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Best Forest Hikes in California

The directory currently contains 12 quality-checked routes matching this guide in California. Their average mapped distance is 10.4 km and average recorded ascent is 566 m (1,857 ft); the longest route in the set is 52.7 km.

This subset represents 1% of the 1,083 quality-checked routes in California. Its average distance is 10.4 km, compared with 13.8 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 566 m (1,857 ft), versus 464 m (1,522 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the forest tag. The data does not quantify canopy cover or guarantee shade along every section. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 2 (17%) are rated hard or expert, and 0 (0%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

1.5 km

Woods Lakes Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

6 m

Giant Forest-Alta Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Expert

Gabrielino Trail

California · United States

Distance
52.7 km
/ 32.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,498 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Golden Trout Wilderness , August 2008. One day after a rainstorm, just south of Farewell Gap.
Expert

Farewell Gap Trail

California · United States

Distance
25.5 km
/ 15.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,556 m
Typical duration
7 hr 58 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Skelton Lake, Mammoth Lakes, California
Moderate

Woods Lakes Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
86 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Forest
A view of Mount Diablo from Eagle Peak. Las Trampas Regional Wilderness. Danville, CA. For some strange reason, there's a garbage can in the middle of the trail. Even more bizarrely, it is decorated with the sticker "Squaw Valley, USA", a s
Moderate

Las Trampas Ridge Trail

California · United States

Distance
10.2 km
/ 6.3 mi
Elevation gain
431 m
Typical duration
2 hr 46 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Towering Sequoia redwoods dot the landscape in the Sequoia National Forest.
Moderate

Giant Forest-Alta Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
20 min
  • Forest
Moderate

Loughry Woods Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
315 m
Typical duration
1 hr
  • Forest
Moderate

Vienna Woods Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
105 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Forest
Moderate

Merriam Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
288 m
Typical duration
59 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Moderate

Woods Creek Trail

California · United States

Distance
8.6 km
/ 5.3 mi
Elevation gain
688 m
Typical duration
2 hr 49 min
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Moderate

Woodland Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
108 m
Typical duration
28 min
  • Forest

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Gabrielino TrailCalifornia52.7 km2,498 m15 hrExpertApril to October
Farewell Gap TrailCalifornia25.5 km1,556 m7 hr 58 minExpertJuly to September
Woods Lakes TrailCalifornia1.5 km86 m27 minModerateJuly to September
Las Trampas Ridge TrailCalifornia10.2 km431 m2 hr 46 minModerateApril to October
Las Trampas to Mt. Diablo Regional TrailCalifornia8.6 km312 m2 hr 16 minModerateApril to October
Giant Forest-Alta TrailCalifornia1.6 km6 m20 minModerateJuly to September
Loughry Woods TrailCalifornia2.6 km315 m1 hrModerateApril to October
Vienna Woods TrailCalifornia1.4 km105 m27 minModerateApril to October
Merriam Lake TrailCalifornia2.6 km288 m59 minModerateJuly to September
Woods Creek TrailCalifornia8.6 km688 m2 hr 49 minModerateJuly to September

Gabrielino Trail, Farewell Gap Trail, Woods Lakes Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →

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