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Central Coast | Desert | National Monuments | Northwest | San Gabriel Mtn | Sierra Forest | Wild Rivers Project | Other Areas

Central Coast

Bear Canyon Loop to Pigeon Spring
 Bear Canyon Loop to Pigeon Spring 1024 608 CalWild

Hike Name: Bear Canyon Loop to Pigeon Spring Name of area/general location: San Mateo Canyon Wilderness, Cleveland National Forest Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located on the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of the Tongva, Kizh, and Acjachemen. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca AllTrails Hike Link:…

Cerro Alto Trail
 Cerro Alto Trail 648 432 CalWild

Hike Name:Cerro Alto Trail Loop Name of area/general location: Los Padres National Forest, Atascadero, CA Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located on the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of the Salinan, Obispeño, and Chumash. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca AllTrails Hike Trail rating and why:Moderate to…

Gene Marshall Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail
 Gene Marshall Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail 499 336 CalWild

Designated as a National Recreation Trail in 1977, the Gene Marshall Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail (22W03) is located in the Sespe Wilderness in the Los Padres National Forest, the ancestral lands and traditional territories of the Chumash and Kuyam people.  The trail provides scenic views, beautiful spring wildflower displays, numerous stream crossings, and a…

Caliente Mountain Ridge Trail
 Caliente Mountain Ridge Trail 1024 412 CalWild

If one wants to get a feel for what the pre-settled San Joaquin Valley might have looked like, venturing through the Carrizo Plain National Monument would paint a fairly close picture. To get a terrific vantage point of the spacious plain, jumping on the Caliente Mountain Ridge Trail offers a great point of view. Trailhead…

Chorro Grande Trail
 Chorro Grande Trail 800 600 CalWild

The Chorro Grande Trail is for fairly hard-core peak baggers.  It climbs the entire 5.1 miles along the south slope of Pine Mountain in the Los Padres National Forest.  This hike entails a steep, 3,000-foot climb on a pine-dotted slope, unless you are able to arrange a shuttle to do it as a one-way descent…

Sisquoc WSR
Sisqouc River Trail
 Sisqouc River Trail 1024 768 CalWild

(Paraphrased from “Day Hikes Around Santa Barbara” by Robert Stone, Day Hike Books Inc, 2010) Distance: 11.1mi to Sisquoc River Trail intersection (from there out and back to your desired length of the Sisquoc River Trail—if you follow recommendations below, length to Mormon Camp and back is approximately 16 miles). Time: 8-16 hours (or best…

photo by Jack Schlinkert.
Gaviota Peak
 Gaviota Peak 1024 683 CalWild

Features: (from Hikespeak.com) Gaviota Peak sits at the lofty west end of the Santa Ynez Mountains behind Santa Barbara. The 2,458-foot peak is just two miles from the Pacific Ocean, putting it in prime position to offer eye-popping views. There are two routes to the summit from the trailhead in Gaviota State Park. The traditional Gaviota Peak…

Cozy Dell Trail (Sheldon Canyon/Cozy Dell Canyon)
 Cozy Dell Trail (Sheldon Canyon/Cozy Dell Canyon) 1024 456 CalWild

Here’s a great sunset or half day hike for you Central Coast fans with great views of the Ojai Valley. The moderate hike will lead you through oak groves that provide you with plentiful shade along the way. It’s approximately a 2 hour hike with 700 feet of elevation gain.  Hiking directions: From the parking…

Potrero John Trail
 Potrero John Trail 683 1024 CalWild

(Taken from “Day Hikes around Santa Barbara” by Robert Stone 2010) Hiking Time: 2 hours Elevation gain: 600ft Features: Potrero John Canyon is tucked into the southern face of Pine Mountain in the Sespe Wilderness. The trail is lightly used and directly located off Hwy. 33 and starts at an elevation of 3,655 feet at the…

Gene Marshall/Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail
 Gene Marshall/Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail 1024 416 CalWild

(Paraphrased from “Day Hikes Around Santa Barbara” by Robert Stone 2010 Day Hike Books Inc) Distance: 6.4 Miles round trip Time: 3.5 Hours Elevation Gain: 600 ft. Best Map to Use: USGS and USFS Map: Sespe Wilderness Hiking Directions: From the signed path past the Kiosk and restrooms, walk toward the river gorge.  Descend the…

