Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 1.7 km / 1.1 mi
- Elevation gain
- 99 m
- Typical duration
- 30 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
- Panoramic viewpoint
Hiking Trails Under 5 km in California
The directory currently contains 600 quality-checked routes matching this guide in California. Their average mapped distance is 2.2 km and average recorded ascent is 124 m (407 ft); the longest route in the set is 5.0 km.
This subset represents 55% of the 1,083 quality-checked routes in California. Its average distance is 2.2 km, compared with 13.8 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 124 m (407 ft), versus 464 m (1,522 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.
Every route in this set has a mapped distance of 5 km or less. Time and suitability still depend on ascent, surface and conditions. Within this set, 150 routes (25%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 59 (10%) 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
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.5 km / 1.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 134 m
- Typical duration
- 44 min
- Waterfall
- Lake
- River
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 3.2 km / 2.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 653 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 39 min
- Mountain
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
- 3.3 km / 2.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 117 m
- Typical duration
- 51 min
- Lake
- Mountain
- Summit push
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 4.3 km / 2.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 556 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 44 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.2 km / 1.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 266 m
- Typical duration
- 51 min
- Waterfall
- Lake
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 3.9 km / 2.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 35 m
- Typical duration
- 52 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 3.1 km / 1.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 60 m
- Typical duration
- 44 min
- Mountain
Easy
California · United States
- Distance
- 1.9 km / 1.2 mi
- Elevation gain
- 40 m
- Typical duration
- 28 min
- Coastal
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 4.7 km / 2.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 45 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 2 min
- Coastal
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 3.1 km / 1.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 188 m
- Typical duration
- 55 min
- Waterfall
- Lake
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.6 km / 1.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 47 m
- Typical duration
- 37 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 1.7 km / 1.1 mi
- Elevation gain
- 302 m
- Typical duration
- 49 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 3.1 km / 1.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 228 m
- Typical duration
- 59 min
- Mountain
- Summit push
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.0 km / 1.2 mi
- Elevation gain
- 213 m
- Typical duration
- 44 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 3.8 km / 2.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 323 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 16 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 3.0 km / 1.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 152 m
- Typical duration
- 51 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.1 km / 1.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 185 m
- Typical duration
- 43 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.7 km / 1.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 292 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 4.2 km / 2.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 189 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 9 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 0.6 km / 0.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 9 m
- Typical duration
- 9 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 1.5 km / 1.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 86 m
- Typical duration
- 27 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.1 km / 1.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 125 m
- Typical duration
- 37 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.1 km / 1.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 98 m
- Typical duration
- 35 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 0.5 km / 0.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 62 m
- Typical duration
- 12 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Easy
California · United States
- Distance
- 1.2 km / 0.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 33 m
- Typical duration
- 18 min
- Lake
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 1.5 km / 1.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 86 m
- Typical duration
- 27 min
- Lake
- Mountain
- Forest
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.6 km / 1.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 37 m
- Typical duration
- 36 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.6 km / 1.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 274 m
- Typical duration
- 57 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 1.8 km / 1.1 mi
- Elevation gain
- 90 m
- Typical duration
- 31 min
- Waterfall
- Lake
Easy
California · United States
- Distance
- 0.6 km / 0.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 36 m
- Typical duration
- 10 min
- Waterfall
- Lake
Easy
California · United States
- Distance
- 0.7 km / 0.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 49 m
- Typical duration
- 13 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Easy
California · United States
- Distance
- 0.5 km / 0.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 15 m
- Typical duration
- 8 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Easy
California · United States
- Distance
- 0.7 km / 0.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 8 m
- Typical duration
- 9 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Easy
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.5 km / 1.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 21 m
- Typical duration
- 33 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 1.6 km / 1.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 43 m
- Typical duration
- 23 min
- Waterfall
- River
Easy
California · United States
- Distance
- 0.6 km / 0.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 29 m
- Typical duration
- 10 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 4.8 km / 3.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 145 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 14 min
- River
- Mountain
Easy
California · United States
- Distance
- 0.9 km / 0.6 mi
- Typical duration
- 12 min
- River
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.6 km / 1.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 22 m
- Typical duration
- 34 min
- River
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.1 km / 1.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 19 m
- Typical duration
- 28 min
- Mountain
- Panoramic viewpoint
Easy
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.7 km / 1.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 38 m
- Typical duration
- 37 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 1.9 km / 1.2 mi
- Elevation gain
- 125 m
- Typical duration
- 35 min
- Lake
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.2 km / 1.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 489 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 12 min
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.5 km / 1.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 424 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 9 min
- Mountain
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.9 km / 1.8 mi
- Elevation gain
- 180 m
- Typical duration
- 52 min
- Waterfall
Moderate
California · United States
- Distance
- 2.3 km / 1.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 72 m
- Typical duration
- 35 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.
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time | Difficulty | Best season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summit Meadows TrailCalifornia | 1.7 km | 99 m | 30 min | Moderate | April to October |
| Mill Creek Falls TrailCalifornia | 2.5 km | 134 m | 44 min | Moderate | June to October |
| Half Dome TrailCalifornia | 3.2 km | 653 m | 1 hr 39 min | Moderate | July to September |
| Summit Meadow TrailCalifornia | 4.3 km | 457 m | 1 hr 35 min | Moderate | July to September |
| Summit Lake TrailCalifornia | 3.3 km | 117 m | 51 min | Moderate | July to September |
| Soldier Lake TrailCalifornia | 4.3 km | 556 m | 1 hr 44 min | Moderate | July to September |
| Dawn Falls TrailCalifornia | 2.2 km | 266 m | 51 min | Moderate | April to October |
| Starkweather Lake TrailCalifornia | 3.9 km | 35 m | 52 min | Moderate | July to September |
| Bay Area Ridge Trail - Section 01 - Golden Gate BridgeCalifornia | 3.1 km | 60 m | 44 min | Moderate | April to October |
| California Coastal TrailCalifornia | 1.9 km | 40 m | 28 min | Easy | April to October |
Summit Meadows Trail, Mill Creek Falls Trail, Half Dome 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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