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Hiking Trails Under 10 km in California

We track 842 routes that match this search in California. They average 3.6 km and 207 m (679 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 10.0 km.

That is 77 percent of the 1,097 routes we map in California. They are shorter than the local average, 3.6 km against 13.6 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 207 m (679 ft) against 458 m (1,503 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Half-day routes: long enough to feel like a proper walk, short enough to leave the afternoon free. The mix is broad: 172 are rated easy and 14 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

@ Whitney Portal, California
Hard

Meysan Lakes Trail

California · United States

Distance
7.4 km
/ 4.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,235 m
Typical duration
3 hr 23 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 65.
Moderate

Arroyo Seco Trail

California · United States

Distance
7.5 km
/ 4.7 mi
Elevation gain
222 m
Typical duration
1 hr 54 min
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Desert
Slender wheatgrass is common right along the JMT from montane parkland into the subalpine and occasionally alpine. Lengths of lemmas awns and degree of secund arrangement of spikelets are variously developed throughout these elevation zones
Moderate

Rock Creek Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
5.4 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
291 m
Typical duration
1 hr 33 min
  • Lake
  • River
  • Mountain
Beaver dam on McGee Pass Trail
Moderate

Baldwin Canyon Trail

California · United States

Distance
6.9 km
/ 4.3 mi
Elevation gain
707 m
Typical duration
2 hr 30 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
Mineral King Valley, California
Moderate

Monarch Lakes Trail

California · United States

Distance
6.5 km
/ 4.0 mi
Elevation gain
824 m
Typical duration
2 hr 35 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Marmota flaviventris - yellow bellied marmot Location: Top of Half Dome, Yosemite, CA, USA
Moderate

Half Dome Trail

California · United States

Distance
3.2 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
653 m
Typical duration
1 hr 39 min
  • Mountain
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 38.
Moderate

Summit Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
3.3 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
117 m
Typical duration
51 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 47.
Hard

Birch Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
8.7 km
/ 5.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,463 m
Typical duration
4 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep, Ovis canadensis sierrae, Mt. Langley Herd. Listed as threatened under California Endangered Speciaes Act since 1974. Uplisted to endangered in 1999 by Califonia Fish and Game Commission. Listed as endangered by
Moderate

Soldier Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
4.3 km
/ 2.7 mi
Elevation gain
556 m
Typical duration
1 hr 44 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
This image was taken at the Minarets observation site ( Minaret Summit ). Most of the Minarets (peaks) have been informally named. The largest and tallest (Clyde Minaret) is identified in this image. Michael Minaret is where Norman Clyde fo
Moderate

Starkweather Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
3.9 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
35 m
Typical duration
52 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Sunset Palisades, Pismo Beach, CA, USA
Easy

California Coastal Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
40 m
Typical duration
28 min
  • Coastal
Computer science researcher Neil Immerman of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst at the Open Source Quality retreat, in the Seaside View room of the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz, California.
Moderate

Coastal Rail Trail

California · United States

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
1 hr 2 min
  • Coastal
Temple Crag, seen from the Big Pine Lakes region to the north.
Moderate

Black Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
47 m
Typical duration
37 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Boiling mudpot located near Little Hot Springs Valley in Lassen Volcanic National Park
Moderate

Ridge Lakes Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
302 m
Typical duration
49 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Mt Ritter and Banner Peak seen past Summit Lake, at Agnew Pass. In Ansel Adams Wilderness, Sierra Nevada, California.
Moderate

Spooky Meadow Trail

California · United States

Distance
6.0 km
/ 3.7 mi
Elevation gain
645 m
Typical duration
2 hr 13 min
  • Mountain
  • Alpine meadow
Trees of Castle Rock (2)
Moderate

Summit Rock Loop Trail

California · United States

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
228 m
Typical duration
59 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Blue Lake in the morning Location: Inyo National Forest, about 2.5 miles from the lake Sabrina trail head.
Moderate

Baboon Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.0 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
213 m
Typical duration
44 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Marmota flaviventris , or a Yellow Bellied Marmot, on a rock in the Tuolumne Meadows Yosemite National Park, California, United States.
Moderate

Dog Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
3.8 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
323 m
Typical duration
1 hr 16 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Lake Sabrina before sunrise
Moderate

Grass Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
185 m
Typical duration
43 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Little Lakes Valley, Sierra Nevada , California , USA
Moderate

Little Lakes Valley Trail

California · United States

Distance
5.3 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
240 m
Typical duration
1 hr 28 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Linanthus pachyphyllus in Little Lakes Valley, eastern Sierra
Moderate

Ruby Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.7 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
292 m
Typical duration
1 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Извержение / Outpouring
Moderate

Summit Meadows Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
99 m
Typical duration
30 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Peaks beyond Yosemite from Glacier Point
Moderate

Sunrise Lakes Trail

California · United States

Distance
4.2 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
189 m
Typical duration
1 hr 9 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 53.
Moderate

