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California Hiking Guide

One Hundred Hikes in Yosemite - Everything you've ever wanted to know about the history—human and natural—of Yosemite, with detailed info on 100 hikes to boot. This is the entire text of the book Yosemite National Park: A Natural-History Guide to Yosemite and Its Trails, by Jeffrey Schaffer (Wilderness Press).

The Tahoe Rim Trail - Section-by-section guide to the 165-mile loop around Lake Tahoe.

A Blistered Kind of Love - The love, laughter, and meltdowns of one couple's 2,655 miles of Pacific Crest Trail together time.

Blooms and Dunes - Kimberly Lisagor finds life at its most vibrant among the rocks and the sand of Death Valley National Park.

San Fran Area Hikes - Three great hikes within easy striking distance of the magical City on the Bay.

Big Sur Backpacking - The top trails and campsites on CA's wild coastal stretch.

Hiking Orange County - Finding nature in L.A.'s big backyard.

Hiking Big Basin Redwoods State Park - Monster trees, tall waterfalls, and excellent trails--and only minutes from San Francisco.

John Muir Trail Through-Hiking - A 220-mile route traverse through stunning alpine scenery, including the Lower 48's highest point, Mount Whitney.

South-of-Yosemite Wonders - Madera County boasts the world's second largest tree, and the bragging doesn't stop there.

High Sierra Escapes - GORP points the way to the best places in this subalpine playground.

The Sierra High Route - A Journey at Timberline. Climber and hiker Steve Roper is your guide on this undiscovered high-country trek.

Coastal San Diego - Short walks along the Pacific in the sun-kissed land of eternal good weather.

The Two Yosemites - Discover the treasures of Yosemite, from the high country to the meadows.

Seldom Seen Sierra - Mineral King is the undiscovered Sequoia National Park.

California's Waterfalls - Three magical cascades in California's rustic north.

No Snow Zones - Los Padres National Forest, where hikers go to escape the snow in California.

Native Californian Trails - Walk in the footsteps of California's early indigenous people and appreciate the land the way did.

High on the Ridge - The Bay Area Ridge Trail circles the works at San Francisco Bay.

Trinity Toppers - Clear blue lakes, soaring peaks and not a soul in sight high in California's Trinity Alps.

Leisurely Hikes in Yosemite - Two mellow treks that really let you absorb the sights, smells and "feel" of Yosemite country.

Hot Bay Area Weekend Hikes - Fulfill your weekend wanderlust near San Francisco.

Trails of San Gabriel - Turn your back on the buzz of Los Angeles and find peace in these gentle mountains and craggy canyons.

Lost Coast Romance - Keep the raging ocean on one side and the towering peaks on the other

California Coastal Trail - In the making—a 1200-mile trail that runs through desert and rainforest, past cities and wilderness, across beaches and along high ridges.

Hiking with Kids in the Santa Monica Mountains - Relief from LA for the whole family.

Whitney or Won't He - Hiking to the highest point in the lower 48 is an extreme test of planning, perseverance, and patience.

Inyo Mountain Wilderness - A spectacular desert range soaring from the Saline Valley to Waucoba Mountain.

Mojave National Preserve - California's vast desert wilderness attracts hikers, wildlife lovers and amateur geologists to a remarkable ecosystem.

Weird Music and Wild Ways - Camping in the eerie stillness of a California desert winter.

San Bernardino National Forest - Deservedly one of the most popular national forest, with over 500 miles of trails.

San Gorgonio Wilderness - Southern California's highest peak is also tip tops for hikers.

Trinity Alps Wilderness - Northern California's most spectacular mountain wilderness.

San Jacinto Wilderness - Precipitous granite peaks outside of Palm Springs.

Ventana Wilderness - Low elevation, but rugged hiking in the Santa Lucia range south of San Francisco—when the Sierra is snowbound. . .

Lassen Volcanic National Park - Cinder cones, bubbling mud, stunning views and forests: Lassen is all about hiking.

Lassen National Forest - From high to low, more than 460 miles of trail over incredibly varied terrain.

Walking with the Stars - Three great hikes near Los Angeles.

Summiting Mt. Shasta - Legends and practicalities of getting to the top.

Eldorado National Forest - Over 350 miles of trails in the high (and low) Sierra.

Golden Gate National Recreation Area - Coastal solitude in San Francisco city limits, not to mention the Marin Headlands and more.

Joshua Tree National Park - From easy ambles to clambering over big, big boulders.

Death Valley National Park - Stellar hiking and desert solitude in the vast Mojave.

Sierra National Forest - Yosemite's next door neighbor has lots grandeur of its own, without the crowds.

Point Reyes National Seashore - California dreaming secluded beaches, exotic wildlife and wilderness hikes.

Marin County's Cataract Trail - Don't let the name fool you—an easy walk in the woods of Mount Tamalpais.

The Tao of the Desert - Lessons learned in Joshua Tree National Park .

Destination: Desolation - A hiking journal about exploring Desolation Wilderness in the Eldorado National Forest

Tahoe Rim Trail - Building a 150 mile trail for hiker, horseback rider, and skier around the world's largest and deepest alpine lake.

Day Hiking in the Eastern Sierras - narrative of some great day hiking opportunities!

Hiking and Backpacking in Inyo National Forest - In-depth info, maps, and photos on trails for dayhiking and backpacking in Inyo's High Sierra!

Tahoe National Forest Hiking & Backpacking - From the heights of the Sierra Buttes to the solitude of the American River Canyon, hikers will be rewarded with beautiful scenery, occasional glimpses of wildlife, and trails suited to every taste and ability.

Hiking, Backpacking & Horseback Riding in Los Padres - National Forest
A couple of dozen trail descriptions including the Santa Inez Mountains outside Santa Barbara.

Hiking in Mendocino - National Forest a bunch of dayhikes, including the Yolla Bolly Mountains north of San Francisco.

Trails on the Modoc National Forest - a trio of dayhikes.

Selected Hiking Trails in Plumas National Forest a ton of hikes, including the Feather Falls National Recreation Trail, an 8 mile round trip through ecologically rich lands to the 6th highest waterfall in the U.S.

Hiking in Yosemite National Park - GORP's favorites out of Tuolomne Meadows!

Lassen Volcanic National Park Selected Trails - A sampling.

Joshua Tree National Park - A sampling

Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park - A sampler in Cedar Grove, Giant Forest and Grant Grove.

Hiking in Sequoia National Forest - Dozens of hikes, including one through a grove of hundreds of giants!

Six Rivers National Forest - Hiking and Backpacking Trails
a trio of trails in the forest plus a bunch in the Smith River National Recreation Area.

Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail - Lying along the spectacular shoulders of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges from Canada to Mexico, the Pacific Crest is the West Coast counterpart of the Appalachian Trail.

A Yosemite Dream Trip: Mount Conness Loop - Climber and hiker Steve Roper takes you on a classic Yosemite National Park trip: the four-day, 25-mile Mount Conness Loop.

South Sierra Backpacking - Superb high country exploration in and around Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Parks.

Ancient Bristlecone Pines of Inyo National Forest - Interested in the earth's oldest living things? Check Bristlecones in Inyo National Forest for an overview and access or White Mountains Hiking for walks through the ancients.

Discovering Lassen - Find the inside scoop on Lassen Volcanic National Park, with hidden gems revealed.

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[from Outside magazine]