Desert

A glimpse into Joshua Tree National Park’s past via Barker Dam Trail
 A glimpse into Joshua Tree National Park’s past via Barker Dam Trail 1024 683 CalWild

Hike Name: Barker Dam Trail in Joshua Tree National Park Name of area/general location: Joshua Tree National Park, California Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located on the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of the Serrano, Western Shoshone, and Cahuilla People. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the land, visit native-land.ca. Trail…

CalWild connects in the desert
 CalWild connects in the desert 1024 683 CalWild

Story by Andrea Iniguez, Riverside County Public Lands Fellow For years, CalWild has brought together its team for countless meetings and events. This year, with a few new staff and board members and our current campaign work demanding more attention than ever, we realized that this was the perfect time to come together for a…

Snowshoeing through southwestern Lassen National Park
 Snowshoeing through southwestern Lassen National Park 1024 680 CalWild

Hike Name: Snowshoe hike through southwestern Lassen National Park Name of area/general location: Lassen Volcanic National Park and Lassen National Forest Land Acknowledgement: This portion of LVNP and LNF is the homeland of the Atsugewi people Permissible trail uses (dogs, horses, mountain bikes, others): Pets are not permitted on any hiking trail, in the park…

Wildrose Peak Trail
 Wildrose Peak Trail 1024 824 CalWild

Hike Name: Wildrose Peak Trail Name of area/general location: Death Valley National Park Land Acknowledgement: Wildrose Peak is located on the ancestral lands and in the traditional territories of the Newe Sogobia (Western Shoshone) and Kawaiisu People. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca Trail rating: Moderate/difficult, primarily…

Lewis Creek National Recreation Trail
 Lewis Creek National Recreation Trail 1024 657 CalWild

Lewis Creek National Recreation Trail Name of area/general location: Oakhurst, CA Land Acknowledgement: This trail is on the traditional lands of the Me-wuk (Southern Sierra Miwok), Chukchansi, and others. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca Trail rating: Moderate due to modest elevation gain and changes Trail mileage:…

Dunes and Pacific
Explore Humboldt Bay Trails
 Explore Humboldt Bay Trails 1024 623 CalWild

Hike Name: Explore Humboldt Bay Trails Name of area/general location: Ma-Le’l Dunes Cooperative Management Area, Samoa, California Land Acknowledgement: These lands are the ancestral lands and traditional territories of the Wiyot People. AllTrails Hike Link Trail rating: Easy to moderate Trail mileage: Multiple options available Permissible trail uses (dogs, horses, mountain bikes, others): Dogs, bicycles,…

PCT / Indian Canyon Trailhead to North Fork Saddle Picnic Site
 PCT / Indian Canyon Trailhead to North Fork Saddle Picnic Site 1024 768 CalWild

Hike Name: Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT) – Indian Canyon Trailhead to North Fork Saddle Picnic Site Name of area/general location: Angeles National Forest (ANF) near Aqua Dulce and Acton Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located in the ancestral lands and traditional territories of the Tongva and Fernandeño Tataviam people AllTrails Hike Link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/ladder-canyon-and-painted-canyon-trail–4…

Painted Canyon/Ladder Canyon Trail
 Painted Canyon/Ladder Canyon Trail 1024 768 CalWild

Hike Name: Painted Canyon/Ladder Canyon Trail Name of area/general location: Mecca Hills Wilderness, approximately 35 miles east/southeast of Palm Springs (about a 1.25-hour drive). Land Acknowledgement:  This trail is located in the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of the Cahuilla people. AllTrails Hike Link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/ladder-canyon-and-painted-canyon-trail–4 Trail rating: Easy to moderate, depending on fitness level. Trail…

Cahuilla Mountain Trail
 Cahuilla Mountain Trail 1024 768 CalWild

Hike Name: Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness: Cahuilla Mountain Trail Name of area/general location:Cahuilla Mountain Wilderness, San Bernardino National Forest Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located in the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of the Cahuilla people. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca Trail rating: Moderate. 1,361’ elevation gain…

