Hiking in California

Subtitled: "I am both the hiker and the trail"

"Solvitur ambulando" ("It is solved by walking") as the wandering scholars of medieval Europe had it

piero scaruffi | A suggested calendar | Pictures of these hikes | This year's log
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Instructions:
  • Read my suggested calendar before you jump straight to the epic hikes.
  • For each destination i usually list the easiest route for day hikers.
  • The pictures complement these trail descriptions.
  • If you live in the Bay Area and want to join my mailing list for hiking, email me.
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Northwestern California

  1. Mendocino region
  2. Mt Shasta via Avalanche Gulch (Mt Shasta, 20kms, strenuous, 4.322m)
  3. Mt Shasta via Clearcreek (Mt Shasta, 20kms, strenuous, 4.322m)
  4. Lost Coast (Garberville, 30kms, easy)
  5. King Range and Lost Coast (Garberville, 30kms, moderate)
  6. Feather Falls (LaPorte, 6kms, strenuous) - sixth tallest waterfall in US
  7. Devil's Punchbowl(Crescent City, 20kms, strenuous) - granite landscape
  8. Stuart Fork (Weaverville, 40kms, strenuous) - lakes and views
  9. King's Castle trail (Yreka, 9kms, strenuous, 2.800m) - great views
  10. Wilderness Falls (Crescent City, 20kms, moderate) - pretty falls
  11. Big Blue Lake (Yreka, 10kms, moderate) - pretty lake
  12. Salmon River South Fork (Callahan, 20kms, moderate) - pretty lake
  13. Canyon Creek Lakes (Weaverville, 20kms, moderate) - pretty lakes
  14. Preston Peak(Crescent City, 18kms, strenuous, 2.700m) - great view
  15. Seven Lakes Basin (Mt Shasta, 8kms, easy) - pretty lakes

Northeastern California

  1. Mt Lassen (Red Bluff, 7kms, moderate, 3.400m) - volcano
  2. Trinity Alps
  3. Thompson Peak
  4. Mt Eddy
  5. Sierra Buttes (Sierra City, 8kms, modrate) - great views
  6. Prospect Peak (Redding, 10kms, moderate, 2.700m) - great view
  7. North Emerson Lake (Alturas, 11kms, strenuous) - Warner Mountains landscape
  8. Summit Lake (Redding, 13kms, easy) - pretty lake
  9. Juniper Lake (Chester, 20kms, easy) - pretty lakes
  10. Indian Meadow (Chester, 10kms, easy) - pretty lakes

San Francisco Bay Area (See the full list)

  1. Pt Reyes coast trail from Palomarin (Bolinas, 28kms, moderate) - waterfalls, lakes, cliffs, beaches
  2. Muir Woods to Stinson Beach to Mt Tamalpais (Stinson Beach, 29kms, moderate) - great views, forest, beach
  3. Waddell Beach to Berry Creek Falls to Chalk Mountain (Big Basin, 25kms, strenuous)
  4. Portola Redwoods to Big Basin to Waddell Beach (Big Basin, 38kms, strenuous)
  5. Portola Redwoods Park to Skyline Ridge Preserve via Peters Creek Grove (Portola Redwoods Park, 28kms, moderate)
  6. Ohlone Wilderness from Sunol to DelValle via Rose Peak
  7. Fremont to Mission Peak to Sunol
  8. Abbott's Lagoon (Olema, 5kms, easy) - lagoon, sand dunes, beach
  9. Three Lakes (Fairfax, 9kms, moderate) - pretty lakes
  10. Murietta Falls (Livermore, 17kms, moderate) - tallest waterfall in bay
  11. Tomales Point (Olema, 10kms, easy)
  12. Sweeney Ridge (San Bruno, 7kms, easy)
  13. San Pedro Park to Montara Mountain (Pacifica, 12kms, moderate)
  14. Mt Diablo (Blackhawk, 15kms, easy) - great view
  15. Berry Creek Falls (Big Basin, 18kms, easy) - voted #1 trail in bay
  16. Alpine Lake to Mt Tamalpais East Peak (Stinson Beach, 12kms, moderate) - great views
  17. Land's End (San Francisco, 5kms, easy) - great views

Sacramento to Lake Tahoe

  1. Lake Tahoe rim trail (also this page)
  2. The Pacific Crest trail at the Echo Lakes in Desolation Wilderness
  3. Mt Tallac (South Lake Tahoe, 16kms, 3.000m) - the highest peak of Desolation Wilderness
  4. Velma Lakes and Dick's Peak (South Lake Tahoe, 30kms, 3.040m)
  5. Horsetail Falls and Pyramid Peak (Desolation Wilderness)
  6. Round Top (Mokelumne Wilderness, 3164m)
  7. Snowshoeing
  8. Sailor Flat (Auburn, 10kms, strenuous) - the American River
  9. Loch Leven Lakes (Sacramento, 12kms, strenuous) - pretty lakes
  10. Beyers Lakes (Auburn, 20kms, moderate) - pretty lakes

