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Best hikes in California

The 30 best of 16,706 trails in California, ranked by route quality.

Trails
16,706
Easy
10,792
Moderate
2,862
Hard
1,942
Expert
1,110

By activity

Common features

Top trails

  1. Coastal Rail Trail Easy · 5.6 mi (9 km) · Elevation Gain 138 ft (42 m) · 1 hr 50 min · Neary Lagoon Wildlife Refuge
  2. Inspiration Point Trail Easy · 1.5 mi (2.4 km) · Elevation Gain 417 ft (127 m) · 40 min · Lassen Volcanic National Park
  3. California Coastal Trail - Sue-meg Expert · 12.5 mi (20.1 km) · Elevation Gain 1,611 ft (491 m) · 4 hr 50 min · Humboldt Lagoons State Park
  4. Pohono Trail Expert · 12.6 mi (20.2 km) · Elevation Gain 4,820 ft (1,469 m) · 6 hr 30 min · Yosemite National Park
  5. Philosopher's Way Moderate · 4.5 mi (7.2 km) · Elevation Gain 614 ft (187 m) · 1 hr 45 min · John McLaren Park
  6. North Shore Trail Easy · 1.7 mi (2.7 km) · Elevation Gain 157 ft (48 m) · 35 min · Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
  7. Dinkey Lakes Trail Hard · 10.8 mi (17.4 km) · Elevation Gain 1,713 ft (522 m) · 4 hr 20 min · Dinkey Lakes Wilderness
  8. Mariposa Grove Trail Hard · 6.8 mi (10.9 km) · Elevation Gain 1,155 ft (352 m) · 2 hr 45 min · Yosemite National Park
  9. Mist Trail Hard · 5.3 mi (8.5 km) · Elevation Gain 2,110 ft (643 m) · 2 hr 45 min · Yosemite National Park
  10. Headlands Trail Easy · 2 mi (3.2 km) · Elevation Gain 33 ft (10 m) · 40 min · Andrew Molera State Park
  11. Eagle Falls Trail Hard · 8.4 mi (13.5 km) · Elevation Gain 2,159 ft (658 m) · 3 hr 50 min · Desolation Wilderness
  12. Marble Peak Trail Expert · 13 mi (21 km) · Elevation Gain 4,117 ft (1,255 m) · 6 hr 15 min · Ventana Wilderness
  13. California Coastal Trail - Klamath Section Hard · 8.8 mi (14.2 km) · Elevation Gain 1,457 ft (444 m) · 3 hr 35 min · Redwood National Park
  14. Chilnualna Falls Trail Hard · 7.9 mi (12.7 km) · Elevation Gain 2,215 ft (675 m) · 3 hr 40 min · Yosemite National Park
  15. Aptos Creek Fire Road Expert · 13.4 mi (21.6 km) · Elevation Gain 2,680 ft (817 m) · 5 hr 40 min · The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
  16. Crumbaugh Lake Trail Hard · 5.2 mi (8.4 km) · Elevation Gain 1,043 ft (318 m) · 2 hr 10 min · Lassen Volcanic National Park
  17. Abbotts Lagoon Trail Easy · 2.1 mi (3.4 km) · Elevation Gain 62 ft (19 m) · 45 min · Point Reyes National Seashore
  18. Kaiser Loop Trail Expert · 16.2 mi (26.1 km) · Elevation Gain 3,868 ft (1,179 m) · 7 hr 10 min · Kaiser Wilderness
  19. Bear Creek Trail Expert · 13.3 mi (21.4 km) · Elevation Gain 2,103 ft (641 m) · 5 hr 20 min · John Muir Wilderness
  20. Matt Davis Trail Hard · 7.4 mi (11.9 km) · Elevation Gain 1,647 ft (502 m) · 3 hr 15 min · Golden Gate National Recreation Area
  21. Stewart Trail Expert · 13.4 mi (21.6 km) · Elevation Gain 2,464 ft (751 m) · 5 hr 35 min · Point Reyes National Seashore
  22. North Fork Big Pine Creek Trail Expert · 15.3 mi (24.6 km) · Elevation Gain 3,734 ft (1,138 m) · 6 hr 50 min · John Muir Wilderness
  23. Loch Trail Hard · 7.9 mi (12.7 km) · Elevation Gain 1,171 ft (357 m) · 3 hr 10 min · Loch Lomond City Recreation Area
  24. Owl Trail Easy · 2.1 mi (3.3 km) · Elevation Gain 289 ft (88 m) · 50 min · Golden Gate National Recreation Area
  25. Dipsea Race route Expert · 11.3 mi (18.2 km) · Elevation Gain 3,104 ft (946 m) · 5 hr 15 min · Golden Gate National Recreation Area
  26. Coastal Trail Moderate · 3.7 mi (5.9 km) · Elevation Gain 551 ft (168 m) · 1 hr 25 min · Golden Gate National Recreation Area
  27. California Coastal Trail - Crescent Beach Section Moderate · 7.7 mi (12.4 km) · Elevation Gain 528 ft (161 m) · 2 hr 45 min · Redwood National Park
  28. Arnold Rim Trail Expert · 22.5 mi (36.2 km) · Elevation Gain 4,587 ft (1,398 m) · 9 hr 35 min · Stanislaus National Forest
  29. Mount Whitney Trail Expert · 10.6 mi (17 km) · Elevation Gain 6,365 ft (1,940 m) · 6 hr 40 min · Whitney Zone
  30. Ryan Mountain Trail Moderate · 2.8 mi (4.6 km) · Elevation Gain 1,050 ft (320 m) · 1 hr 25 min · Joshua Tree National Park

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