HomeHiking GuidesBest Hikes in California

Best Hikes in California

California holds more good hiking than any other state and almost none of it runs on the same calendar. The Sierra opens in July and closes in October, the desert parks are only pleasant when the Sierra is buried, and the coast works all year. These are the trails worth the drive, grouped so you can find the ones that match the month you actually have off.

38 trail guides and 8 ready-to-book itineraries

Ready-to-book trips

Day-by-day, with the permits and the stays already worked out.

Hiking Trails in Big Sur California: A 3-Day Coast ItineraryCentral California Coast · Highway 1California National Parks Family Loop: A 10-Day ItineraryCalifornia · Sierra NevadaChannel Islands Kayaking: 3-Day Santa Cruz Island TripCalifornia · Channel Islands National ParkDeath Valley Winter Hiking: A 3-Day ItineraryEastern California · Mojave DesertEastern Sierra 10-Day Loop: Mammoth Lakes Backpacking TripCalifornia · Mammoth Lakes & the High SierraLassen Volcanic Day Hikes: A 2-Day ItineraryNorthern California · Cascade volcanoesHiking the Lost Coast Trail: 5-Day Backpacking ItineraryCalifornia · King Range WildernessHikes in Joshua Tree: A 3-Day Best-of ItinerarySouthern California · Mojave & Colorado Deserts

National park hikes

Day Trip to Pinnacles National Park: How to Do ItYou can see the best of Pinnacles in a single day. Here are the real drive times, why you must pick the east or west entrance befoSunset at Yosemite National Park: 6 Best Spots & TimingAn honest breakdown of the six best sunset spots in Yosemite, how to reach each, when to arrive, and which are open which months.Best Things to Do in Sequoia National Park (2026 Guide)The top things to do in Sequoia National Park, from a guide who's hiked it: General Sherman, the Moro Rock stairway, Crystal Cave,Best Time to Visit Joshua Tree: A Month-by-Month GuideWhen to visit Joshua Tree National Park for cool hiking weather, wildflowers, and dark skies, broken down season by season.Best Time to Visit Kings Canyon National ParkWhen to visit Kings Canyon National Park for open roads, snow-free passes, wildflowers, and fewer crowds, broken down by season.Death Valley Spring HikesThe best Death Valley hikes to do in April, from cool canyon slots to high-country peaks, plus how to time the day and beat the buJoshua Tree Camping GuideHow to pick the right Joshua Tree campground, when to reserve, and what to pack for a desert night under the stars.Joshua Tree Stargazing Guide: Best Spots and Dark Sky TipsWhere and when to see the Milky Way in Joshua Tree, one of the best dark sky parks within reach of Los Angeles.Kings Canyon Camping Guide: Best Campgrounds and How to BookA complete guide to camping in Kings Canyon National Park, covering the best campgrounds at Grant Grove and Cedar Grove, reservatiBest Day Hikes in Kings Canyon National ParkA guide to the best day hikes in Kings Canyon National Park, from easy sequoia loops to the canyon floor and the climb toward MistMount Whitney Trail: The Complete Day-Hike GuideThe Mount Whitney Trail climbs to 14,505 ft, the highest summit in the lower 48. Here's exactly how the permit works, how hard the

Backpacking and multi-day routes

Thousand Island Lake HikeEverything you need to plan a hike to Thousand Island Lake beneath Banner Peak, including the River Trail, the High Trail, and theYosemite Backpacking: Wilderness Permits and Best RoutesHow to score a Yosemite wilderness permit and where to backpack, from the High Sierra loops out of Tuolumne Meadows to the climb u

Permits and access

Half Dome Cables: When They Are Up, and What They Are LikeWhen the Half Dome cables go up and come down, what the angle really is, what it feels like to be on them, and the conditions thatThe Diving Board and the Death Slabs on Half DomeThe Diving Board is where Ansel Adams shot Monolith in 1927, and the Death Slabs are how you get there. What that approach actuallHalf Dome Hike: The Route, the Miles, and How Steep It GetsThe Half Dome route broken down section by section: 14 to 16 miles, 4,800 feet of climbing, where the steep parts actually are, anHalf Dome Lottery: How the Draw Works and How to Win ItBoth Half Dome lotteries explained: the March preseason draw and the daily draw two days out, what your odds really are by day andMount Whitney Permit LotteryA step-by-step guide to the Mount Whitney permit lottery on Recreation.gov, including dates, quotas, and what to do if you miss ou

