The California Hiking Options - Will Want To Go All The Time

Hiking in California during certain times of the year is so fabulous that you will want to go all the time. You may want to take a weekend or maybe a whole week to see the different places to go. There is hiking available around rivers, glaciers, deserts, the coastline and in the grasslands. Take your pick.

Heading out to Mount Tallac will bring you to the 9.4 mile round trip hike at an elevation of 9,735 ft at the summit. It has a gain of 3,255 ft during the hike so be prepared with lots of water and very good shoes and gear. It is probably one of the best trails in the Lake Tahoe region with views from the summit so stunning to your senses that you will be hard pressed to capture pictures that will be as beautiful as what your eyes see. This trial is both wooded and mountainous. You will pass two lakes on the hike. Part of the trail is a steep climb up the switchbacks and when you reach the saddle of the mountain be ready for it to become exposed and very hot!

The Upper Yosemite Falls trail is 7.2 miles round trip with an elevation at the summit of 6,526 ft. The gain is 2,700 ft for this trail. The forested area will give you a cool area to hike in before hitting the flatlands which will give you the first view of the falls. The mist from the falls is a welcome relief from the heat. You have survived one set of switchbacks on the trip here and now you will face another before you reach the summit. This are is the most difficult of the hike with very steep inclines. If you are in super physical condition you won't have a problem (although it will challenge you) but if you aren't you may want to avoid the end of this hike by turning back earlier.

Enter the wonders of the desert with the heat and lack of water on the hike in Mosiac Canyon. Although the trail is just 2.5 miles round trip you will think you went further due to the climate conditions. After all, this is the hottest place in the US so it's a challenge. Bring plenty of water to rehydrate yourself on this hike, you'll need it. You might see some desert wildlife as you view the stunning designs nature created on the formations of the canyon walls.

Mt. Shasta is the most challenging hike in the whole state of California. The trial is 12 miles round trip of body assaulting climbs. The elevation at the summit is 14,179 ft with a gain of 7,259 during your climb. You will need to plan this hike from between May to mid July due to the weather in the spring that can come viciously crashing in on you without much warning and in the summer the lava rocks and rolling boulders offer a hazard since they can come crashing down the mountain at any time being washed loose by the melting snow. Due to the chance of altitude sickness do not do this hike alone, take a partner for safety and practical reasons. If you aren't in superior shape, pass on this trail. Read all you can about it before beginning so you are prepared for the challenges you will face.

Mt. Shasta offers you a different type of hike. You will want to bring your sunscreen, sunglasses, an ice axe and shelter. Since you won't have much warning if the weather is going to turn on you take the shelter to offer protection when, and if, you need it. Bring along your crampons, helmet, summit pass, and winter boots and wear extra layers of cloths, and again, plenty of water. Don't plan on drinking snow melt around Helen's Lake since it is contaminated by human and animal urine...yummy!

Another of the biggest challenges for a hiker is Half Dome which is a 16 mile round trip hike with an elevation gain of 4,800 ft to reach the summit of 8,842. You will need to plan this one for between late May and early October. Hearing about this hike at Yosemite National Park has brought people from all over the world here to take the challenge. Because of the difficulty of this climb (hike) if you aren't in superior physical shape with lots of hiking experience behind you, pass on this one. You will face switchbacks that are rocky causing many ankles to be injured, be careful. Nevada Falls is the halfway point on this hike. When you reach it you should take some time to assess your strengths and skills before continuing on. The climb gets tougher from here on and if you aren't ready for it not only will you be miserable, you can expect to get hurt. If you aren't in good shape, turn around at this point and go back, you've still done more than most people. If you decide to go on know that the hike will be very steep, excruciatingly hard and long before you reach the back of Half Dome rock. The switchbacks assault your body during this whole phase and you aren't done yet! Half Dome cables will both shock and send fear into you (at least they should) so assess your ability to go on. If you are sure you can, the success of the climb will give you a fabulous view of Yosemite Valley below and bragging rights for the rest of your life!