Hikes in California

Tenaja Falls pours over a polished rock staircase in the San Mateo Canyon Wilderness of the Santa Ana Mountains. Even through the waterfall's setting is picturesque and remote, the hike to the waterfall is a short and easy, following Tenaja Falls Trail for 1.5 miles round trip with 275 feet of elevation change. Tenaja Falls totals 150 feet in height with multiple tiers. ...Read more.

Existing without an official name until 2015, McAuley Peak was already a convenient destination along the Backbone Trail, hosting a distinct rock formation and panoramic views over the surrounding Santa Monica Mountains. The name - honoring conservationist, author, and literal trailblazer Milt McAuley - adds even more heft to the peak. This hike to the 2,049-foot crown of McAuley Peak begins from the Piuma Trailhead in Malibu Creek State Park. ...Read more.

The beautiful Santa Monica Mountains can be a busy place to hike. One trail you can take to feel like a ghost (not see any other hikers) is Phantom Trail. Located on the north side of Malibu Creek State Park, this scarcely visited single track is not as popular as neighboring trails, but you'll be dumbfounded as to why when Phantom Trail provides early panoramas over the rest of the picturesque park. ...Read more.

Swinging Bridge in Yosemite Valley seduces photographers with views of Yosemite Falls. This is not a hike to that bridge, which isn't actually a swinging suspension bridge. This is a hike to Wawona Swinging Bridge, which has plenty of bounce in it's step, spanning a boulder-framed chute in the South Fork Merced River. Wawona Swinging Bridge is located at the south end of Yosemite National Park, where it doubles as a swimming hole destination when temperatures are running high and the river is running low. ...Read more.

Wawona Meadow Loop Trail weaves through the forest surrounding a large meadow at the south end of Yosemite National Park, offering a relaxing hike that receives less attention than those in Yosemite Valley. Starting from trailheads on two sides of Wawona Hotel (Big Trees Lodge), Meadow Loop Trail follows an old road for 3.3 miles and can be connected by paths across the hotel ground for a 3. ...Read more.

Yosemite National Park's waterfalls are the most famous in the Sierra, but they aren't the only gushers around. Falling close to the south entrance of Yosemite National Park is Corlieu Falls in Sierra National Forest. Heralded as the tallest waterfall Madera County, Corlieu Falls is an enthusiastic cascade, with several tiers dropping around 150 total feet. ...Read more.

Nelder Grove Campground has seven shaded sites set within a partially logged grove of giant sequoias in Sierra National Forest. This free campground with minimal amenities offers cozy woodland camping not far from the south entrance of Yosemite National Park. Nelder Grove Campground is a fine spot for a tucked-away night in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. ...Read more.

Within the Nelder Grove of Sierra National Forest, Shadow of the Giants Trail provides an informative stroll through a partially logged sequoia grove. Shadow of the Giants Trail is a self guided nature trail loaded with a couple dozen panels that describe giant sequoias and other surrounding plants. Shadow of the Giants Trail is 1.1 miles round trip with 200 feet of easy elevation change. ...Read more.

Want to see a giant sequoia that's really well grounded? Bull Buck Tree flares out toward the ground so dramatically that its base circumference rivals that of General Sherman Tree( the world's biggest giant Sequoia). Bull Buck Tree cannot compete with the largest giant sequoias by total volume, but it is still something to see! Like nearby Big Ed Tree Trail and Shadow of the Giants Trail, Bull Buck Tree Loop Trail explores part of the Nelder Grove in Sierra National Forest, south of Yosemite National Park. ...Read more.

Seeing the big trees doesn't mean you have to go on a big hike. Big Ed Tree Trail is quick an easy, reaching its namesake giant sequoia after a tenth of a mile. Big Ed Tree stands within the Nelder Grove in Sierra National Forest, in the mountains south of Yosemite National Park. If this 0.2-mile round trip hike with 25 feet of elevation change leaves you wanting more, check out the adjacent exhibits about the area's logging history. ...Read more.