Distance is one measure of a hike. Elevation gain is the one that decides how your legs feel the next morning. We pulled every trail in California with a measurable elevation-gain tag — out of the 36,453 entries OutsideAtlas tracks here — and ranked them by total vertical. The result is a roster of climbs that punch above their mileage.
California compresses more terrain into one state than most countries — high Sierra granite, Mojave and Death Valley deserts, redwood coast, Cascade volcanoes, and the rolling oak woodlands of the central coast. Mount Whitney via the Main Mortar Trail gains 6,100 ft to the highest point in the lower 48 — a one-day grail for fit hikers. Wildfire smoke, water scarcity in the Sierra in dry years, and rattlesnakes across most of the state are recurring planning factors.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 36,453 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in California — but the data has limits worth being honest about. Elevation-gain figures depend on the surveyor and the digital-elevation model used. Some trails are missing this tag entirely and are excluded from the list. Treat numbers as approximate but directionally reliable.
The Ranking
Ranked from #1 to #10. Click through any entry for the full trail page — map, elevation profile, weather forecast, and direct OpenStreetMap source link.
#1. Trail Canyon
Trail Canyon leads the elevation rankings with 25,853 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 25,853 ft of gain, ground surface on a forgiving grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Trail Canyon trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Lower Lindsey 97-036 Dam
Lower Lindsey 97-036 Dam comes in at #2 with 6,240 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 6,240 ft of gain on a forgiving grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Lower Lindsey 97-036 Dam trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Van Tassel Trail
Van Tassel Trail comes in at #3 with 5,620 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 5,620 ft of gain on a forgiving grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Van Tassel Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Marshall Canyon Trail
Marshall Canyon Trail comes in at #4 with 4,436 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 4,436 ft of gain on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in California, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Marshall Canyon Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Schabarum-Skyline Trail
Schabarum-Skyline Trail comes in at #5 with 3,704 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 3,704 ft of gain on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Schabarum-Skyline Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Jenkinson Lake Loop Access
Jenkinson Lake Loop Access comes in at #6 with 3,501 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 3,501 ft of gain, dirt surface on a forgiving grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Jenkinson Lake Loop Access trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. Jenkinson Lake Loop
Jenkinson Lake Loop comes in at #7 with 3,501 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 3,501 ft of gain, dirt surface on a forgiving grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Jenkinson Lake Loop trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Jenkinson Lake Loop
Jenkinson Lake Loop comes in at #8 with 3,501 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 3,501 ft of gain, dirt surface on a forgiving grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Jenkinson Lake Loop trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. Jenkinson Lake Loop
Jenkinson Lake Loop comes in at #9 with 3,501 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 3,501 ft of gain, dirt surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in California, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Jenkinson Lake Loop trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Jenkinson Lake Loop
Jenkinson Lake Loop comes in at #10 with 3,501 ft of climbing — the kind of gain that turns a 6-mile day into an honest workout. Expect 3,501 ft of gain, dirt surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Climbing fitness — not raw mileage — is the gating factor. Trekking poles and an early start pay off. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Jenkinson Lake Loop trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your California trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for California. Coast and low elevation: year-round. High Sierra: July through September. Desert (Death Valley, Joshua Tree): October through April. Wildfire smoke, water scarcity in the Sierra in dry years, and rattlesnakes across most of the state are recurring planning factors.
Always cross-reference the official land-manager page before driving out — closures, fire restrictions, and seasonal road access can change quickly. Our trail pages link directly back to the OpenStreetMap source so you can see the tags we're working from.
If you're new to hiking generally, our beginner's guide covers footwear, layering, and the day-pack basics. For safety planning on bigger objectives, the ten essentials guide is worth twenty minutes of reading.
More California hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our California coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in California — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Best beginner hikes in California — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Most challenging hikes in California — Expert-rated routes for experienced hikers only.
- Best national parks in California — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best waterfall hikes in California — Trails leading to named falls, ranked by accessibility.
- Best dog-friendly hikes in California — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- Best family hikes in California — Short, easy trails sized for kids and grandparents.
Rankings like this are starting points, not verdicts. Trail conditions change, new routes get tagged, and what was the toughest trail in California last year might not be next year. We refresh these articles when the underlying data shifts meaningfully.
Got a correction, a route we missed, or a question? Drop us a note via the contact page. We read every email and we'd rather hear it from you than miss it.
