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Trail Guides

Are you ready to hit the trail? I hope my hiking guides help you find your next hiking or backpacking route!

Everyone has a different level of physical fitness and comfort with hiking so we tried to standardize the definitions of what is easy, strenuous, and everything in between. The criteria used when assigning a difficulty rating is outlined below.

Easy: Four miles, or less, and relatively flat (less than 500 feet of elevation gain). These trails are typically on paved trails or fire roads, and are easily accessible trail walks for families or people looking for a casual stroll.

Moderate: Distance ranges from 3-7 miles with some manageable incline or elevation gains. The trail may be rocky or uneven, but should be accessible to anyone who is moderately active.

Difficult: These hikes range from 6-9 miles with elevation gains of 700-1,500 feet. These hikes are ideal for physically fit adults or older children who have previous hiking experience.

Strenuous: Try these hikes if you want a workout and are looking for something that will make you sweat! Ranging in distance from 8-13 miles with elevation gains of more than 1500 feet, these hikes are best for hikers with a high level of physical fitness.

Butt-Kicker: Trails over 10 miles with serious elevation gains of over 2,500 feet are no joke! These hikes will kick your butt and are best for experienced hikers who are very physically fit.

And if a trail is ever too challenging, it is always best to let your body and your intuition guide you. The trail will always be there! Enjoy the journey!

Adobe Creek Trail at Palo Alto Baylands

Adobe Creek Loop Trail at Palo Alto Baylands

  • Distance: 7 miles
  • Elevation: 128 feet
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Highlights: dog-friendly, bird watching
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area
Featured image for blog post about backpacking in Portola Redwoods State Park

Backpacking Portola Redwoods State Park

  • Distance: 5.4 miles
  • Elevation: 1043 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: Redwood forest, backpacking
  • Region: Peninsula
The Grand Canyon's Rim to Rim hike is an amazing hike that goes from the canyon's South Rim to the North Rim

Backpacking the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim

  • Distance: 21 miles
  • Elevation: Coming Soon
  • Difficulty:
  • Highlights:
  • Region:
The Lost Coast Trail is a rugged 25-mile backpacking trip through the King Range National Conservation Area in Northern California.

Backpacking the Lost Coast

  • Distance: 25.3 miles
  • Elevation: Coming Soon
  • Difficulty:
  • Highlights:
  • Region:
The Skyline-to-the-Sea trail is a 30-mile backpacking trip through Castle Rock State Park and Big Basin Redwoods State Park.

Backpacking the Skyline to the Sea Trail

  • Distance: 28 miles
  • Elevation: 2996 feet
  • Difficulty: Difficult
  • Highlights: Redwood trails, rock climbing, camping, multi-day backpacking
  • Region: Santa Cruz Mountains
Backpacking the Three Sisters Loop

Backpacking the Three Sisters Loop from Devils Lake Trailhead

  • Distance: 47 miles
  • Elevation: 6837 feet
  • Difficulty: Strenuous
  • Highlights: Volcanic landscapes, wildflowers, meadows, alpine peaks, dog-friendly
  • Region: Central Oregon
Catalina Island on the Trans-Catalina Trail

Backpacking the Trans-Catalina Trail

  • Distance: 38.5 miles
  • Elevation: 10,512 feet
  • Difficulty: Butt Kicker
  • Highlights: A strenuous trek that is great for beginning backpackers. Wonderful views, pristine beaches, and potential for wildlife sightings.
  • Region: Southern California
Bair Island in Redwood City has an easy 3.5 mile hiking trail that bird watchers will love.

Bair Island Trail

  • Distance: 3.59 miles
  • Elevation: 55 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: Bay Views, Bird Watching
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area
The Brooks Falls loop is a 9-mile hike to Montara Mountain from San Pedro Valley Park.

Brooks Falls Loop

  • Distance: 2.58 miles
  • Elevation: 581 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: Coastal Views, Seasonal Waterfall, Wildlife Sightings, Camping
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area
The South Grove Loop in Calaveras Big Trees State Park is a 5-mile hike to some of the oldest and largest Sequoia trees in the park.

