Great hiking trails abound in California, ranging from beach walks to mountain backpacking trips, from lush coastal redwoods to stark deserts. Here’s a small sampling of some of those great hikes:
Devil’s Punchbowl Loop
Devil’s Punchbowl County Park
There’s a bit of Yosemite just a few miles from Los Angeles: Devil’s Punchbowl County Park. On the back side of the Angeles National Forest, let’s just say it makes the better known Vasquez Rocks – which is a fairly fantastic area in its own right – look like a cheap “Star Trek” planet set.
Best trails for seeing Death Valley’s wonders
Among the best ways to see Death Valley National Park’s top sights is via a day hike. Just four short trails will allow you to enjoy each of the park’s highlights – rocks whose mysterious movements can’t be explained, incredible views of the Milky Way, the lowest point in North America, and romantic sand dunes.
Best trails for seeing Yosemite’s wonders
Among the best ways to see Yosemite National Park’s top sights is via a day hike. Just five short trails will allow you to enjoy each of the park’s highlights – towering granite cliffs, waterfalls taller than skyscrapers, sequoia groves, the pristine Sierra Nevada wilderness, and the famous Hetch Hetchy Valley.
Grover Hot Springs State Park trails
Families wary of going to Yosemite National Park because of the crowds ought to consider a trip at Grover Hot Springs State Park. The small state park sits in the middle of Yosemite and features hot springs, a fragrant pine forest, and an alpine meadow in the High Sierras. Three trails perfect for day hiking run through the state park. Six springs feed one hot pool (102-105 F) and one cool pool; the pools generally are open May through September.
Best trails for seeing Lassen National Park’s wonders
Among the best ways to see Lassen Volcanic National Park’s top sights is via a day hike. Just four short trails will allow you to enjoy each of the park’s highlights – a volcano that blew during the last century, bubbling mudpots and sulfurous fumaroles, old-growth forests, and waterfalls.
Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks series.
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