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Best Mountain Hikes in California

We track 502 routes that match this search in California. They average 24.0 km and 778 m (2,552 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 580 km.

That is 46 percent of the 1,097 routes we map in California. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 24.0 km against 13.6 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 778 m (2,552 ft) on average versus 458 m (1,503 ft) across the wider area.

Mountain routes trade effort for scale. Expect sustained climbing, quick weather changes and views that make the numbers worth it. The mix is broad: 31 are rated easy and 160 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

Unconventional view, but it works. Bolinas Lagoon Preserve of Audubon Canyon Ranch, California. The coastal subspecies of Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus californicus , lacks the yellow band of median coverts, so we see only a red
Expert

ADT - California - T - Seg 9

California · United States

Distance
70.3 km
/ 43.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,539 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Habronattus ustulatus in habitat, open pebble barren in chamise + redshanks chaparral. Riverside, California, USA
Expert

PCT - California Section B

California · United States

Distance
158 km
/ 98.4 mi
Elevation gain
3,340 m
Typical duration
42 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Morning after a good night of snow.
Expert

PCT - California Section C

California · United States

Distance
207 km
/ 128 mi
Elevation gain
3,624 m
Typical duration
54 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Moonlit Path
Expert

PCT - California Section D

California · United States

Distance
176 km
/ 110 mi
Elevation gain
4,010 m
Typical duration
47 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Kings County; Hauling Wheat from Tulare Lake Country
Expert

PCT - California Section G

California · United States

Distance
182 km
/ 113 mi
Elevation gain
5,122 m
Typical duration
50 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Mount Humphreys , in the Sierra Nevada , California , USA
Expert

PCT - California Section H

California · United States

Distance
287 km
/ 178 mi
Elevation gain
7,332 m
Typical duration
79 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Lush vegetation around Summit Lake, with a fallen log lying at the front.
Expert

PCT - California Section N

California · United States

Distance
210 km
/ 131 mi
Elevation gain
3,417 m
Typical duration
54 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 44.
Expert

PCT - California Section P

California · United States

Distance
157 km
/ 97.5 mi
Elevation gain
3,446 m
Typical duration
42 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Lovers Camp, Campsite #1
Expert

PCT - California Section Q

California · United States

Distance
90.3 km
/ 56.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,262 m
Typical duration
22 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
looking at Mount Ashland from Jackson gap (LJ)
Expert

PCT - California Section R

California · United States

Distance
98.4 km
/ 61.1 mi
Elevation gain
3,142 m
Typical duration
27 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Tahoe National Forest, Foresthill, United States, September 2017
Expert

ADT - California - T - Seg 3

California · United States

Distance
73.6 km
/ 45.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,688 m
Typical duration
21 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Three hand crews – 20 packs as they’re known in their home country – out of Quebec, Canada have been assigned to the North Complex – a lightning-caused fire on the Plumas National Forest in northern California. The professional firefighters
Expert

PCT - California Section M

California · United States

Distance
147 km
/ 91.1 mi
Elevation gain
3,373 m
Typical duration
39 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Mushrooms spring from the ground in the Berkeley hills following a series of storms that drenched the Bay.
Expert

ADT - California - T - Seg 8

California · United States

Distance
77.4 km
/ 48.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,020 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Lake Cuyamaca, also called Cuyamaca Lake, or Cuyamaca Reservoir, is an artificial lake that was formed in 1888 upon completion of the Cuyamaca Dam. Originally built to supply fresh water to San Diego, California, it is now part of a recreat
Expert

PCT - California Section A

California · United States

Distance
171 km
/ 106 mi
Elevation gain
2,638 m
Typical duration
44 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
A carpet of wildflowers stretches out in front of the Tehachapi Mountains, California
Expert

PCT - California Section E

California · United States

Distance
178 km
/ 110 mi
Elevation gain
3,339 m
Typical duration
46 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
sierra lakes - white rock lake
Expert

PCT - California Section L

California · United States

Distance
66.1 km
/ 41.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,329 m
Typical duration
17 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Ramona, United States
Expert

Coast to Crest Trail

California · United States

Distance
113 km
/ 70.1 mi
Elevation gain
4,587 m
Typical duration
33 hr
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Hackelia mundula , pink stickseed, in Sequoia/Kings Canyon, Fresno County, California.
Expert

Rae Lakes Loop

California · United States

Distance
57.6 km
/ 35.8 mi
Elevation gain
2,081 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
Fire in San Bernardino
Expert

PCT - California Section F

California · United States

Distance
138 km
/ 85.6 mi
Elevation gain
3,116 m
Typical duration
37 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
89 SAM_3259
Expert

PCT - California Section J

California · United States

Distance
119 km
/ 74.1 mi
Elevation gain
2,326 m
Typical duration
31 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Snow Lake
Expert

PCT - California Section I

California · United States

Distance
116 km
/ 72.2 mi
Elevation gain
3,287 m
Typical duration
32 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Homewood summit
Expert

PCT - California Section K

California · United States

Distance
95.3 km
/ 59.2 mi
Elevation gain
2,322 m
Typical duration
25 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus lateralis). Photo taken near Dingleberry lake in the CA eastern Sierra at an elevation of about 10,500 feet
Expert

North Lake South Lake Loop

California · United States

Distance
86.8 km
/ 53.9 mi
Elevation gain
2,788 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
The pack didn't stay on her all the way down. It never does.
Expert