Calaveras Big Trees Giant Sequoia Hike

  • Distance: 4.9 miles
  • Elevation: 754 feet
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Highlights: Wildlife Sightings, Giant Sequoia Trees, Camping
  • Region: Sierra Nevada Mountains
Castle Dome and the view from the top of the Castle Crags trail in Castle Crags State Park. Featured Image.

Castle Crags Hike to Castle Dome

  • Distance: 5.4 miles
  • Elevation: 2248 feet
  • Difficulty: Difficult
  • Highlights: Amazing views, awesome rock formations, Camping
  • Region: Northern California, Shasta County
This 5.8 mile hike in Mount Tamalpais follows the path of a series of waterfalls.

Cataract Falls Hike at Mount Tamalpais

  • Distance: 5.83 miles
  • Elevation: 1212 feet
  • Difficulty: Difficult
  • Highlights: Waterfalls, Wildlife Sightings
  • Region: Marin
During this one mile walk in San Francisco you'll climb some of the city's famous staircases and visit Coit Tower, North Beach, and the Embarcadero.

Classic San Francisco and Coit Tower Walk

  • Distance: 2 miles
  • Elevation: 221 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: City views, Dog-friendly, Classic Staircases
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area
Cold Creek Trail in Mendocino National Forest

Cold Creek Trail: Backpacking Mendocino National Forest

  • Distance: 5 miles
  • Elevation: 1500 feet
  • Difficulty: Difficult
  • Highlights: Dog-friendly, waterfall, backpacking
  • Region: Northern California
The San Andreas Trail at Crystal Springs Reservoir is a paved multi-use trail in San Mateo County

Crystal Springs San Andreas Trail

  • Distance: 9.3 miles
  • Elevation: 601 feet
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Highlights: Waterfront, Wildlife Sightings, Paved Multi-Use Trail
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area
The Devil's Slide Trail in Pacifica is an easy coastal walk with amazing views

Devil’s Slide Trail

  • Distance: 3.59 miles
  • Elevation: 646 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: Dog-friendly, Waterfront, great for whale watching
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area, Peninsula
The Estero Trail to Sunset Beach in Point Reyes National Seashore offers coastal views and great wildlife sightings.

Estero Trail to Sunset Beach

  • Distance: 7.66 miles
  • Elevation: 876 feet
  • Difficulty: Difficult
  • Highlights: Beach Access, Wildlife Sightings, Waterfront Views
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area
This coastal hike at the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Moss Beach is best done at low tide when you can walk along the tide pools and see all of the seals.

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve Hike

  • Distance: 1.54 miles
  • Elevation: 66 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: Wildlife Sightings, Beach Access, Tidepools,
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area
Heart Lake is an alpine lake near Shasta that is shaped like a heart.

Heart Lake Hike Near Shasta

  • Distance: 2 miles
  • Elevation: 682 feet
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Highlights: Views of Mount Shasta from a small heart-shaped alpine lake
  • Region: Shasta, Northern California
The High Sierra Trail is a 72-mile backpacking route that begins at Sequoia National Park and ends at Mount Whitney.

High Sierra Trail Permits and Planning

  • Distance: 72 miles
  • Elevation: 15,000 feet (over the 72 mile trail)
  • Difficulty: Strenuous
  • Highlights: There's a lot to see on this scenic backpacking trip: Glacial lakes, Giant Sequoia Trees, Mount Whitney, Hot Springs
  • Region: Central California: Sequoia National Park
Crossing Islais Creek on a hike in Glen Canyon Park

Hiking Glen Canyon Park

  • Distance: 1.7-miles
  • Elevation: 539 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: Dog-friendly hike, bird watching and plenty of nature in the canyon.
  • Region: San Francisco
View from the top of Mastodon Peak in Joshua Tree National Park

Hiking Mastodon Peak from Cottonwood Campground in Joshua Tree

  • Distance: 3 miles
  • Elevation: 375 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: An abandoned mine and a fan palm oasis are just some of the highlights on this trail
  • Region: Joshua Tree National Park
The Land's End Trail in San Francisco has great views of the Golden Gate Bridge

Lands End Coastal Trail

  • Distance: 4 miles
  • Elevation: 680 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: Dog-friendly, Beach access, Views of the Golden Gate Bridge
  • Region: San Francisco
The Point Bonita lighthouse in the Marin headlands, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Marin Headlands Hiking and the Point Bonita Lighthouse

  • Distance: 7.5 miles
  • Elevation: 1870 feet
  • Difficulty: Difficult
  • Highlights: Beach access, coastal views, historic batteries and bunkers, lighthouse tour
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area: Marin Headlands
A challenging 9-mile hike to Montara Mountain from San Pedro Valley Park.

