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Moderate Hiking Trails in California

We track 724 routes that match this search in California. They average 4.7 km and 238 m (781 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 16.9 km.

That is 66 percent of the 1,097 routes we map in California. They are shorter than the local average, 4.7 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, 238 m (781 ft) against 458 m (1,503 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Moderate routes are the sweet spot for most regular walkers: enough climbing to feel like a proper day out, never enough to turn into an ordeal. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Label view of ant Temnothorax nevadensis specimen casent0103385 .
Moderate

Alta Trail

California · United States

Distance
15.7 km
/ 9.7 mi
Elevation gain
177 m
Typical duration
3 hr 33 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
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
Inyo County star tulip ( Calochortus excavatus ) on Tyee Lakes Trail
Moderate

Tyee Lakes Trail

California · United States

Distance
10.4 km
/ 6.5 mi
Elevation gain
753 m
Typical duration
3 hr 18 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
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
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
Hanford; Irrigation Ditch, near Hanford, Cal.
Moderate

Golden Trout Creek Trail

California · United States

Distance
14.7 km
/ 9.1 mi
Elevation gain
32 m
Typical duration
3 hr 6 min
  • River
  • 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
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
On route to Little Five Lakes, Sequoia National Park, California
Moderate

Big Arroyo Trail

California · United States

Distance
14.2 km
/ 8.8 mi
Elevation gain
111 m
Typical duration
3 hr 7 min
  • River
  • Mountain
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

Rush Creek Trail

California · United States

Distance
14.6 km
/ 9.1 mi
Elevation gain
202 m
Typical duration
3 hr 21 min
  • River
  • 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
Hackelia mundula , pink stickseed, in Sequoia/Kings Canyon, Fresno County, California.
Moderate

Bubbs Creek Trail

California · United States

Distance
16.9 km
/ 10.5 mi
Elevation gain
122 m
Typical duration
3 hr 45 min
  • River
  • 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
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
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 62.
Moderate

Jackass Creek Trail

California · United States

Distance
10.3 km
/ 6.4 mi
Elevation gain
529 m
Typical duration
2 hr 56 min
  • River
  • 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
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
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
The bluegreen glaucous stems and leaves are reminiscent of the "Poa ampla" form of Sandberg's bluegrass and the open panicle is characteristic of the "Poa gracillima" form of Sandberg's bluegrass.
Moderate

Upper Rock Creek Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
22 m
Typical duration
34 min
  • River
  • Mountain
August 2012
Moderate

White Bark Vista Trail

California · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
19 m
Typical duration
28 min
  • Mountain
  • Panoramic viewpoint

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
Alta TrailCalifornia15.7 km177 m3 hr 33 minModerateJuly 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
Tyee Lakes TrailCalifornia10.4 km753 m3 hr 18 minModerateJuly 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
Soldier Lake TrailCalifornia4.3 km556 m1 hr 44 minModerateJuly to September
Golden Trout Creek TrailCalifornia14.7 km32 m3 hr 6 minModerateJuly to September

If you only have time for one, start with Alta Trail, Arroyo Seco Trail, Rock Creek Lake 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

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