Hiking Trails & Parks in California
36,451 mapped trails and 2,258 parks across California. Browse by county or city, or jump straight to the full list.
About Hiking in California
California has 36,451 mapped hiking trails and 2,258 federally managed parks and recreation areas spread across 79 counties. Trail data comes from OpenStreetMap contributors; parks and campgrounds from Recreation.gov.
Trying to narrow down? Browse all trails, all parks, all 79 counties, or pick a county below to see only its options.
Where to Go in California
A spatially-sampled view of 561 trail and park locations across California’s counties.
California Counties
Top 24 counties shown — 79 total indexed.
Trails by Difficulty in California
Parks & Campgrounds in California
Longest Trails in California
Hiking guides & rankings for California
In-depth articles drawing on the trail and park data above.
Photo: Joshua EarleThe 10 Longest Hiking Trails in California, Ranked
California's longest mapped hiking trails, ranked by distance with notes on what makes each route worth the commitment.
Photo: Sergei AkulichCalifornia's 10 Most Punishing Trails by Elevation Gain
Steep is hard. These are the ten California trails with the most total elevation gain — quad-burners earned by hard climbing.
Photo: Maddi BazzoccoThe Best Beginner-Friendly Hikes in California
Ten gentle, well-marked California trails perfect for first-time hikers, families, or recovery days.
Photo: Holly MandarichThe 10 Most Challenging Hikes in California
California's ten hardest hikes — expert difficulty, big mileage, or serious exposure. Reserved for experienced hikers.
Photo: Diego LozanoThe Best National Parks & Recreation Areas in California
Federal parks and recreation areas in California ranked by what they actually offer hikers and campers, not just popularity.
Photo: Joshua EarleBest Waterfall Hikes in California: 10 Trails to See Falls Up Close
California's best hikes to named waterfalls — from short family-friendly viewpoints to all-day cascade chasing.