Montara Mountain from San Pedro Valley Park

  • Distance: 9 miles
  • Elevation: 2156 feet
  • Difficulty: Difficult
  • Highlights: Coastal Views, Wildlife Sightings, Camping
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area
The Mount Sizer Loop in Henry Coe State Park is a challenging 15 mile hike with over 4000 feet of elevation gain.

Mount Sizer Loop at Henry Coe State Park

  • Distance: 15.3 miles
  • Elevation: 4225 feet
  • Difficulty: Butt Kicker
  • Highlights: Wildlife Sightings, Wildflowers in Spring
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area
View from the top of the Mt. McAbee Overlook in Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Mt. McAbee Overlook at Big Basin

  • Distance: 9 miles
  • Elevation: 1844 feet
  • Difficulty: Strenuous
  • Highlights: Camping, Backpacking, Redwoods, Wildlife Sightings, Waterfalls
  • Region: Santa Cruz Mountains
The challenging 12-mile trail to seasonal Murietta Falls in the Ohlone Wilderness has over 4000 feet of elevation gain.

Murietta Falls Hike and the Ohlone Wilderness

  • Distance: 11.8 miles
  • Elevation: 4176 feet
  • Difficulty: Butt-Kicker
  • Highlights: Season waterfall, Wildlife Sightings, Backpacking, Camping
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area
This 2.7 mile hike follows the marshy shoreline before winding through the hills of Palo Alto Baylands Byxbee Park where walkers are treated to sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay.

Palo Alto Baylands Byxbee Park Hills Walk

  • Distance: 2.7 miles
  • Elevation: 211 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: Dog-friendly, Bird Watching, Waterfront Trail
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area, Peninsula
The Pillar Point Hike has great views of Mavericks Surf Break and the Pillar Point Tracking Station.

Pillar Point and Mavericks Cliffs Trail

  • Distance: 2.2 miles
  • Elevation: 307 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: Great views of Maverick's surf break, wildlife viewing, beach access
  • Region: Coastal Peninsula
This 12.5-mile loop in Point Reyes leaves from the Bear Valley Visitors Center. You'll walk through mossy forests and along coastal bluffs.

Point Reyes Bear Valley: Sky and Coast Loop

  • Distance: 12.56 miles
  • Elevation: 1840 feet
  • Difficulty: Strenuous
  • Highlights: Coastal Views, Beach Access, Wildlife Sightings, Camping, Backpacking
  • Region: Marin
Woman hiking on the beach in the Presidio with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background

Presidio National Park: Exploring the Best Presidio Hiking Trails

  • Distance: 8.4 miles
  • Elevation: 1433 feet
  • Difficulty: Difficult
  • Highlights: Camping, Beach Access, Waterfront, Wildlife Sightings, Golden Gate Bridge views
  • Region: San Francisco
The Purisima Creek Redwoods has some of the best hiking in the San Francisco Bay Area

Purisima Creek Redwoods Hike

  • Distance: 9.5 miles
  • Elevation: 2310 feet
  • Difficulty: Strenuous
  • Highlights: Redwood groves, wildflowers in the spring, views of pine forests and the ocean
  • Region: The Peninsula, San Francisco Bay Area
The ridge-to-ridge loop at San Bruno Mountain has stunning views of the San Francisco Bay.

Ridge-to-Ridge on San Bruno Mountain

  • Distance: 9.26 miles
  • Elevation: 1162 feet
  • Difficulty: Difficult
  • Highlights: Wildlife Sightings, City Views
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area
An urban hike through San Francisco that starts at Glen Park and ends at Dolores Park

San Francisco Urban Hike: Glen Park to Dolores Park

  • Distance: 3.13 miles
  • Elevation: 1008 feet
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Highlights: A San Francisco urban hike that explores some of the city's hidden staircases and lesser known parks.
  • Region: San Francisco
Guide to walking San Francisco mosaic stairs to Grandview Park

San Francisco Urban Walk: Mosaic Stairs to Grandview Park

  • Distance: 1 mile
  • Elevation: 335 feet
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Highlights: Mosaic Stairways, Views
  • Region: San Francisco
Sawyer Camp Trail is part of the Crystal Springs Regional Trail in San Mateo County.