Central western California

  1. Monterey
  2. Condor Gulch to High Peaks to Balconies to Bear Gulch cave (Pinnacles, moderate)
  3. Garrapata Park (Big Sur)
  4. Pfeiffer State Beach (Big Sur)
  5. Partington Canyon (Big Sur)
  6. Sykes Hot Springs (Big Sur 32 kms, moderate)
  7. From Santa Lucia Memorial to Arroyo Seco (34/40 kms, strenuous)
  8. China Camp to Big Sur in the Ventana Wilderness (37 km, moderate)
  9. Junipero Serra Peak in the Los Padres National Forest (30 km, moderate)
  10. Bottchers Gap to Double Cone, Ventana Wilderness (50 km, strenuous)
  11. Los Padres Dam to Double Cone, Ventana Wilderness (50 km, strenuous)
  12. Bottchers Gap to Pico Blanco to Mt Manuel to Pfeiffer (32 km, moderate)
  13. Pfeiffer Park to Tin House Camp (30 km, strenuous)

Yosemite and Mammoth

  1. El Capitan trail and Upper Falls (Yosemite)
  2. Misty Trail to Half Dome (Yosemite, 24kms, strenuous) - waterfalls, great views
  3. Tenaya Lake to Clouds Rest to Mist Trail (8)
  4. Ten Lakes Trail & May Lake (Yosemite, 38 kms)
  5. Tenaya Canyon (Yosemite)
  6. Mt Dana - second highest mountain in Yosemite (Yosemite, 19 kms)
  7. Saddlebag Lake to McCabe Lakes to Tuolumne Meadows (Yosemite, 40 kms)
  8. Mt Conness (Yosemite)
  9. Mt Lyell - highest mountain in Yosemite (Yosemite, 46 kms)
  10. Mt Warren - highest mountain in the Hoover Wilderness
  11. Lundy Lake
  12. Oneida Lake
  13. Mirror Lake to Snowcreek Falls to North Dome to Upper Falls (Yosemite, 26 km)
  14. Pohono trail
  15. Upper Yosemite Falls (Yosemite, 11kms, strenuous) - tallest waterfalls in the Us
  16. Cathedral Lake
  17. Tuolumne and Waterwheel Falls
  18. From Tuolumne Meadows to Saddlebag Lake
  19. Wawona to Glacier Point road via Chilnualna Falls
  20. Convict Lake to Lake Genevieve (Lee Vining, 26kms, strenuous, 3.300m) - pretty lakes
  21. Silver Lake to Waugh Lake (Lee Vining, 32kms, moderate, 3.000m) - pretty lakes
  22. Bishop Pass (Bishop, 17kms, moderate)
  23. Mt Tom (Bishop, 30 kms, moderate)
  24. Mt Ritter, Ansel Adams Wilderness (Mammoth, strenuous)
  25. Lakes of the Ansel Adams Wilderness (Mammoth, moderate)
  26. Mt Abbot (Mammoth, strenuous)
  27. Mt Morgan and Morgan Pass (Mammoth, 24 kms, moderate)
  28. John Muir Trail

Kings Canyon to Death Valley

  1. Mt Whitney/ North Fork (Lone Pine, 27kms, strenuous) - highest mountain in the contigous US, three lakes
  2. Mt Whitney (Lone Pine, 33kms, strenuous) - highest mountain in the contigous US, four lakes
  3. Mt Russell (Lone Pine, 26kms, strenuous) - not much shorter than Whitney
  4. Mt Muir (Lone Pine, 28kms, strenuous) - not much shorter than Whitney
  5. Mt Langley (Lone Pine, 33kms, strenuous) - not much shorter than Whitney
  6. Trans-Sierra from Roads End to Onion Valley
  7. Shephard Pass (Independence, 36kms, strenuous)
  8. Glen Pass and Rae Lakes (Independence or Roads End, strenuous)
  9. Telescope Peak (Death Valley, 22kms, strenous) - great view
  10. White Mountain (Bishop, 26kms, strenuous) - third highest mountain in the contigous US
  11. Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest (Big Pine, easy)
  12. Sphinx Lakes, Kings Canyon
  13. Crossing the Great Western Divide and the Kerns-King Divide, Kings Canyon
  14. East Lake, Kings Canyon
  15. Alta Peak, Sequoia National Park
  16. Seven Lakes circuit
  17. Palisades glacier
  18. Thunderbolt via Bishop Pass
  19. Mt Darwin
  20. Mt Haeckel
  21. Mt Hawkins
  22. Mt Humphreys
  23. Evolution loop
  24. Souther Evolution loop
  25. Split Mt
  26. Edison Lake to Silver Pass & Goodale Pass
  27. Trans-Sierra from Lake Edison to Mosquito Flat
  28. Trans-Sierra from Lake Edison to Rovana via Italy Pass
  29. Trans-Sierra from Lake Florence to North Lake via Piute Pass
  30. Trans-Sierra from Mammoth trailhead to Devils Postpile
  31. Lake Florence to Lake Edison via Selden Pass
  32. My Brewer
  33. Lucy's Pass and Milly's Pass
  34. Mt Stanford via University Pass
  35. Charlotte Lake via Charlotte Creek
  36. Hell's Hole (Brown, 35kms, strenuous) - waterfalls
  37. Sirretta Peak (Kernville, 16kms, moderate, 3.300m) - views