Fobes Trail
 Fobes Trail 1024 768 CalWild

Hike Name: Fobes Trail (Forest Service Trail # 4E04) to the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT) Name of area/general location: San Bernardino National Forest, Garner Valley Land Acknowledgement: The Fobes Trail is located on the ancestral lands and traditional territories of the Cahuilla People. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the…

National Monuments

San Antonio Falls Trail
 San Antonio Falls Trail 1024 683 CalWild

Hike Name: San Antonio Falls Trail Name of area/general location: San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, Angeles National Forest Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located in the ancestral homeland and tradition territories of the Tongva. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca Trail rating: Easy, 285ft elevation gain over…

Morrow Trail
 Morrow Trail 401 301 CalWild

Situated at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains in the Santa Rosa-San Jacinto Mountains National Monument (Monument), this trail will take you from an urban adjacent area through a beautiful desert landscape. Regardless of the time of year, you are likely to see life that may include lizards on sunny days, wildflowers during blooming…

Caliente Mountain Ridge Trail
 Caliente Mountain Ridge Trail 1024 412 CalWild

If one wants to get a feel for what the pre-settled San Joaquin Valley might have looked like, venturing through the Carrizo Plain National Monument would paint a fairly close picture. To get a terrific vantage point of the spacious plain, jumping on the Caliente Mountain Ridge Trail offers a great point of view. Trailhead…

Cache Creek Ridge Trail Section 2
 Cache Creek Ridge Trail Section 2 1024 768 CalWild

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Ukiah Field Office oversees extensive areas of public land in the Coast Range where Colusa, Napa, Lake and Yolo counties come together around Cache Creek. Most of the public lands are part of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, but BLM holdings in Colusa County were unfortunately excluded from…

w-fork-san-gabriel-nat-scenic-bikeway
West Fork National Scenic Bikeway – San Gabriel Mountains National Monument
 West Fork National Scenic Bikeway – San Gabriel Mountains National Monument 1024 696 CalWild

  Features: The West Fork National Scenic Bikeway offers a unique bicycling and walking experience in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in southern California. It follows a paved utility access road from the trailhead on Highway 39 to a point downstream of Cogswell Dam. The entire trail parallels more than eight miles of the lower West…

Northwest

Dunes and Pacific
Explore Humboldt Bay Trails
 Explore Humboldt Bay Trails 1024 623 CalWild

Hike Name: Explore Humboldt Bay Trails Name of area/general location: Ma-Le’l Dunes Cooperative Management Area, Samoa, California Land Acknowledgement: These lands are the ancestral lands and traditional territories of the Wiyot People. AllTrails Hike Link Trail rating: Easy to moderate Trail mileage: Multiple options available Permissible trail uses (dogs, horses, mountain bikes, others): Dogs, bicycles,…

The Mendocino National Forest and the “California Trail of Tears”
 The Mendocino National Forest and the “California Trail of Tears” 995 670 CalWild

The 913,000-acre Mendocino National Forest (MNF) is managed by the U.S. Forest Service and it includes land in Lake, Colusa, Glenn, Mendocino, Tehama, and Trinity Counties. The MNF is noted for, among other things, being the only one of California’s twenty National Forests that is not bisected by a paved road. It is also noted…

Pacific Crest Trail near Kangaroo Lake in the Klamath National Forest
 Pacific Crest Trail near Kangaroo Lake in the Klamath National Forest 1024 766 CalWild

Hike Name: Pacific Crest Trail near Kangaroo Lake in the Klamath National Forest Name of area/general location: China Mountain Wilderness-Eligible Area. Klamath and Shasta-Trinity National Forests Land Acknowledgement: The China Mountain region is in the territories of three different Indigenous peoples: the Wintun on the east, Shasta to the north, and Chimariko in the Trinity…

Thomes Creek Trail
 Thomes Creek Trail 1024 768 CalWild

Name of area/general location: Mendocino National Forest Land Acknowledgement: These lands are the ancestral and traditional territory of the Nomlaki Tribe AllTrails Hike Link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/thomes-gorge-trail Trail rating: Moderate. Portions of the trail are poorly maintained with encroaching shrubs, including poison oak For more information: Mendocino National Forest, 825 N. Humboldt Ave., Willows, CA 95988, (530)…

