura

Strenuous 📏 16.0 Out-and-Back

The hike to Point Bennett on San Miguel Island -- the most remote of the Channel Islands, requiring a three-hour boat jo…

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Santa Ynez Canyon Falls

📍 Pacific Palisades, CA

Moderate 📏 3.5 Out-and-Back

The Santa Ynez Canyon Falls Trail follows a seasonal creek through one of the most beautiful hidden canyons in the Santa…

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Sea Lion Point Trail

📍 Carmel, CA

Easy 📏 1.0 Loop

The Sea Lion Point Trail is one of the most rewarding short hikes at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve near Carmel, Cali…

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Sentinel Dome Trail

📍 Yosemite National Park, California

Moderate 📏 2.2 Out-and-Back

Sentinel Dome at 8,122 feet offers one of the most expansive summit panoramas accessible by a short day hike anywhere in…

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Skull Rock Nature Trail

📍 Skull Rock Trailhead, Twentynine Palms

Easy 📏 1.7 Loop

Skull Rock Nature Trail introduces the defining geological character of Joshua Tree National Park in a short, accessible…

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Slot Canyon Interpretive Trail

📍 Borrego Springs, CA

Easy 📏 1.0 Loop

The Slot Canyon Interpretive Trail in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California, offers an enchanting journey through a…

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Soberanes Canyon Trail

📍 Garrapata State Park, CA

Strenuous 📏 4.0 Loop

Soberanes Canyon Trail is the signature hike of Garrapata State Park, combining a shaded redwood canyon ascent with a dr…

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Soberanes Point Bluff Walk

📍 Garrapata State Park, CA

Easy 📏 1.0 Loop

Soberanes Point Bluff Walk is one of the finest short coastal walks on the entire California coast, tracing the dramatic…

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Sonora Pass Section

📍 Stanislaus National Forest, Tuolumne County, California

Moderate 📏 7.0 Out-and-Back

The Sonora Pass section of the Pacific Crest Trail traverses some of the most dramatic volcanic terrain in the Sierra Ne…

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South Grove Trail

📍 Arnold, CA

Moderate 📏 5.0 Out-and-Back

The South Grove Trail leads to the largest and most remote concentration of giant sequoias at Calaveras Big Trees State …

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Steep Ravine Trail

📍 Mount Tamalpais State Park, CA

Strenuous 📏 2.0 Out-and-Back

Steep Ravine Trail descends into one of the most enchanting canyon environments on the entire Marin Peninsula, threading…

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Stonewall Peak Trail

📍 Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 4.4 Out-and-Back

Stonewall Peak Trail climbs to one of San Diego County most distinctive and recognizable summits, a 5,730-foot granite d…

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Stump Beach Trail

📍 Salt Point State Park, CA

Easy 📏 1.5 Out-and-Back

The Stump Beach Trail descends through a pygmy forest of Bishop pine and Bolander pine to a sheltered sandy cove on the …

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Summit Trail

📍 Mount Diablo State Park, CA

Strenuous 📏 7.0 Out-and-Back

Summit Trail ascends to the 3,849-foot peak of Mount Diablo, a mountain renowned for its extraordinary viewshed that som…

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Taft Point Trail

📍 Yosemite National Park, California

Moderate 📏 2.2 Out-and-Back

Taft Point is one of Yosemite's most dramatic and vertigo-inducing viewpoints, a sheer cliff edge dropping approximately…

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Tall Trees Grove Trail

📍 Tall Trees Access Road, Orick

Moderate 📏 4.0 Loop

Tall Trees Grove Trail leads to the forest that contains the Hyperion tree -- discovered in 2006 as the tallest known li…

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Tall Trees Grove Trail

📍 Tall Trees Trailhead, Redwood National Park

Moderate 📏 3.4 Out-and-Back

Tall Trees Grove protects the floodplain stand where the world's tallest measured tree — Hyperion, at 380.3 feet — was d…

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Telescope Peak Trail

📍 Mahogany Flat Trailhead, Emigrant Canyon

Strenuous 📏 14.0 Out-and-Back

Telescope Peak Trail climbs to the highest point in Death Valley National Park at 11,049 feet -- a summit from which Bad…

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Thunder Spring Trail

📍 Palomar Mountain, CA

Moderate 📏 3.5 Loop

The Thunder Spring Trail is the most rewarding moderate hike in Palomar Mountain State Park, traversing the high-country…

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Tokopah Falls Trail

📍 Lodgepole Campground, Giant Forest

Moderate 📏 3.6 Out-and-Back

Tokopah Falls Trail follows the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River through a stunning glacially carved granite canyon to a …

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Torrey Pines Trail -- Santa Rosa Island

📍 Santa Rosa Island, Ventura

Moderate 📏 8.0 Loop

Santa Rosa Island contains the last significant stands of Torrey pine trees outside their mainland San Diego County loca…

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TRT - Desolation Wilderness Section