Southern California

  1. San Gorgonio via Vivian Creek (Redlands, 20kms, strenuous) - highest San Bernardino mountain
  2. San Gorgonio from Momyer/Alger Creek from Valley of the Falls Rd (highway 10 to Redlands, north on Orange St, right into 38)
  3. San Gorgonio from Fish Creek: Take highway 10 to Redlands' exit Orange St, go north, turn right into 38, turn right into Fish Creek Rd
  4. Sespe Wilderness (moderate)
  5. Cactus to the Clouds from Palm Springs to Mt San Jacinto (strenuous, 38 kms)
  6. Palm Springs area (easy)
  7. Rattlesnake Canyon (Joshua Tree, 5kms, easy) - Wonderland of Rocks
  8. 49 Palms (Joshua Tree, 5kms, easy) - oasis
  9. Sierra Madre (east of Pasadena): Mt Wilson (20 kms). Take the Baldwin Ave exit off 210 and drive north on Baldwin, turn right before the end of the road into East Mira Monte Ave and park. The trailhead is on the left hand-side.
  10. LaCanada (northwest of Pasadena): Mt Baden-Powell, Throop and Burnham (7 kms). Take hwy 2 North in LaCanada off 210, and drive to Dawson Gap (70 kms).
  11. Upland (east of Pasadena): Mt Baldy (15 kms). Take highway the Upland exit Mountain Ave off 210, drive north on Mountain Ave to Mt Baldy Rd, turn right (north) to the Visitor Center of Mt Baldy Village and continue to the Manker Flats Campground.
  12. Sandstone Peak, Malibu: from Malibu take Yerba Buena Road to the Circle X Ranch and continue for a couple of minutes to the trailhead.
  13. Upper Solstice Canyon, Malibu: from Malibu drive to the end of Corral Canyon Road.
  14. Black Mountain: Take highway 10 east to Banning, then highway 243 to Vista Grande Ranger Station. A few minutes later turn left into a dirt road. This takes you to the top of the mountain or you can hike it.
  15. San Bernardino Peak: Take highway 10 to Redlands' exit Orange St and go north, turn right into 38 past Mill Creek Ranger Station (where you get the permit) to Angelus Oaks
Most spectacular views

A selection of mountain trails

Some favorite hikes in California

(in parentheses the degree of difficulty)
  1. Sphinx Lakes and Pass (8)
  2. Florence Lake to North Lake via Piute Pass (7)
  3. Palisades Glacier via Sam Mack Meadow (8)
  4. Mt Langley via Cottonwood Lakes (8)
  5. Mt Williamson from Shepherd Pass (10)
  6. Mt Whitney/ North Fork (9)
  7. Roads End to Onion Valley via Kearsarge Pass (8)
  8. Tenaya Lake to Cloud's Rest to Mist Trail (8)
  9. Thunderbolt Peak via Bishop Pass (10)
  10. Mt Keith (8)
  11. Caltech Peak (8)
  12. Mt Tyndall (9)
  13. Mt Barnard (7)
  14. Mt Russell (10)
  15. Golden Canyon to Zabriskie Point in Death Valley (6)
  16. Split Mt (8)
  17. Mt Conness (6)
  18. Mt Whitney/ Regular trail (8)
  19. Half Dome via Mist Trail in Yosemite (6)
and in the Bay Area:
  1. Pt Reyes coast trail from Palomarin (6)
  2. Muir Woods to Stinson Beach to Mt Tamalpais (6)
  3. Portola Redwoods to Big Basin to Waddell Beach (7)
  4. Waddell Beach to Berry Creek Falls to Chalk Mountain in Big Basin (7)
  5. McClures Beach to Kehoe Beach in Pt Reyes
  6. China Camp to Big Sur in the Ventana Wilderness (7)
  7. Three lakes to Mt Tamalpais (6)
  8. Telescope Peak in Death Valley (6)
(10 = mission impossible, 0 = piece of cake)

