Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 15.7 km / 9.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 177 m
- Typical duration
- 3 hr 33 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
- Panoramic viewpoint
Best Summit Hikes in California
The directory currently contains 22 quality-checked routes matching this guide in California. Their average mapped distance is 9.0 km and average recorded ascent is 479 m (1,572 ft); the longest route in the set is 51.3 km.
This subset represents 2% of the 1,083 quality-checked routes in California. Its average distance is 9.0 km, compared with 13.8 km across the full local set.
These routes carry the summit tag. Elevation and ascent values come from the sampled route profile rather than the tag itself. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 3 (14%) are rated hard or expert, and 1 (5%) 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
1.7 km
Summit Meadows TrailCompare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.
Lowest recorded ascent in this sample
99 m
Summit Meadows Trail6 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
Hard
California · United States
- Distance
- 20.9 km / 13.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,511 m
- Typical duration
- 6 hr 48 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
- Panoramic viewpoint
Expert
California · United States
- Distance
- 51.3 km / 31.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 2,050 m
- Typical duration
- 14 hr
- Mountain
- Summit push
- Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 1.7 km / 1.1 mi
- Elevation gain
- 99 m
- Typical duration
- 30 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
- Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 4.3 km / 2.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 457 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 35 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
- Alpine meadow
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 10.0 km / 6.2 mi
- Elevation gain
- 140 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 18 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
- Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 3.3 km / 2.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 117 m
- Typical duration
- 51 min
- Lake
- Mountain
- Summit push
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 3.1 km / 1.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 228 m
- Typical duration
- 59 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
Hard
California · United States
- Distance
- 17.7 km / 11.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 773 m
- Typical duration
- 4 hr 55 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
- Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 4.7 km / 2.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 594 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 52 min
- Lake
- Mountain
- Summit push
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 3.0 km / 1.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 174 m
- Typical duration
- 54 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
- Alpine meadow
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 4.9 km / 3.1 mi
- Elevation gain
- 6 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 2 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
- Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 5.5 km / 3.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 409 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 46 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
- Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 7.1 km / 4.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 77 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 36 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
- Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 8.0 km / 5.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 659 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 39 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 10.3 km / 6.4 mi
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 9 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 8.5 km / 5.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 852 m
- Typical duration
- 3 hr 3 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 4.7 km / 2.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 579 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 50 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 3.7 km / 2.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 624 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 43 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 3.4 km / 2.1 mi
- Elevation gain
- 589 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 35 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.4 km / 1.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 192 m
- Typical duration
- 47 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 3.0 km / 1.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 233 m
- Typical duration
- 59 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
The shortlist, side by side
The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time | Difficulty | Best season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alta TrailCalifornia | 15.7 km | 177 m | 3 hr 33 min | Moderate | July to September |
| Marble Peak TrailCalifornia | 20.9 km | 1,511 m | 6 hr 48 min | Hard | April to October |
| Summit National Recreation TrailCalifornia | 51.3 km | 2,050 m | 14 hr | Expert | July to September |
| Summit Meadows TrailCalifornia | 1.7 km | 99 m | 30 min | Moderate | April to October |
| Summit Meadow TrailCalifornia | 4.3 km | 457 m | 1 hr 35 min | Moderate | July to September |
| Baker Summit TrailCalifornia | 10.0 km | 140 m | 2 hr 18 min | Moderate | July to September |
| Summit Lake TrailCalifornia | 3.3 km | 117 m | 51 min | Moderate | July to September |
| Summit Rock Loop TrailCalifornia | 3.1 km | 228 m | 59 min | Moderate | April to October |
| Manuel Peak TrailCalifornia | 17.7 km | 773 m | 4 hr 55 min | Hard | April to October |
| Summit Lake TrailCalifornia | 4.7 km | 594 m | 1 hr 52 min | Moderate | July to September |
Alta Trail, Marble Peak Trail, Summit National Recreation 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 →Related guides
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