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Other states have high mountains, vast deserts and scenic shorelines but only California contains all these features and preserves examples of them in its system of California State Parks.

The multitude of California State Parks trails and the parks they explore, add up to some world-class hiking adventures—certainly some of the best hikes in the West.

By some estimates, there is more than two thousand miles of California State Parks trails. About 160 of the 280 state parks have at least one compelling hike.

Ancient redwoods grow along the far north coast at Del Norte Redwoods State Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park and Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park. The alpine beauty of the Sierra Nevada towers above Emerald Bay State Park and Sugar Pine Point State Park on the shores of world-famous Lake Tahoe. Warm, sandy beaches from San Clemente State Beach to Refugio State Beach beckon visitors to Southern California.

California State Parks trails are to be found in a wide cross-section of California ecology from the bottom of the Central Valley at Caswell Memorial State Park to the top of alpine peaks at Mount San Jacinto State Park; from uncommonly dry desert lands where Joshua trees thrive, such as Saddleback Butte State Park to the near-rainforest environment of Sinkyone Wilderness State Park.

California State Parks trails visit a fabulous array of Nature’s handiwork: giant Sequoias in Calaveras Big Trees State Park; the rare Torrey pines in Torrey Pines State Reserve near San Diego; palm oases at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park; some of the tallest trees on earth at Humboldt Redwoods State Park.

Park pathways are as varied as the parks themselves: short hikes suitable for the whole family, half-day hikes and all-day hikes. Most California State Parks trails are in very good condition and well signed.

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