Day Trippin' › California › From Sacramento › Best hikes
Our picks for the best hikes within 3 hours of Sacramento: 54 places, 1 under an hour away, 28 between 1 and 2 hours and 25 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 95814.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Auburn State Recreation Area, 38 min northeast of Sacramento.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: Matthew Dillon from Hollywood, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
#1 · Hike · 1 hr 38 min southwest
Easy paths through old coast redwoods in a quiet canyon just north of the city.
Heads-up: Parking or shuttle reservation required. Book ahead at the official site. No dogs. Little cell service.
Photo: MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
#2 · State park · 2 hr 9 min east
Giant sequoias in the North Grove on an easy, mostly flat loop, where the big trees first became famous in the 1850s.
Heads-up: The South Grove is closed now. The road past the North Grove closes at the first big snow or December 1.
Photo: Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 3.0
#3 · National park · 2 hr 58 min south
Spires and talus caves from an ancient volcano, plus condors and good hiking trails.
Heads-up: No road connects the east and west sides. Hot in summer. Dogs are only allowed in parking areas.
Photo: Trurl66, Public domain
#4 · State park · 1 hr 48 min southwest
A tall peak in the East Bay with a summit road, wide views and many trails.
Heads-up: Hot in summer. Trails are steep. Dogs on leash in some areas only. Summit Visitor Center open daily 10-4 but its elevator is out of service with no repair date
Photo: Taras Bobrovytsky, CC0
#5 · Island · 2 hr 17 min southwest
Ferry to a bay island with a loop road, hiking, bike rentals and old military sites.
Heads-up: Ferry needs advance tickets. No ferry on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Last boat leaves early afternoon in winter (confirm before you go).
Photo: Chad K, CC BY 2.0
#6 · Landmark · 2 hr 22 min north
A glass-decked footbridge over the Sacramento River in Redding that works as a giant sundial, linked to miles of river trails.
Heads-up: The bridge and trails are always open; summer afternoons are very hot.
Photo: Ijon, CC BY-SA 4.0
#7 · Hike · 1 hr 21 min southwest
A park in the Berkeley hills with trails, a lake, a carousel and a small steam train.
Heads-up: Swimming at Lake Anza costs money in summer (confirm before you go). Open 5am-10pm; Lake Anza swim beach closed for the season
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Mrbilal1987~commonswiki assumed (based on…, Public domain
#8 · Hike · 1 hr 22 min southwest
Rolling hills with oak woodlands, wildflowers and wide views in Contra Costa County.
Heads-up: Cattle graze here. Hot in late summer.
Photo: Logan Ingalls, CC BY 3.0
#9 · State park · 1 hr 22 min west
Redwood trails, a pool and picnic areas near Calistoga.
Heads-up: Hot in summer. Open 8am to sunset; pool weekends only 1-5pm in season
Photo: Robert E. Nylund, Public domain
#10 · State park · 1 hr 27 min west
An author's old ranch with trails, a cottage and a small museum in Glen Ellen.
Heads-up: Some buildings may have limited hours.
Photo: Stepheng3, Public domain
#11 · State park · 1 hr 30 min southwest
A San Rafael bayside park with shoreline trails, a historic fishing village and biking.
Heads-up: Hot in summer. Few services.
Photo: Robert Campbell, CC BY-SA 3.0
#12 · Historic site · 1 hr 34 min southwest
A former army post turned park with trails, gardens, beaches and a visitor center.
Heads-up: Plan a route. Free shuttle runs in the park (confirm before you go).
Photo: Christopher Beland, Public domain
#13 · Hike · 1 hr 40 min southwest
Old gun batteries, bay views, and a short bridge walk to a lighthouse on a rocky point.
Heads-up: Check lighthouse bridge hours. Winds and fog. Park closures possible. Point Bonita trail open only 3rd Saturday of month 12:30-3:30; suspension bridge to lighthouse closed until further notice; rest…
Photo: Anderson Marsh State Historic Park Staff, Public domain
#14 · State park · 1 hr 42 min west
Wetlands and old ranch trails near Clear Lake with birds and short walks.
Heads-up: Mosquitoes in warm months. Monthly guided nature walks 2nd Saturday (not Jan/Dec)
Photo: Oscar Vasquez / California Department of Parks and Recreation, Public domain
#15 · State park · 1 hr 49 min southwest
Marin's tall peak with redwood canyons, ocean views and summit hikes.
Heads-up: Roads are narrow. Summit trails are steep. Dogs are limited to some trails. Matt Davis Spur Trail permanently closed; main park open; fees at East Peak, Pantoll, Bootjack
Auburn State Recreation Area (38 min), Gray Lodge Wildlife Area (1 hr 9 min), Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail (1 hr 17 min), Lake Merritt (1 hr 21 min), Tiburon Linear Park and Bay Trail (1 hr 29 min), Donner Summit Bridge (1 hr 31 min), Robert Louis Stevenson State Park (1 hr 36 min), Lands End and Sutro Baths (1 hr 38 min), Moaning Cavern (1 hr 42 min), Alameda Creek Regional Trail (1 hr 45 min), Palisades Tahoe Aerial Tram (1 hr 48 min), Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge (1 hr 50 min), Taylor Creek Visitor Center (1 hr 52 min), Mission Peak Regional Preserve (1 hr 53 min), Eagle Falls (1 hr 57 min), Los Gatos Creek Trail (1 hr 59 min), D.L. Bliss State Park (2 hr), Tomales Point Trail (2 hr), Alum Rock Park (2 hr 1 min), Sugar Pine Point State Park (2 hr 6 min), Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve (2 hr 7 min), Sierra Buttes Fire Lookout (2 hr 8 min), Grover Hot Springs State Park (2 hr 14 min), Lakes Basin (2 hr 22 min), Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park (2 hr 29 min), Mount Madonna County Park (2 hr 35 min), Wilder Ranch State Park (2 hr 36 min), Lake Shasta Caverns (2 hr 39 min), The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park (2 hr 41 min), Woodward Park (2 hr 44 min), Merced Grove (2 hr 45 min), Fort Ord Dunes State Park (2 hr 49 min), Bumpass Hell (2 hr 49 min), Hendy Woods State Park (2 hr 51 min), Lassen Peak Trail (2 hr 52 min), Blossom Trail (2 hr 55 min), Monterey State Historic Park (2 hr 57 min), Tuolumne Grove (2 hr 58 min), Whiskeytown Falls (2 hr 58 min)
Our top picks are Muir Woods National Monument (1 hr 38 min), Calaveras Big Trees State Park (2 hr 9 min), Pinnacles National Park (2 hr 58 min), Mount Diablo State Park (1 hr 48 min) and Angel Island State Park (2 hr 17 min). The page lists 54 places in all.
54: 1 under an hour away, 28 between 1 and 2 hours and 25 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 95814.
Auburn State Recreation Area, about 38 min northeast of Sacramento.
14 need no pass or fee, including Alameda Creek Regional Trail, Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge and Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail. Fees change, so check each place.
40 of the 54 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.