California has some of the best-rated hiking experiences in the US and in the world, consisting of a vast range of environments, from dry desert sands to sublime wet beaches and of course, some great lofty hills to witness, California has it all.

Here is our selection of the 10 best hiking escapes in California.

10. The Lost Coast Trail

The Lost Coast Trail offers an exceptional experience in Northern California's remote coastline wilderness. The trail follows a 34 miles stretch alongside the Pacific Ocean in Humboldt County within ancient redwood forests through a drive north of Mendocino. Experienced backpackers are the most suited for this hike. To hike the Lost Coast Trail requires at least a three- to four-day backpacking expedition, which is solely why it isn’t for the faint-hearted. Some serious preparation is required before setting out (Carrying a tide chart is recommended amongst several others), so make sure you get some decent boots. On the trail, you’ll see several spots become submerged and disappear at high tide, which is the trail's got that name.

The northern part of the Trail is a 25-mile long stretch from Mattole Beach to Black Sands Beach which falls under the King Range National Conservation Area and this part of the trail includes beach hiking, crossing streams, tide pools, and hiking along rocky ocean bluffs, so there’s a whole bunch of fun stuff you can do out there, not forgetting the impeccable view throughout!

The southern part is a 9-mile hike from Hidden Valley to Needle Rock in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park. This part of the trail includes meadows, old-growth redwood forests, and chaparral-covered mountain ridges.

The Lost Coast is home to sea lions and seals and during winter and early spring, you can even spot gray whales on their annual migration. You can snap up a picture of Roosevelt elk, as they can be seen throughout the year.

9. The Lost Palms Oasis and 49 Palms Trails at Joshua Tree National Park

The Joshua National Park is located in the dry Mojave Desert, very recognizable in the California desert, and probably most famous is its Joshua tree. Other than that the national park also has several hiking trails that travel through palm oases, perfect for intermediate hikers. The Lost Palms Oasis Trail is a modest, 7.2-mile round-trip hike that travels through a canyon full of leafy palms and great pools of water. The trail ends at Cottonwood Campground, which is a perfect picnic area and a place you can get much-needed water supply.

The 49 Palms Oasis Trail is nothing too strenuous as the trail is just about a three-mile round-trip that gifts hikers with well-shaded pools of freshwater, a sight for every outdoor enthusiast. Our recommendation would be to pack light and wear a good pair of boots while you’re at it! This hike involves a 300-foot elevation gain, so it requires that hikers be in good shape, because the ascent is especially difficult in the desert heat.

8. The McWay Waterfall Trail

This trail in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is suggested to be the most frequently photographed sight in the park. The park was after the female pioneer who in the early 1900s owned a ranch in Big Sur country, one of the very first to have ventured into this area. The park stretches along the Big Sur coastline inching across 3000-foot ridges, that eventually fall into the coastline, a definite sight for every nature lover. Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park has two walk-in campsites, which are among Big Sur's best campgrounds.

The McWay Waterfall Trail is a very short hike to a lookout of the McWay Waterfall, perfect for beginners giving you all the scenery in an easy trail. It’s probably more like a walk than a trail taking just about 30 minutes to complete. Piece of cake if you ask us, but what really stands out about this trail is the stunning view of the 80-foot McWay Waterfall, dropping from a cliff onto a sandy beach, dreamlike for all enthusiasts. Hikers are definitely going to spend more time admiring the waterfall than actually hiking.

7. The James Irvine Trail at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is known for some of the world's tallest and oldest trees jointly managed by Redwood National and State Parks in northern California. It’s always great to know these places are being looked after. This trail is dotted with redwood trees descending from a forest that existed when dinosaurs roamed the Earth - something that budding archaeologists would love.

The 10-mile round-trip James Irvine Trail at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park gives you a wide range of majestic scenery, all while being a trail fit for intermediate hikers. Your primary goal shouldn’t be to complete the entire hike, it is all about the views of magnificence towering redwoods and the feel of their lush canopies shading your way as you hike.

The Fern Canyon Trail connects to the end of the James Irvine Trail, giving you a short 0.6-mile hike to the beach. The dense vegetation absorbs sound, giving you a peaceful hike along the forest. Except for the chirping birds, the trickle of a freshwater creek, and ocean waves at a distance, there isn’t much you can hear.

Fern Canyon is also known for being the backdrop for scenes in the Jurassic Park film. In fact, several generations of today's living coastal redwoods existed 160 million years ago, during the Jurassic Era. Pretty neat right?

6. Runyon Canyon Park, Los Angeles

A hidden gem of sorts that’s right in the center of Los Angeles is The Runyon Canyon Park. For a city where the rent is high but still the residents barely walk, this 130-acre park is just two blocks down from Hollywood Boulevard. It’s shocking how undiscovered it is by most tourists. Locals come here to get fresh air, exercise, and walk their dogs.