Cache Creek Ridge Trail Section 2
 Cache Creek Ridge Trail Section 2 1024 768 CalWild

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Ukiah Field Office oversees extensive areas of public land in the Coast Range where Colusa, Napa, Lake and Yolo counties come together around Cache Creek. Most of the public lands are part of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, but BLM holdings in Colusa County were unfortunately excluded from…

South Fork Elk River Trail
 South Fork Elk River Trail 1024 818 CalWild

The 7,472-acre Headwaters Forest Reserve (Reserve) was established in 1999 after a decade-long grassroots effort to protect the world’s last unprotected, intact, old-growth redwood forest ecosystem. Several threatened species call the Reserve home, including coho salmon, the northern spotted owl, and the marbled murrelet. The Reserve is the headwaters of the South Fork Elk River…

Elder Creek and the Angelo Coast Range Reserve
 Elder Creek and the Angelo Coast Range Reserve 1024 683 CalWild

Features: A tributary of the South Fork Eel Wild & Scenic River, Elder Creek can only be described with superlatives.This nearly pristine stream is a National Natural Landmark, Hydrologic Benchmark, and a United Nations recognized Biosphere Reserve. The creek is an important contributor to the South Fork’s anadromous fishery. Federal officials recently identified the creek as…

Cache Creek
Cache Creek Ridge Trail
 Cache Creek Ridge Trail 680 1024 CalWild

[content courtesy of the Tuleyome] Features: A moderate, easy-to-access hike that exemplifies the grasslands, chaparral, and oak woodlands of the Cache Creek area, which is protected as federal wilderness as part of the Berryessa-Snow Mountain National Monument, and as a state Wild and Scenic River. Driving Directions: For a 10mi one-way trip, take 2 cars.  From…

Underwood Proposed Wilderness Hike
 Underwood Proposed Wilderness Hike 1024 683 CalWild

Distance (one way): Approximately 3 miles to the South Fork Trinity River, and 7 miles to the end of the trail at Mule Bridge. Features: The Underwood Proposed Wilderness is located along the boundary of Humboldt and Trinity counties in the Six Rivers National Forest 4 miles east of the town of Willow Creek. The South…

North Yolla-Bolly. Photo by Outdoor Project Contributor Jason Mandly
North Yolla-Bolly
 North Yolla-Bolly 1024 768 CalWild

[content courtesy of the Outdoor Project] The Yolla-Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness anchors the southern extent of the Klamath Mountains and covers over 151,000 acres of land that is rather hard to access. The remoteness of the wilderness combined with the fact that the showier wildernesses to the north tend to attract more people grants a…

San Gabriel Mountains

San Antonio Falls Trail
 San Antonio Falls Trail 1024 683 CalWild

Hike Name: San Antonio Falls Trail Name of area/general location: San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, Angeles National Forest Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located in the ancestral homeland and tradition territories of the Tongva. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca Trail rating: Easy, 285ft elevation gain over…

Mt. Baldy-Baldy Bowl-San Antonio Creek Hike
 Mt. Baldy-Baldy Bowl-San Antonio Creek Hike 1024 682 CalWild

Hike Name:Mt. Baldy-Baldy Bowl-San Antonio Creek Hike Name of area/general location: San Gabriel Mountains outside of Los Angeles Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located on the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of the Kizh Tongva. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca AllTrails Hike Link (if applicable): N/A…

Cooper Canyon/Pacific Crest Trail
 Cooper Canyon/Pacific Crest Trail 1024 768 CalWild

If you would like to do a short section hike on the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT) in the Angeles National Forest, this hike is for you. The best way to do this hike is by using a car shuttle.  Leave one car at or outside of the Eagles Roost Picnic Area (mile 61.6…

w-fork-san-gabriel-nat-scenic-bikeway
West Fork National Scenic Bikeway – San Gabriel Mountains National Monument
 West Fork National Scenic Bikeway – San Gabriel Mountains National Monument 1024 696 CalWild

  Features: The West Fork National Scenic Bikeway offers a unique bicycling and walking experience in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in southern California. It follows a paved utility access road from the trailhead on Highway 39 to a point downstream of Cogswell Dam. The entire trail parallels more than eight miles of the lower West…