📍 Desolation Wilderness, California

Strenuous 📏 12.0 Out-and-Back

The Desolation Wilderness Section of the Tahoe Rim Trail is widely considered the most scenic segment of the entire 165-…

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Tuolumne Meadows Soda Springs Walk

📍 Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite

Easy 📏 1.5 Loop

The Soda Springs walk at Tuolumne Meadows circles the largest subalpine meadow in the Sierra Nevada -- a mile-long expan…

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Twin Lakes Trail

📍 Lodgepole Campground, Giant Forest

Strenuous 📏 13.4 Out-and-Back

Twin Lakes Trail climbs from the Lodgepole area through lodgepole pine forest and granite terrain to two adjacent alpine…

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Valencia Peak Trail

📍 Los Osos, CA

Strenuous 📏 4.0 Out-and-Back

The Valencia Peak Trail climbs steeply to the 1,347-foot summit of the highest point in Montana de Oro State Park, where…

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Valley View Trail

📍 Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, CA

Moderate 📏 1.5 Out-and-Back

Valley View Trail offers one of the most rewarding short hikes in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, climbing steeply from the…

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Vista Point Trail

📍 Castle Crags State Park, CA

Strenuous 📏 1.0 Out-and-Back

The Vista Point Trail packs an extraordinary amount of scenery into a surprisingly short but very steep ascent, climbing…

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Wellman Divide Trail

📍 Palm Springs, CA

Strenuous 📏 6.0 Out-and-Back

The Wellman Divide Trail ascends from the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway's Mountain Station to the prominent ridge connecti…

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Whalers Cove to China Cove

📍 Carmel, CA

Moderate 📏 2.0 Loop

The Whalers Cove to China Cove loop at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve offers a comprehensive exploration of the reser…

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Wildrose Peak Trail

📍 Charcoal Kilns Trailhead, Emigrant Canyon

Strenuous 📏 8.4 Out-and-Back

Wildrose Peak Trail climbs from the remarkable 10 historic charcoal kilns at Wildrose Canyon to the summit of Wildrose P…

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Zumwalt Meadow Loop

📍 Zumwalt Meadow Trailhead, Cedar Grove

Easy 📏 1.5 Loop

Zumwalt Meadow Loop encircles one of the finest Sierra Nevada river meadows, a broad flat meadow along the Kings River w…

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Furnace Creek Valley Floor Cycling

📍 Furnace Creek Visitor Center, Death Valley

Easy 📏 20.0 Out-and-Back

The paved highway through Death Valley's main valley floor between Furnace Creek and Zabriskie Point provides the only p…

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Generals Highway Cycling -- Ash Mountain to Giant Forest

📍 Ash Mountain Entrance, Sequoia National Park

Strenuous 📏 30.0 Out-and-Back

The Generals Highway from Ash Mountain entrance at 1,700 feet to the Giant Forest at 6,400 feet is one of the most deman…

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Highway 89 Summit to Manzanita Lake Cycling

📍 Lassen Volcanic Park Road, Mineral

Strenuous 📏 22.0 Out-and-Back

Highway 89 through Lassen Volcanic National Park is one of the finest high-altitude cycling roads in California, climbin…

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Kings Canyon Scenic Byway Cycling

📍 Grant Grove Junction, Kings Canyon

Strenuous 📏 24.0 Out-and-Back

Kings Canyon Scenic Byway descends 2,500 feet over 12 miles from the Grant Grove sequoia forest to the Cedar Grove floor…

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Park Boulevard Cycling -- West to Queen Valley

📍 West Entrance, Joshua Tree

Moderate 📏 16.0 Out-and-Back

Park Boulevard through the Mojave Desert section of Joshua Tree National Park provides the finest road cycling experienc…

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Pinnacles to West Entrance Cycling

📍 Soledad, California

Moderate 📏 20.0 Out-and-Back

The road from Soledad to the Pinnacles National Park west entrance climbs through the Salinas Valley floor into the Gabi…

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Prairie Creek Bike Trail

📍 Prairie Creek Visitor Center, Orick

Moderate 📏 8.0 Out-and-Back

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park within the Redwood National and State Parks complex contains the finest accessible old…

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Santa Cruz Island Road Cycling

📍 Scorpion Anchorage, Santa Cruz Island

Strenuous 📏 12.0 Out-and-Back

Santa Cruz Island's historic ranch roads, built when The Nature Conservancy and later the NPS managed the island's weste…

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Tioga Road Cycling -- Tenaya Lake to Tuolumne

📍 Tenaya Lake, Yosemite

Moderate 📏 12.0 Out-and-Back

Tioga Road cycling between Tenaya Lake and Tuolumne Meadows provides the finest high-country cycling experience in Yosem…

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Valley Floor Loop Bike Ride

📍 Valley Visitor Center, Yosemite Village

Easy 📏 6.0 Loop

The Yosemite Valley paved bike path provides the finest bicycle ride in any national park, looping through the flat vall…

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