Santa Ana River Trail

California · United States

Distance
61.1 km
/ 38.0 mi
Elevation gain
823 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
too far to jump
Expert

ADT - California - T - Seg 5

California · United States

Distance
87.2 km
/ 54.2 mi
Elevation gain
184 m
Typical duration
20 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Sinkyone State Wilderness - Bear Harbor, CA, USA
Expert

Lost Coast Trail

California · United States

Distance
85.2 km
/ 52.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,774 m
Typical duration
22 hr
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Bascule -type drawbridge across the Sacramento River just west of Isleton, California , built in 1923.
Expert

ADT - California - T - Seg 6

California · United States

Distance
117 km
/ 72.5 mi
Elevation gain
111 m
Typical duration
27 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Hackelia mundula , pink stickseed, in Sequoia/Kings Canyon, Fresno County, California.
Expert

Big SEKI Loop

California · United States

Distance
251 km
/ 156 mi
Elevation gain
9,009 m
Typical duration
72 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Mules and U.S. Forest Service rider on forest road as part of the Red Salmon Complex fire fighting team. September 1, 2020 https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/photograph/6891/5/
Expert

Bigfoot Trail

California · United States

Distance
580 km
/ 361 mi
Elevation gain
13,620 m
Typical duration
158 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Sierra stonecrop is most common in crevices of rock outcrops and cliffs faces. The spatulate basal leaves contrast to the narrower stem leaves and the yellow petals are united along the basal fourth of the petal length.
Expert

John Muir Trail

California · United States

Distance
336 km
/ 209 mi
Elevation gain
10,195 m
Typical duration
94 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Ski area at Mount Waterman in the San Gabriel Mountains (Los Angeles Count), California.
Expert

Silver Moccasin Trail (NRT)

California · United States

Distance
95.3 km
/ 59.2 mi
Elevation gain
4,451 m
Typical duration
28 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Middle Fork Kings River
Expert

Theodore Solomons Trail

California · United States

Distance
409 km
/ 254 mi
Elevation gain
10,537 m
Typical duration
112 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Lake Lertoria, from west end. At about 2,600 m (8,500 ft), in Emigrant Wilderness, Sierra Nevada USA. (Shown as Letora Lake on some maps.)
Expert

Huckleberry Trail

California · United States

Distance
61.2 km
/ 38.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,811 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Limekiln Creek Pacific Ocean
Expert

Condor Trail Monterey Section

California · United States

Distance
168 km
/ 104 mi
Elevation gain
6,252 m
Typical duration
49 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
A bus of the Stanford Marguerite, the free shuttle of Stanford University.
Expert

California Coastal Trail

California · United States

Distance
55.9 km
/ 34.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,263 m
Typical duration
14 hr
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
One of several piles of rock and plant debris being removed by the California Highway Patrol on the w:Angeles Crest Highway , five days after a light rain.
Expert

Gabrielino Trail

California · United States

Distance
52.7 km
/ 32.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,498 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Marmota flaviventris (yellow-bellied marmot) looking out from a triangular entrance to granite rocks. Photo taken near the High Sierra Trail west of Kaweah Gap, in the Sierra Nevada , Sequoia National Park , California.
Expert

High Sierra Trail

California · United States

Distance
77.4 km
/ 48.1 mi
Elevation gain
2,961 m
Typical duration
22 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
View east along U.S. Route 50 entering the eastbound bore of Cave Rock Tunnel in Douglas County, Nevada
Expert

Tahoe Rim Trail

California · United States

Distance
270 km
/ 168 mi
Elevation gain
4,808 m
Typical duration
71 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Cathedral Lakes in Yosemite National Park , October 2008.
Expert

High Sierra Camp Loop

California · United States

Distance
76.3 km
/ 47.4 mi
Elevation gain
2,125 m
Typical duration
20 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
The base of the switchbacks on the Mount Whitney Trail, next to High Camp. Sierra Nevada, California.
Hard

Mount Whitney Trail

California · United States

Distance
17.0 km
/ 10.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,906 m
Typical duration
6 hr 28 min
  • Mountain
extirpated in 2005
Hard

Aptos Creek Fire Road

California · United States

Distance
21.8 km
/ 13.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,016 m
Typical duration
6 hr 16 min
  • River
  • Mountain

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
ADT - California - T - Seg 9California70.3 km1,539 m18 hrExpertApril to October
PCT - California Section BCalifornia158 km3,340 m42 hrExpertJuly to September
PCT - California Section CCalifornia207 km3,624 m54 hrExpertJuly to September
PCT - California Section DCalifornia176 km4,010 m47 hrExpertJuly to September
PCT - California Section GCalifornia182 km5,122 m50 hrExpertJuly to September
PCT - California Section HCalifornia287 km7,332 m79 hrExpertJuly to September
PCT - California Section NCalifornia210 km3,417 m54 hrExpertJune to October
PCT - California Section PCalifornia157 km3,446 m42 hrExpertJuly to September
PCT - California Section QCalifornia90.3 km1,262 m22 hrExpertJune to October
PCT - California Section RCalifornia98.4 km3,142 m27 hrExpertJune to October

If you only have time for one, start with ADT - California - T - Seg 9, PCT - California Section D, PCT - California Section R. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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