San Antonio Creek Falls
 San Antonio Creek Falls 669 1024 CalWild

Features: San Antonio Creek rises from the sub-alpine heights of the scenic Baldy Bowl and drains the south face of 10,064-foot high Mt. San Antonio (a.k.a. Mt. Baldy). The Forest Service identified a four-mile segment of San Antonio Creek from its source to Mt. Baldy Village to be eligible for National Wild & Scenic River…

Middle Fork Lytle Creek
 Middle Fork Lytle Creek 669 1024 CalWild

Features: Hike through the Cucamonga Potential Wilderness Area and the Middle Fork Lytle Creek Potential Wild & Scenic River. Flowing from the sub-alpine heights of the Cucamonga Wilderness, the Middle Fork Lytle Creek supports a naturally reproducing rainbow trout population prized by anglers and its canyon is home to regionally significant populations of Nelson’s bighorn…

East Fork San Gabriel
 East Fork San Gabriel 500 385 CalWild

Features: The East Fork San Gabriel River is formed at the confluence of Vincent Gulch and the Prairie Fork. From there, this major fork of the San Gabriel River flows south through the rugged Sheep Mountain Wilderness and potential Wilderness Addition. At Heaton Flat, the East Fork parallels a road all the way to the…

Trail Canyon Hike – Condor Peak
 Trail Canyon Hike – Condor Peak 683 1024 CalWild

Features: The proposed 17,084-acre Condor Peak Wilderness is located on the Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains, just minutes away from the LosAngeles metropolitan area. The proposed Wilderness encompasses several canyons and creeks flowing into Big Tujunga Canyon from the north. Elevations range from 2,000 feet in Big Tujunga Canyon to about 6,000…

Fish Canyon
Castaic Potential Wilderness (Fish Trail)
 Castaic Potential Wilderness (Fish Trail) 428 648 CalWild

Features: Fish Canyon is part of the nearly 70,000 acre potential Castaic Wilderness, which stretches down from Liebre and Sawmill Mountains to the rugged canyons of Castaic Creek and Fish Canyon in northern Los Angeles County. The forested upper ridges support rare California spotted owl and one of the most diverse oak forests in southern…

Planning Tomorrow's California

Carlon Falls Trail
 Carlon Falls Trail 1024 696 CalWild

Hike Name: Carlon Falls (Forest Service Trail Number 1531Y) Name of area/general location: Stanislaus National Forest, Groveland, CA Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located on the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of the Me-Wuk (Central Sierra Miwok). To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca. Trail rating: Moderate; Short…

Vernal and Nevada Falls via Mist Trail
 Vernal and Nevada Falls via Mist Trail 1024 691 CalWild

Hike Name: Vernal and Nevada Falls via Mist Trail Name of area/general location: Yosemite National Park Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located in the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of the Ahwahnechee (Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation), Mono, and Northern Paiute. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca Trail…

Lewis Creek National Recreation Trail
 Lewis Creek National Recreation Trail 1024 657 CalWild

Lewis Creek National Recreation Trail Name of area/general location: Oakhurst, CA Land Acknowledgement: This trail is on the traditional lands of the Me-wuk (Southern Sierra Miwok), Chukchansi, and others. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca Trail rating: Moderate due to modest elevation gain and changes Trail mileage:…

Rainbow Falls Trail
 Rainbow Falls Trail 1008 756 CalWild

Hike Name: Rainbow Falls Trail Name of area/general location: Devils Postpile National Monument Land Acknowledgement: Devils Postpile sits at a cultural crossroads where the traditional territories of American Indian inhabitants of the east and west slopes of the Sierra Nevada intersect. AllTrails Hike Link: Rainbow Falls via Devils Postpile Trail | Map, Guide – California…

Jamison Creek Trail
 Jamison Creek Trail 1024 768 CalWild

Hike Name: Grass Lake via Jamison Creek Trail (Forest Service Trail Number 11E13) Name of area/general location: Plumas National Forest, Graeagle, CA Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located on the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of the Maidu and Wašiw (Washoe). To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca.…

