Hikes in the Sierra Nevada Mountains

The beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountains has been enchanting visitors since before California was a state. Today there are thousands of miles of hiking trails crisscrossing the range managed by a patchwork of agencies, including Sequoia National Park, Giant Sequoia National Monument, the Inyo National Forest, Yosemite National Park, and many more.

Below is a small sample of the great hiking trails in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, listed from south to north and west to east. Click on the title of each trail to see a full review. While this list is far from complete, it will continue to grow as more trails are explored.

	Sequoioa National Forest
	Trail of 100 Giants This easy one-mile loop visits a grove of Giant Sequoias that are the prize of Giant Sequoia National Monument.
	Dome Rock Located just off the Western Divide Highway, the short walk to the top of Dome Rock offers great views of the valley below.
	Needles Lookout This 5-mile round-trip hike crosses a pine forest to an impressive fire tower with panoramic views.
	Natural water slide Nature's slip-n-slide offers great recreation for summer visitors. The slick rocks are at the end of a short hike. Pack your bathing suit and get ready for fun.
	Sequoioa National Park (Mineral King)
	Hockett Trail This 4-mile round-trip hike crosses over the East Fork of the Kaweah River en route to a remote grove of Giant Sequoias.
	Eagle Lake Trail This 7.2-mile round-trip hike climbs out of the valley carved by the East Fork of the Kaweah and ends at an high-elevation lake.
	Sequoioa National Park (western front country)
	Marble Falls This 8-mile round-trip trail climbs Deep Canyon away from Potwisha Campground to a thundering waterfall. This is a perfect spring hike.
	Paradise Creek This fun swimming hole is a half mile away from Buckeye Flats Campground and the perfect spot to cool off and relax on a hot summer day.
	Panther Creek This 6-mile round-trip hike rides a canyon rim to an overlook on a 100-foot waterfall.
	Moro Rock This 0.6-mile round-trip hike climbs a stone staircase to panoramic views. Consider this a mandatory hike if you are a first time visitor.
	Crescent Meadow Loop Several trails explore the Great Forest, but this 1.6 mile loop visits Sequoias, meadows, the Chimney Tree. and Tharp's Log. This hike is great for kids, and great for anyone.
	General Sherman Tree This is the largest tree in the world. The trail is one mile long round-trip and can be quite crowded with visitors eager to see the enormous beauty.
	Congress Loop This 2-mile trail is perfect for those looking to see more Giant Sequoias than just the General Sherman.
	Sunset Rock This easy two-mile hike to an enormous plain of granite offers views to the south and west, making this a great place to (as you would suspect) watch the sunset.
	Beetle Rock This is an even shorter excursion. Like Sunset Rock, Beetle Rock is a great place to watch the day come to an end. Both are located across the Generals Highway from the Giant Forest Museum.
	Tokopah Falls This 1,200-foot waterfall is the tallest in Sequoia National Park. The 3.4-mile round-trip hike to its base is gradual and scenic, and starts from Lodgepole Campground.
	Sequoioa National Park (eastern backcountry)
	Mount Pickering This 13,485-foot summit sports sweeping views of the Sierras which can be reached via a two-mile ascent from Sky Blue Lake (after a 13-mile hike from the nearest trailhead).
	Sky Blue Lake Sky Blue Lake graces the top of Miter Basin about 13 miles from the trailheads at Horseshoe Meadow in the Inyo National Forest.
	Primrose Lake This lake sits just off Miter Basin beneath Mt. Pickering and makes an enjoyable side trip on a hike to Sky Blue Lake.
	Lower Soldier Lake This scenic lake is an ideal backpackers' campsite for a trek to Mt. Pickering or deeper into Eastern Sierras. Alternatively, the 19-mile loop to Lower Soldier Lake from Horseshoe Meadow provides a long but picturesque day hike.
	Mount Langley This 14,042-foot summit boasts towering views of Mt. Whitney and several other high peaks. Hikers must travel about 22-miles round trip, off-trail and on, to summit California's 9th tallest mountain.
	Inyo National Forest
	Chicken Spring Lake This lake sits just beyond Cottonwood Pass, 4.1 miles from the trailhead at Horseshoe Meadow. The lake makes for a nice day hike, or a first stop on a backpacking trip into the Sierras.
	Cottonwood Lakes This trail visits several alpine lakes before rising to the 12,300-foot New Army Pass, 7.5 miles from Horseshoe Meadow.
	South Fork Lakes This nine-mile round-trip hike along the Old Cottonwood Creek Trail offers a secluded trek into the Cottonwood Lakes Basin.
	Cirque Peak This 12,900-foot summit can be reached with a two mile off-trail ascent from either New Army Pass, Chicken Spring Lake, or Cirque Lake. The views from the top are majestic.