Hikes in California

Moro Rock is a prominent granite protrusion on the edge of the Giant Forest visible to everyone driving up the Generals Highway into Sequoia National Park from the south. The hike up Moro Rock is a classic, composed of over 350 steps in a picturesque quarter mile climb. Its status as one of the most popular hikes in Sequoia National Park is well earned. ...Read more.

For those traveling to the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park, Crescent Meadow offers a gentle hike that is great for children and adults. The trail features a variety of scenery, a tree to climb inside, and another that was made into a house. The basic distance of the hike to see Tharp's Log and the Chimney Tree is 1.6 miles, but that can be extended in several ways to see more of the area. ...Read more.

Beetle Rock looks down on the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains from Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park and delivers tremendous views with little effort. While it doesn't really qualify as a hike, (although those determined to hike to this granite dome can do so) the rock is definitely worth checking out. On the south side of the Giant Forest Museum parking lot, a short paved road leads up to the Beetle Rock Center, a facility for educational groups that are studying the park. ...Read more.

Sunset Rock offers fine westerly views across Sequoia National Park. After walking amongst the giant sequoias or hiking more serious trails in the Sierra, a stroll out to Sunset Rock may be the best way to end the day. Across the road from the Giant Forest Museum, start down a paved trail that descends to a wooden bridge over Little Deer Creek. Cross the footpath that follows the stream and take the dirt path rising up the bank in front of you. ...Read more.

Sequoia National Park is a wonderful place to scroll through groves of giant Sequoias. If a visit to General Sherman Trail (the world's largest) leaves you eager for more, take a stroll around Congress Loop and enjoy a bit more privacy among the massive trees. Congress Trail heads away from General Sherman to visits several other named trees. In addition to the House Cluster and Senate Cluster, the trail passes the President Tree (the fourth largest giant sequoia), and the Lincoln Tree (the fifth largest). ...Read more.

The General Sherman Tree is the most giant giant sequoia in the world. It is the largest tree by volume, measuring 275 feet tall and 36.5 feet across at the base. General Sherman Tree is believed to be 2,200 years old and weigh 1,385 tons. But those are numbers – numbers that a brain familiar with standard-sized trees cannot process. The only way to appreciate the unfathomable, almost unearthly size of the giant sequoias is the see one for yourself. ...Read more.

Measuring 1,200 feet long, Tokopah Falls is the tallest waterfall in Sequoia National Park. Unlike the famous free-falling waterfalls in that other national park to the north, Tokopah Falls features a long series of steep picturesque cascades. The 4.2-mile round trip hike to the waterfall is fairly gradual, gaining 630 feet up a trail that should be enjoyable for hikers of all abilities. ...Read more.

This short desert hike visits a gold mine that operated profitably for decades on land now protected by Joshua Tree National Park. An overlook across from the mine is reachable via an easy 0.7-mile round trip trail, and the excursion can be extended to 1.6 miles by crossing a canyon to the mine itself. Begin hiking on the nearly level Desert Queen Mine Trail (just to the right of the bathrooms at the trailhead for Desert Queen Mine and Pine City). ...Read more.

Barker Dam Loop visits a small foreign-looking reservoir within the Wonderland of Rocks in Joshua Tree National Park. Hikers of all abilities will enjoy this level 1.5-mile hike. The water can all but disappear during the dry season, so make a point to visit this trail in the winter and spring. The well-marked loop is easy to follow and easy to hike. ...Read more.

Mastodon Peak offers panoramic views of southeastern Joshua Tree National Park. The low summit is located in the Colorado Desert, so you will not see any Joshua trees around here. What you will see is some beautify desert that becomes populated with wildflowers come spring. Mastodon Peak can be reached via a 2.6-mile loop with 440 feet of elevation gain. ...Read more.