Most spectacular views

  1. Williamson Bowl from Mt Tyndall, Eastern Sierra
  2. Mt Barnard, Eastern Sierra
  3. Mt Keith, Eastern Sierra
  4. Mt Agassiz, Eastern Sierra
  5. Caltech Peak, Eastern Sierra
  6. Crest of Mt Whitney's regular trail, Eastern Sierra
  7. Sphinx Pass, Kings Canyon
  8. Middle Palisade, Eastern Sierra
  9. Old Army Pass, Eastern Sierra
  10. Clouds Rest, Yosemite
  11. Glen Pass, Eastern Sierra
  12. Sentinel Dome, Yosemite
  13. Bishop Pass, Eastern Sierra
  14. Mt Russell, Eastern Sierra
  15. Mt Hawkins, Evolution Region
  16. Yosemite from the peak south of Mt Warren, Hoover Wilderness
  17. Split Mt , Eastern Sierra
  18. Mt Ritter, Ansel Adams Wilderness
  19. Kearsarge Pass, Eastern Sierra
  20. Mt Tamalpais, Bay Area
  21. Mt Sill, Eastern Sierra
  22. Dewey Point, Yosemite
  23. Mono Lake from Mt Dana, Yosemite
  24. Glacier Point, Yosemite
  25. Dick's Pass, Desolation Wilderness
  26. Half Dome, Yosemite
  27. Mt Brewer, Kings Canyon
  28. Mt Shasta, North California

My favorite lakes

  1. Sphinx 3 and 4 (Kings Canyon)
  2. Cottonwood 4 and 5 (Army Pass)
  3. East Isosceles (Bishop Pass)
  4. Long Lake (Bishop Pass)
  5. Cathedral Lake (Yosemite)
  6. Evolution Lake
  7. Finger Lake (north of Middle Palisade)
  8. Ray Lakes
  9. Darwin Canyon (between Mt Lamarck and Mt Mendel)
  10. Garnett Lake (Ansel Adams Wilderness)
  11. Lake Mills (below Mt Abbot)
  12. Fontanillis Lake (Desolation Wilderness)
  13. Upper Kearsarge Lake
  14. Lake Fontanillis, Desolation Wilderness
  15. Mono Lake
  16. Potluck Lake (west of Potluck Pass, south of Scimitar Pass)
  17. Bass Lake (Point Reyes)
  18. Lake Tulainyo (Mt Russell)
  19. Middle Velma Lake (Desolation Wilderness)
  20. Lake Tahoe
Highest mountains in California

Easiest of the high Sierra:

  1. White Mountain
  2. Mt Morgan
  3. Mt Whitney's main trail (the high number of failures is only due to the high number of inexperienced hikers who try this one)
  4. Mt Langley

Toughest of the California mountains (that can be hiked without climbing gear), as measured in the number of hours it takes me from the nearest parking lot:

  1. Mt Williamson (11h)
  2. Mt Stanford (11h)
  3. Mt Darwin (11h)
  4. North Palisade (11h)
  5. Mt Sill (10h)
  6. Split Mt (9h)
  7. Thunderbolt Peak (9h)
  8. Mt Russell (8h30')
  9. ....
By comparison:
  • Mt Shasta (7h)
  • Mt Whitney's mountaineering route (6h30')
  • Mt Whitney's regular trail (5h30')
  • Half Dome (3h)

Bureaucracy

"Red tape" has been escalating in all state and national parks, and even in national forest. The modern ranger is a desk bureaucrat whose full-time job is to issue "wilderness permits", if not a Nazi-style police officer paid to treat hikers like terrorists. Contrary to what you read in the papers, all these agencies (state parks, national parks and national forests) have a virtually infinite amount of money, and they can afford to hire a virtually infinite number of "rangers" to enforce a virtually infinite number of rules. The "wilderness" is rapidly being transformed into a concentration camp. If you care for the wilderness, write to your representative and/or senator demanding a cut in the budget of these agencies. These are the only budgets that keep growing regardless of how the economy does, and they were already way too big 20 years ago. Ask that the money be spent to build much needed public transportation to the parks, and to remove all fees from national parks and forests (that are, after all, paid with your tax money). Finally, ask that unelected officials not be allowed to institute rules and regulations that will affect millions of hikers.

General links about hiking

  • My pictures
  • Summit Post
  • Topomaps
  • Great Outdoor Recreation
  • Backpackers forum
  • California State Parks
  • National Parks
  • National Forests
  • Sierra wilderness
    Most epic hikes of my life
    • This website uses the metric system, like 95% of the world's population.