When to go

The Best Time to Visit Death ValleyWhen to visit Death Valley National Park for comfortable hiking, wildflowers, and cool desert nights, broken down by season.Best Time to Visit Yosemite With KidsWhen to visit Yosemite as a family, broken down by season, with notes on waterfalls, crowds, the Tioga Road, and the day-use reser

Waterfall hikes

McWay Falls Big Sur: How to See the Waterfall on the BeachEverything you need to see McWay Falls, the 80-foot tidefall that drops onto the sand at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park in Big SuYosemite Waterfalls: Best Falls to See and When They PeakA season-by-season guide to Yosemite's biggest waterfalls, from Yosemite Falls to Bridalveil, including when the flow peaks and th

Where to camp

Big Sur Camping Guide: Best Campgrounds Along Highway 1Where to camp in Big Sur, from redwood state parks to private campgrounds and dispersed sites, with booking tips and what to expecDeath Valley Camping in WinterA practical guide to camping in Death Valley during the cool winter season, including the best campgrounds and what to pack.Lone Pine Camping Near Mount WhitneyWhere to camp around Lone Pine before a Mount Whitney climb, from Whitney Portal to the Alabama Hills, with elevations that help y

More guides in this state

20 Best Stops on the Pacific Coast Highway (With Map)The best stops on the Pacific Coast Highway, from Cannon Beach and Cape Perpetua to Big Sur and the Golden Gate, with photos, map Anza-Borrego Super BloomHow to catch the Anza-Borrego super bloom in spring, with the best April wildflower trails, where the color peaks, and how to timeThe Best Easy Hikes in Death Valley for First-Time VisitorsA guide to the most rewarding short and easy hikes in Death Valley National Park, from Badwater Basin to Golden Canyon.Best Time to Hike Mount Whitney: Month-by-Month ConditionsWhen to climb Mount Whitney for the best balance of snow-free trail, stable weather, and manageable crowds, broken down month by mBest Time to Visit Big SurWhen to visit Big Sur for clear skies, wildflowers, fewer crowds, and good hiking, broken down season by season along Highway 1.John Muir Trail Permit GuideA practical guide to scoring a John Muir Trail permit, including the Donohue Pass exit quota, the lottery on Recreation.gov, and eJoshua Tree WildflowersA local's guide to catching the Joshua Tree spring wildflower bloom, with the best April trails, elevation timing, and where the dMariposa Grove Giant SequoiasHow to visit Mariposa Grove in Yosemite with kids: the shuttle, the easy Big Trees Loop, the Grizzly Giant, and the best season foYosemite Waterfall Hikes for FamiliesA family-friendly guide to Yosemite Valley waterfall hikes, from the paved Lower Yosemite Fall loop to the misty climb up Vernal FYosemite in Winter: Snowshoeing, Firefall and Quiet TrailsWhat to do in Yosemite in winter, from snowshoeing at Badger Pass and the Horsetail Fall firefall to the valley trails that stay oHalf Dome Hiking GuideHalf Dome is Yosemite's most iconic summit,but reaching the top requires a lottery permit, serious fitness, and respect for the caYosemite Valley Hiking GuideYosemite Valley packs more iconic hikes into 7 square miles than anywhere in North America, here's how to navigate the permits, cr

Every guide here is written from the trail rather than the trailhead sign, and each one links to the itinerary that puts it into a full trip. If your dates are fixed and you are not sure which half of the state is open, start with the seasonal guides above.

Every hiking guide we have written →

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Free permit watch

You can't hike it if you can't get the permit.

The best hikes in America run on lotteries that open once a year and sell out in minutes. Every trail runs on its own calendar. Pick the ones you want and we do the watching.

28 trails watched daily

How it works

  • An email the morning each window opens, never the day after.
  • A 14-day heads-up so you can line up your group and dates.
  • Win odds and a ranked backup plan for every trail you pick.

Didn't win? We keep watching. We check recreation.gov every day for The Enchantments, Half Dome and Angels Landing, and email you the moment a sold-out date frees up. Cancellations are the second chance most people never hear about.

Hikers we've helped

Excellent itinerary planner! Detail oriented with thoughtful tips for my family's trip.

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