Moderate Hikes in California

Moderate Hikes in California at a Glance

This page lists 8 moderate hikes in California from the Summit Seeker trail database. Summit elevations run from 2,300 ft (Sturtevant Falls) to 9,585 ft (Cathedral Lakes).

7 of the 8 routes have a distance we can quote from a published source. The shortest is Vernal Fall at 2.4 mi; the longest is Panorama Trail at 8.5 mi. Elevation gain ranges from about 400 ft (Sturtevant Falls) to 2,100 ft (Mission Peak). Together the quoted routes add up to 38.3 miles of hiking. By their own ratings they break down as 3 hard, 3 moderate, 1 strenuous. 1 of the routes has not been verified against the summit yet, so that page quotes no distance or time.

6 of the 8 guides name a specific trailhead or parking area; the others give the summit location and route line only.

Figures are as recorded in each trail's own data and are planning estimates (≈ marks a figure estimated from the mapped track); confirm conditions and route length with the land manager before you go.

Every moderate hike in California, with route facts

Trail	Summit	Route	Distance	Gain	Time	Difficulty	Trailhead
Cathedral Lakes	9,585 ft	Cathedral Lakes via John Muir Trail	7.6 mi round trip	1,000 ft	6.5 hr	Hard	Cathedral Lakes Trailhead, Tioga Road near Tuolumne Meadows. Limited parking
Sentinel Dome & Taft Point	8,122 ft	Sentinel Dome & Taft Point Loop	4.9 mi loop	1,000 ft	3.5 hr	Moderate	Sentinel Dome/Taft Point Trailhead, Glacier Point Road. Limited parking
Panorama Trail	7,214 ft	Panorama Trail (Glacier Point to Valley)	8.5 mi one way	1,255 ft	3.5 hr	Hard	—
Vernal Fall	5,900 ft	Mist Trail to Vernal Fall	2.4 mi round trip	1,000 ft	3 hr	Moderate	Happy Isles Trailhead, Yosemite Valley. Take free shuttle in summer
Nevada Fall	5,900 ft	Nevada Fall via Mist Trail	5.4 mi round trip	2,000 ft	5.5 hr	Hard	Happy Isles Trailhead, Yosemite Valley. Use shuttle in summer
Potato Chip Rock	2,881 ft	Mount Woodson Trail via Lake Poway	Not verified	—	—	—	Lake Poway Recreation Area. Parking fee $5-10 on weekends
Mission Peak	2,517 ft	Mission Peak via Hidden Valley Trail	6.2 mi round trip	2,100 ft	5 hr	Strenuous	Stanford Avenue Staging Area, Fremont. Free parking. Lot fills by 8am weekends
Sturtevant Falls	2,300 ft	Gabrielino Trail	3.3 mi round trip	400 ft	—	Moderate	—

Route notes

Cathedral Lakes — 7.6 mi round trip via the Cathedral Lakes via John Muir Trail from Cathedral Lakes Trailhead, Tioga Road near Tuolumne Meadows. Limited parking, 1,000 ft of elevation gain, about 6.5 hr, rated Hard. Parking: $35 park entrance.
Sentinel Dome & Taft Point — a 4.9-mile loop via the Sentinel Dome & Taft Point Loop from Sentinel Dome/Taft Point Trailhead, Glacier Point Road. Limited parking, 1,000 ft of elevation gain, about 3.5 hr, rated Moderate. Parking: $35 park entrance.
Panorama Trail — 8.5 mi one way via the Panorama Trail (Glacier Point to Valley), 1,255 ft of elevation gain, about 3.5 hr, rated Hard.
Vernal Fall — 2.4 mi round trip via the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall from Happy Isles Trailhead, Yosemite Valley. Take free shuttle in summer, 1,000 ft of elevation gain, about 3 hr, rated Moderate. Parking: $35 vehicle entrance fee.
Nevada Fall — 5.4 mi round trip via the Nevada Fall via Mist Trail from Happy Isles Trailhead, Yosemite Valley. Use shuttle in summer, 2,000 ft of elevation gain, about 5.5 hr, rated Hard. Parking: $35 park entrance. The route passes Lady Franklin Rock (mile 0.71), Clark Point (mile 0.81), Vernal Fall (mile 0.93) and Silver Apron (mile 1.05).
Mission Peak — 6.2 mi round trip via the Mission Peak via Hidden Valley Trail from Stanford Avenue Staging Area, Fremont. Free parking. Lot fills by 8am weekends, 2,100 ft of elevation gain, about 5 hr, rated Strenuous. Parking: Free.
Sturtevant Falls — 3.3 mi round trip via the Gabrielino Trail, 400 ft of elevation gain, rated Moderate.

Not yet verified against the summit, so no distance or time is quoted: Potato Chip Rock.