Bear Lake via Crabtree Trailhead
 Bear Lake via Crabtree Trailhead 1024 461 CalWild

Hike Name: Bear Lake via Crabtree Trailhead in the Stanislaus National Forest (SNF) – Forest Service Trail Number 20E16 Name of area/general location: Stanislaus National Forest, Pinecrest, CA Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located in the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of the Wašiw (Washoe) and Me-Wuk (Central Sierra Miwok). To learn more about the…

Parker Lake Trail
 Parker Lake Trail 1024 768 CalWild

Hike Name: Parker Lake Trail Name of area/general location: Inyo National Forest – Ansel Adams Wilderness Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located in the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of the Western Mono/Monache Numu (Northern Paiute) people. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca AllTrails Hike Link (if…

Rancheria Falls National Recreation Trail
 Rancheria Falls National Recreation Trail 1024 682 CalWild

Hike Name: : Rancheria Falls National Recreation Trail (Forest Service Trail Number 26E51) Name of area/general location: Sierra National Forest, Lakeshore, CA Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located on the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of the Nim (Western Mono). To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca AllTrails…

Whiskey Flat Trail- North Kern Wild and Scenic River
 Whiskey Flat Trail- North Kern Wild and Scenic River 864 1024 CalWild

Hike Name: Whiskey Flat – North Kern Wild and Scenic River Name of area/general location: Sequoia National Forest Land Acknowledgement: This public land and trail are ancestral lands and traditional territories of the Tübatulabal people. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca AllTrails Hike Link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/whiskey-flat-trail–3 Trail rating:…

Catfish Lake
 Catfish Lake 1024 576 CalWild

Hike Name: Catfish Lake via the Pinecrest Lake National Recreation Trail in the Stanislaus National Forest (Forest Service Trail Number 18E10 and 18E09) Name of area/general location: Stanislaus National Forest, Pinecrest, CA Land Acknowledgement: This public land and trail are ancestral lands and traditional territories of the Washoe and Central Sierra Miwok. To learn more…

Wild Rivers Project

Thomes Creek Trail
 Thomes Creek Trail 1024 768 CalWild

Name of area/general location: Mendocino National Forest Land Acknowledgement: These lands are the ancestral and traditional territory of the Nomlaki Tribe AllTrails Hike Link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/thomes-gorge-trail Trail rating: Moderate. Portions of the trail are poorly maintained with encroaching shrubs, including poison oak For more information: Mendocino National Forest, 825 N. Humboldt Ave., Willows, CA 95988, (530)…

Dinkey Creek Roof Pendent Geological Area Hike
 Dinkey Creek Roof Pendent Geological Area Hike 643 1024 CalWild

This hike packs a lot in over a short hiking distance – a unique geological area, one of the few segments of Dinkey Creek determined eligible for the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and of course, the popular Willow Meadow Trailhead into the beautiful Dinkey Lakes Wilderness. The trick is getting to the trailhead.…

Cache Creek Ridge Trail Section 2
 Cache Creek Ridge Trail Section 2 1024 768 CalWild

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Ukiah Field Office oversees extensive areas of public land in the Coast Range where Colusa, Napa, Lake and Yolo counties come together around Cache Creek. Most of the public lands are part of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, but BLM holdings in Colusa County were unfortunately excluded from…

South Fork Elk River Trail
 South Fork Elk River Trail 1024 818 CalWild

The 7,472-acre Headwaters Forest Reserve (Reserve) was established in 1999 after a decade-long grassroots effort to protect the world’s last unprotected, intact, old-growth redwood forest ecosystem. Several threatened species call the Reserve home, including coho salmon, the northern spotted owl, and the marbled murrelet. The Reserve is the headwaters of the South Fork Elk River…

Elder Creek and the Angelo Coast Range Reserve
 Elder Creek and the Angelo Coast Range Reserve 1024 683 CalWild

Features: A tributary of the South Fork Eel Wild & Scenic River, Elder Creek can only be described with superlatives.This nearly pristine stream is a National Natural Landmark, Hydrologic Benchmark, and a United Nations recognized Biosphere Reserve. The creek is an important contributor to the South Fork’s anadromous fishery. Federal officials recently identified the creek as…