Timber Creek Trail

California · United States

Distance
8.5 km
/ 5.3 mi
Elevation gain
646 m
Typical duration
2 hr 45 min
  • River
  • Mountain
McGee Pass Lake, snowfields, and view south - from trail at about 10,800ft, near McGee Pass. John Muir Wilderness, Sierra Nevada USA.
Moderate

Big McGee Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
9 m
Typical duration
9 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Blue Lake in the morning Location: Inyo National Forest, about 2.5 miles from the lake Sabrina trail head.
Moderate

Donkey Lakes Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
86 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Red Slate Mountain , Sierra Nevada , California . Image taken from Lake Mildred.
Moderate

Dorothy-Bighorn Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
125 m
Typical duration
37 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Trail south of Duck Pass, above Duck Lake - framed mountain view along path with Pinus albicaulis . John Muir Wilderness, CA, near John Muir Trail.
Moderate

Pika Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
98 m
Typical duration
35 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus lateralis). Photo taken near Dingleberry lake in the CA eastern Sierra at an elevation of about 10,500 feet
Moderate

Topsy Turvy Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
62 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Barney Lake (foreground) and Mammoth Mountain (background), seen looking northwest from Duck Pass, John Muir Wilderness, 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
The Emigrant Wilderness of Stanislaus National Forest is a wilderness area in the Sierra Nevada. It is bordered by Yosemite National Park on the south, the Toiyabe National Forest and the Hoover Wilderness on the east, and State Route 108 o
Moderate

Leavitt Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
37 m
Typical duration
36 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Streptanthus tortuosus (shieldleaf), between rocks: stem-pierced leaves, flowers, seedpods
Moderate

Marie Lakes Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
274 m
Typical duration
57 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
(1 in a multiple picture album) I drove up Rock Creek Road in the Sierra Nevada looking for the first signs of Fall in the tree color. At about 6,000 feet I found scenes sunch as this with the Aspens glowing gold. They are usually the first
Moderate

Hilton Lakes Trail

California · United States

Distance
8.8 km
/ 5.4 mi
Elevation gain
279 m
Typical duration
2 hr 15 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Mount Dade (on the right) taken from Treasure Lakes, Little Lakes Valley, Sierra Nevada , California , USA
Easy

Chickenfoot Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
49 m
Typical duration
13 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Blue Lake in the morning Location: Inyo National Forest, about 2.5 miles from the lake Sabrina trail head.
Easy

Emerald Lake Trail

California · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
15 m
Typical duration
8 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Mount Dade (on the right) taken from Treasure Lakes, Little Lakes Valley, Sierra Nevada , California , USA
Easy

Gem Lakes Trail

California · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
8 m
Typical duration
9 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Banner Peak, Mount Davis, and 1000 Island Lake in Ansel Adams Wilderness, California , USA
Easy

Thousand Island Lake

California · United States

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
21 m
Typical duration
33 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Always together / Natural Giants - Парочка
Moderate

Berry Creek Falls Trail

California · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
43 m
Typical duration
23 min
  • Waterfall
  • River
Temple Crag, seen from the Big Pine Lakes region to the north.
Easy

Fourth Lake Cutoff

California · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
29 m
Typical duration
10 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Steller's Jay perched in a White Fir tree outside Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center (KYVC), Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
Moderate

Mill Creek Falls Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
134 m
Typical duration
44 min
  • Waterfall
  • River
Sceloporus occidentalis taylori - Sierra fence lizard Location: Yosemite National Park, California, USA On a trail just below Glacier Point. Elevation: About 2100 meters (7000 feet) Identification: 1. Comparison with images from this site:
Hard

Four Mile Trail

California · United States

Distance
7.7 km
/ 4.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,425 m
Typical duration
3 hr 45 min
  • Mountain
Vista, 2006
Moderate

Mahogany Creek Trail

California · United States

Distance
4.8 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
145 m
Typical duration
1 hr 14 min
  • River
  • Mountain
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 53.
Moderate

Harrison Pass Trail

California · United States

Distance
7.6 km
/ 4.7 mi
Elevation gain
392 m
Typical duration
2 hr 11 min
  • 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
Meysan Lakes TrailCalifornia7.4 km1,235 m3 hr 23 minHardJuly to September
Arroyo Seco TrailCalifornia7.5 km222 m1 hr 54 minModerateApril to October
Rock Creek Lake TrailCalifornia5.4 km291 m1 hr 33 minModerateJuly to September
Baldwin Canyon TrailCalifornia6.9 km707 m2 hr 30 minModerateJuly to September
Eastern Brook Lakes TrailCalifornia0.6 kmflat8 minEasyJuly to September
Monarch Lakes TrailCalifornia6.5 km824 m2 hr 35 minModerateJuly to September
Half Dome TrailCalifornia3.2 km653 m1 hr 39 minModerateJuly to September
Summit Lake TrailCalifornia3.3 km117 m51 minModerateJuly to September
Birch Lake TrailCalifornia8.7 km1,463 m4 hrHardJuly to September
Soldier Lake TrailCalifornia4.3 km556 m1 hr 44 minModerateJuly to September

If you only have time for one, start with Meysan Lakes Trail, Rock Creek Lake Trail, Baldwin Canyon Trail. 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

Related guides

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