Best Summer Backpacking Trips Near Sacramento

The list of great hikes around here is a very long list. Some are great for beginners, while others require a bit more experience. Timing your hike to take advantage of good weather goes along with figuring out where you will go. Hikes in the foothills are different than trekking about in the mountains. Both spots are wonderful and offer many opportunities to enjoy being outside. Take plenty of water and food with you.

Cronan Ranch
Pedro Hill Road and Coloma Road Pilot Hill, CA 95664
(916) 941-3101
www.blm.gov

Cronan Ranch is a wonderful foothills location and is perfect for a short backpacking hike. It has 1,418 acres and over 12 miles of trails. Starting at the Pedro Hill trailhead will give you a fantastic view of the rolling terrain within the park. For a first hike of the season, or for beginners, this hike is perfect. The main trail runs for a little over 2.2 miles, and will take you down to the American River. You'll hike through oak-studded rolling hills, none of which are steep. There is an old cabin along the way, left over from a movie that was shot here some time ago. The area is multi-use. Take enough water and food for the day as there are no services available. The South Fork of the American River is your reward after this short, but very nice, hike.

Granite Lake
El Dorado National Forest Kit Carson Lodge 32161
Kit Carson Road Kit Carson, CA 95644
(209) 258-8500
www.kitcarsonlodge.com

Granite Lake is another absolutely wonderful and easy hike, especially for families with younger children who haven't hiked much. The lake is above Silver Lake, and Kit Carson Lodge has a store where you can stock up with extras if you need to. The trailhead is above Silver Lake. Get directions at the lodge. This hike is a two-mile out-and-back in a sub-alpine forest, studded with granite, conifers and fantastic views. Nothing on the trail is steep, but it is all uphill to this gorgeous lake. It is a small lake with great granite surrounding it, and granite boulders in it. When you get back down to the trailhead, Silver Lake beckons and is a perfect place to sit a bit, or head to Kit Carson Lodge for a great meal.

Frog Lake, Lake Winnemucca, Round Top Lake
Kit Carson Pass, State Route 88
El Dorado National Forest
(209) 258-8606
www.fs.usds.gov

The hike to these lakes starts out at Carson Pass. The elevation here is 8,574 feet and you should take that into account. Weather in the high country can change very rapidly so stock your pack with rain gear. The hike to Frog Lake and then Winnemucca isn't steep but it is a steady uphill trek. Frog Lake is just a mile from the trailhead. If you can make it to the other side, you'll be looking over Hope Valley and into the Lake Tahoe Basin to the east. Continue on for another mile and half to find beautiful Lake Winnemucca. If you are up to it, head past Winnemucca to Round Top Lake, a half mile farther and 500 feet higher. That 500-foot gain is a bit strenuous, so take your time. There is a $5 fee at the parking lot, and if you intend to camp at Winnemucca or Round Top Lake, you'll need a reservation and permit.

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Mt. Ralston
Pacific Ranger Station 7887 U.S. Highway 50
Pollock Pines, CA 95726
(530) 644-2349
www.everytrail.com

This hike is a step up in difficulty. It is seven miles round trip with a 2,735-foot gain in elevation, and parts of the trail are steep. The most common access trailhead is across from Camp Sacramento. You will need a wilderness permit to make this hike. While the trail is generally well marked, take a map with you. You'll hike through the forest and emerge above the tree line and continue to the peak over solid and broken-up granite. The payoff? Ralston gives you a view of Pyramid Peak, Price, Jacks and Dicks, Mt. Tallac, Freel Peak and Echo Summit and more, plus a solid view into the Desolation Wilderness and the lakes there. You can also get to Ralston from Echo Lakes, which will take longer and isn't as well marked. This hike is for experienced hikers who are in relatively good physical condition.

Mt. Tallac
USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit 35 College Drive
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
(530) 543-2600
www.fs.usda.gov

Mt. Tallac is the big one. It is strenuous and worth everything it takes to get to the top. Pick up a wilderness permit at the trailhead. The trek is a 10-mile round trip, with an elevation gain of 3,265 feet. Pack plenty of water and food, as you will need it. Along the way you'll pass Floating Island lake at 1.7 miles, then Cathedral Lake at 2.5 miles. The next 2.5 miles is through forest and then a breakout above the tree line. Coming up the trail, you will step up into the area surrounding the peak, which flattens out a bit. Keep going. When you get to the peak, you'll know the reason why it's worth it. The view into the Tahoe Basin is stunning. Keep turning around and the 360-degree view will sear a smile into your memory bank.

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Charles Ferris is a freelance writer who has lived in the Sierra, halfway between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, for the last 37 years. In 2010 he retired from teaching after 36 years . He and his wife hike, kayak, cross country ski, snow shoe, ride mountain bikes and road bikes, year round. His work can be found at Examiner.com.