Other Areas

Donner Camp Trail at Alder Creek
Snowshoe the Historic Donner Camp Trail at Alder Creek
 Snowshoe the Historic Donner Camp Trail at Alder Creek 1024 680 CalWild

Hike Name: Donner Camp Trail at Alder Creek Name of area/general location: Tahoe National Forest near Truckee, CA Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located on the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of the Cayuse, Umatilla,Walla Walla, and Washoe People. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca. Trail rating:…

Girard Ridge Proposed Wilderness – Shasta-Trinity National Forest
 Girard Ridge Proposed Wilderness – Shasta-Trinity National Forest 1024 434 CalWild

Hike Name: Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in the Girard Ridge Proposed Wilderness Name of area/general location: Shasta-Trinity National Forest Land Acknowledgement: This trail is located in the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of the Wintu. To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit native-land.ca   Squaw Valley Creek in the…

San Joaquin River Gorge Hike
 San Joaquin River Gorge Hike 1024 683 CalWild

San Joaquin River Gorge Provides Year-Round Recreation Situated on the shared boundary of Madera and Fresno Counties and the ancestral territory of the Dumna and Kechayi people, the San Joaquin River Gorge (Gorge) is comprised of 6,500 acres of federal public land and the namesake of the area, the San Joaquin River. Administered by the…

Turtle Mountains Wilderness Hike to Mopah Springs
 Turtle Mountains Wilderness Hike to Mopah Springs 1024 768 CalWild

The 177,309-acre Turtle Mountains Wilderness is in southeastern San Bernardino County southwest of the City of Needles. It is overseen by the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Needles Field Office. The Turtle Mountains Wilderness is an extremely diverse landscape of sweeping valleys and washes, eroded canyons, cliffs, and peaks. The rock formations vary in color…

Gene Marshall Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail
 Gene Marshall Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail 499 336 CalWild

Designated as a National Recreation Trail in 1977, the Gene Marshall Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail (22W03) is located in the Sespe Wilderness in the Los Padres National Forest, the ancestral lands and traditional territories of the Chumash and Kuyam people.  The trail provides scenic views, beautiful spring wildflower displays, numerous stream crossings, and a…

Morrow Trail
 Morrow Trail 401 301 CalWild

Situated at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains in the Santa Rosa-San Jacinto Mountains National Monument (Monument), this trail will take you from an urban adjacent area through a beautiful desert landscape. Regardless of the time of year, you are likely to see life that may include lizards on sunny days, wildflowers during blooming…

Wild Cattle Mountain and Mill Creek. Photo: Steve Evans.
Spencer Meadows National Recreation Trail
 Spencer Meadows National Recreation Trail 1024 682 CalWild

Courtesy of AllTrails The trail passes through the 4,965-acre Wild Cattle Mountain roadless area adjacent to Lassen Park. About 3,900 acres of the area was recommended for Wilderness protection in the 1992 Lassen National Forest Plan. The area is home to the critically endangered Sierra Nevada red fox, a species known to live in Lassen…

Coalinga Mineral Springs National Recreation Trail
 Coalinga Mineral Springs National Recreation Trail 1024 768 CalWild

Hike the “earthquake capital of California” The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Central Coast Field Office oversees the stewardship of scattered federal public lands between Monterey on the coast inland to the San Joaquin Desert in western Fresno County. Yes, we did say “desert,” and not “valley,” for the southern San Joaquin Valley is indeed…

Cooper Canyon/Pacific Crest Trail
 Cooper Canyon/Pacific Crest Trail 1024 768 CalWild

If you would like to do a short section hike on the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT) in the Angeles National Forest, this hike is for you. The best way to do this hike is by using a car shuttle.  Leave one car at or outside of the Eagles Roost Picnic Area (mile 61.6…

Willow Creek Petroglyphs Hike
 Willow Creek Petroglyphs Hike 1024 683 CalWild

In the high desert of northeast California, Willow Creek has carved a scenic canyon through lava rimrock. From its source near Eagle Lake, Willow Creek flows southeast past the community of Susanville to the Susan River, which ultimately feeds into the closed basin of Honey Lake. Along the way, the creek flows through the southern…