California/Nevada/Hawaii: hike to the world&#39;s best tropical campsite,see elephant seals, and trek through poppies

Tropical beach by Tanya Puntti (SLR Photography Guide)

Tropical beach, a photo by Tanya Puntti (SLR Photography Guide) on Flickr.

Best dayhike: Big Basin Redwoods SP Big trees, ocean views, banana slugs, sword ferns, and a 40-foot falls. It's all yours on this 10.5-mile loop. Trip ID 51200

Multiday: John Muir Trail Hike 33 miles from Tuolumne Meadows to Yosemite Valley and pass some of Ansel's favorite photo ops. Trip ID 264804

Best foliage: Ice House Canyon In summer, beat crowds on Mt. Baldy by heading to this shaded climb up 8,303-foot Timber Mountain. In fall, the oak and sycamore rival the show in Vermont. P.44NW

Favorite oceanside hike: Na Pali Coast Our mappers agree: the 11-mile Kalalau Trail leads to the world's prettiest campsite. Trip ID 51207

Best wildflowers: Hite's Cove Trail From March to May, the first two miles of this 4.5-mile trail explode with flowers. While Yosemite's higher elevations are still buried under feet of snow, you'll cruise through fiery California poppy, aptly named alpine gold, alpine lily, and 10 more flower species, Explore the abandoned mining settlement at the end, then turn back at the Merced River,

Dayhike: Charleston Peak Summit this 11,918-foot pyramid via the 8.3-mile (oneway) South Loop Trail an hour from the strip.

Wildlife: Ano Nuevo State Natural Reserve The world's largest colony of elephant seals winters on the sandy beaches here. Hike three miles to the dunes to see the beasts lounging. Best viewing: April in the early morning. Trip ID 350300

DAVE MILLER NEWARK, CA

A budding photographer, Miller spent 50 days last year hiking Northern California trails white scouting for wildlife to shoot. Favorite hike Tomales Point Trail, Point Reyes National Seashore, CA (Trip ID 304767)

CASEY SCHREINER

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA

Favorite hike High Peaks Loop Trail, Pinnacles NM, CA

GAIL STEELE-MOYER

LAS VEGAS, NV

Favorite hike Sisquoc River Trail, Dick Smith Wilderness, CA

Trails

Illustrated's top-selling California maps

1. Yosemite National Park (#206) P.34NW

2. Lake Tahoe Basin (#803)

3. Baja California Bundle Pack

Quick City Escapes

Amazon's best,-selling guidebook authors choose killer dayhikes near...

Los Angeles Jerry Schad Afoot & Afield Los Angeles County: A Comprehensive Hiking Guide, Afoot and Afield, $20

Gabrielino Trail to Sturtevant Falls, Angeles NF

Solstice Canyon Trail Santa Monica Mountains NRA

Bear Canyon Trail Angeles NF

Las Vegas Branch Whitney P.49NW Hiking Las Vegas: 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of the Strip, Huntington Press, $18

Monument Traverse from Black Velvet trailhead, Red Rocks SP

Pine Creek Trail, Red Rocks SP

Lost Creek Trail, Red Rocks SP

Get More Download GPS data for select hikes here by adding the Trip ID digits to the end of this URL: backpacker.com/hikes/

San Francisco Ann Marie Brown

101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area, Moon Outdoors, $18

Matt Davis/Steep Ravine Loop, Mt. Tamalpais SP

Sky Trail Point Reyes NS

Berry Creek Loop, Big Basin Redwoods SP

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Source Citation
"California/Nevada/Hawaii: hike to the world's best tropical campsite, see elephant seals, and trek through poppies." Backpacker May 2010: 54. General OneFile. Web. 14 Mar. 2012.
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