TALES AND TRAILS
OF CALIFORNIA AND BEYOND

Explore California’s trails through story with John McKinney, The Trailmaster—30 books, longtime LA Times columnist, and a lifetime of hiking across the Golden State.

Every Trail Tells a Story. This short video says it better than I ever could in print. It’s the idea that’s guided every mile I’ve walked and every story I’ve told.

Welcome to The Trailmaster

I’ve spent a lifetime exploring California, one trail at a time. Along the way, I’ve learned that the most memorable journeys aren’t measured in miles, but in the stories they reveal.

You’ll find tales from California’s mountains, deserts, forests, coastlines, and hidden corners, along with reflections on the long and winding pathway we call life. There are films, talks, videos, and plenty of hikes, too.

Begin with the Tales below. Every trail tells a story. And I’d love to share my favorite stories with you.

Stories from California—and the long and winding pathway we call life

  • What the Declaration of Independence Teaches Us About Hiking

    What the Declaration of Independence Teaches Us About Hiking

    Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness on the Trail
  • California’s Overlooked National Park

    California’s Overlooked National Park

    Yosemite gets the crowds. Joshua Tree gets the Instagrammers. Lassen gets overlooked.
  • Route 66 at 100

    Route 66 at 100

    Celebrate the Centennial with Two Great Desert Hikes
  • California State Parks Week: Celebrate and Take a Hike!

    California State Parks Week: Celebrate and Take a Hike!

    Watch my new Trailmaster video “Hike California State Parks” and discover parks that define the essential California.
  • Yosemite’s Other Domes

    Yosemite’s Other Domes

    Beyond Half Dome, less famous granite treasures hiding in plain sight.
  • The Wind Still Blows at Manzanar

    The Wind Still Blows at Manzanar

    Along Highway 395, a landscape of freedom shadows a history of confinement.

My free weekly newsletter featuring new stories, reflections, videos, and discoveries from California’s trails—and the long and winding pathway we call life.

Stories from the trail, told through film.

California’s Best Hikes

I was crazy enough to visit all 280 California state parks.
Here are more than 100 hikes I’d gladly do again tomorrow.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Torrey Pines State Reserve
 Humboldt Redwoods State Park

Yosemite. Redwoods. Joshua Tree.
Here are more than 200 hikes that keep calling me back.

Yosemite National Park
Point Reyes National Seashore
Death Valley National Park

Browse Trailmaster books, caps, and selected merchandise.