Sawyer Camp Trail

  • Distance: 6.81 miles
  • Elevation: 208 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: Waterfront, Wildlife Sightings, Paved Multi-Use Trail
  • Region: San Mateo County
The Dish Trail is a moderate 3.6 mile loop in the hills above the Stanford University campus.

Stanford Dish Trail Loop

  • Distance: 3.6 miles
  • Elevation: 534 feet
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Highlights: Paved trail great for runners and families with strollers.
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area, Peninsula
Stillwater Cove is part of Sonoma County Regional Park and has Redwood trees and a sandy cove beach

Stillwater Cove Regional Park

  • Distance: 3.19 miles
  • Elevation: 227 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: Dog-Friendly, Beach Access, Redwoods, Camping
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area, Sonoma County
Looking down on the Sutro Baths Ruins and cave, and Point Lobos lookout in San Francisco

Sutro Baths Ruins and Cave Trail to Point Lobos

  • Distance: 0.75 mile
  • Elevation: 0
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: Historical ruins, ocean views, wildlife watching
  • Region: San Francisco
The Sweeney Ridge Trail in Pacifica is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Sweeney Ridge Trail

  • Distance: 7.23 miles
  • Elevation: 1308 feet
  • Difficulty: Difficult
  • Highlights: Dog-friendly, Coastal Views, Wildlife Sightings
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area
The Maltese Falcon tour is an 3.5 mile urban hike in San Francisco

The Maltese Falcon: A San Francisco Urban Hike

  • Distance: 3.54 miles
  • Elevation: 293 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: Urban Hike, History Walk
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area
Featured image for the Three Sisters Wilderness hiking guide for Alder Creek to the Obsidian Zone

Three Sisters Loop: Alder Creek to Obsidian Zone

  • Distance: 12.2 miles
  • Elevation: 2730 feet
  • Difficulty: Strenuous
  • Highlights: Volcanic landscapes, wildflowers, meadows, alpine peaks, dog-friendly
  • Region: Central Oregon
Hiking Guide for Three Sisters Loop Devils Lake Trailhead to Green Lakes

Three Sisters Loop: Devils Lake to Green Lakes

  • Distance: 7.7 miles
  • Elevation: 2192 feet
  • Difficulty: Strenuous
  • Highlights: Volcanic landscapes, wildflowers, meadows, alpine peaks, dog-friendly
  • Region: Central Oregon
Three Sisters trail guide Green Lakes to Alder Creek

Three Sisters Loop: Green Lakes to Alder Creek

  • Distance: 12.5 miles
  • Elevation: 1500 feet
  • Difficulty: Strenuous
  • Highlights: Volcanic landscapes, wildflowers, meadows, alpine peaks, dog-friendly
  • Region: Central Oregon
Backpacking the Three Sisters Wilderness from Mesa Creek to Devils Lake

Three Sisters Loop: Mesa Creek to Devils Lake

  • Distance: 6.3 miles
  • Elevation: 710 feet
  • Difficulty: Strenuous
  • Highlights: Volcanic landscapes, wildflowers, meadows, alpine peaks, dog-friendly
  • Region: Central Oregon
Featured image for backpacking Three Sisters Loop from Obsidian zone to Mesa Creek

Three Sisters Loop: Obsidian Zone to Mesa Creek

  • Distance: 8.2 miles
  • Elevation: 902 feet
  • Difficulty: Strenuous
  • Highlights: Volcanic landscapes, wildflowers, meadows, alpine peaks, dog-friendly
  • Region: Central Oregon
Water Dog Lake is a dog-friendly hiking trail in the San Francisco Bay Area

Water Dog Lake

  • Distance: 3.66 miles
  • Elevation: 395 feet
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Highlights: Dog-friendly, Wildlife Sightings
  • Region: San Francisco Bay Area