Runyon Canyon Park offers a variety of different trails, all with incredible views of the hillside landscape and of course, the Los Angeles cityscape. Some spots allow you to see the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island in the distance, giving it another great reason to visit.

5. The Pomo Canyon to Shell Beach Trail in Sonoma County

One of California's most breathtaking coastal scenery can be found in Sonoma County, a 75 miles drive from the bustle of San Francisco. The beginner level 3.5-mile Pomo Canyon Trail in the Sonoma Coast State Park travels through a rich selection of landscapes. The trail begins with climbing through a lush redwood forest, then follows along a wooded ridge with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean.

The trail curves through grasslands with vibrant seasonal wildflowers while crossing over picturesque creeks. At the end of the hike, the trail joins up with an old road, descending down to Highway 1. From there, it's a short walk through the headlands to the sands of Shell Beach. At this point, you can head back up to the Pomo Canyon trail to complete the 7-mile round-trip hike. It can work the other way round as well where hikers could begin at the Shell Beach parking lot rather than at the Pomo Canyon Campground.

The area north of San Francisco namely Marin County and Sonoma County is known for its beautiful natural scenery and wonderful hiking trails, you should definitely check out a few more in the area.

4. Hike To Mount Shasta

The snow capped Mount Shasta is one of the best places to hike in California with many visitors who come to the mountain seeking a spiritual experience within nature. Mount Shasta also attracts several adventurous outdoor enthusiasts who come for the challenge of climbing to the mountain's summit. Mount Shasta also has plenty of hiking trails for the average hiker.

The Gray Butte Trail is noted to be the most popular as it’s leads you to heights above 7,000 feet in elevation. This modest, 3.5-mile round-trip trail gains 750 feet and takes about three hours to complete. The trail begins at the Panther Meadows Campground parking lot, crosses through the Lower Panther Meadow, and continues up through a scenic forest of Red Fir Trees.

As you approach the fork of the trail, the right hand-side ascends through a forest of Mountain Hemlock Trees and the trail continues past the Lower Peak to the Upper Peak of Gray Butte, offering some of the best views California has to offer.

3. The Boy Scout Tree Trail at Redwood National Park

Near the Oregon border, lies the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. The hiking areas of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park give visitors a wonderful feeling of being far away from the hustle and bustle of city life and enjoying the calm breeze of the outdoors.

The Boy Scout Tree Trail is a moderate trail through an enchanting redwood forest around 5.6-mile long and is amongst the best hikes in these parts. The trail isn’t too hard and is suitable for beginners as well except for some areas of sharp turns and steep elevation, where you might need some assistance, so be prepared. While on the trail be sure to take your time admiring the dense canopy of giant trees.

2.5 miles from the trailhead leads up to a 2,000-year-old double redwood tree, named the Boy Scout Tree that was discovered by a Boy Scout troop leader. The trail concludes at the picturesque Fern Falls.

2. John Muir Trail to the Summit of Mount Whitney

Mount Whitney is the highest point in California's Sierra Nevada range located at the Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks and is the endpoint of the John Muir Trail, named after the famous naturalist John Muir.

You’ll require a high level of fitness to hike this one including altitude conditioning, which is very important. Hikers will need to set out before sunrise to complete the round-trip to and from the summit in a day. The direct trail to the peak of Mount Whitney is about a 22-mile round-trip trail from the Mount Whitney Portal, west of Lone Pine town. Starting at 8,360-foot elevation, the hike takes you all the way to the summit at 14,494 feet.

The Mount Whitney Portal also links up with the Pacific Crest Trail and that hike is one of the most physically demanding day hikes around. Hikers must start around 5 am in the morning to complete this 12 to 14-hour round-trip hike in daylight. Once again, this isn’t for the faint-hearted.

1. The Yosemite Falls Trail

Finally at number one is the Yosemite Falls Trail which is easily one of the best hikes in Yosemite National Park. This trail provides incredible views of Yosemite's most glorious waterfall, along with the panoramic perspective of the valley floor. The trail includes two parts, which combined is a 9-mile round-trip hike.

The first part of the Yosemite Falls Trail is a mile-long section to Columbia Rock, a moderate hike that ascends 1,000 feet. Views from here sweep across the Yosemite Valley to the Half Dome at the distance. The second part of Yosemite Falls Trails is optional and If you decided not to complete it, the section alone is a 2-mile round-trip hike that takes about two to three hours to complete.

The second part of the trail up to Yosemite Falls is where the real difficultly begins. This 7-mile round-trip hike includes an elevation up to 2,700 feet through rugged terrain and steep hillside staircases, recommended for more advance hikers. To complete this round-trip hike takes another 6 to 8 hours from Colombia Rock.

The Yosemite Falls Trail is really close to Yosemite Falls, giving you a great view while you’re on the trail, so much so, hikers often feel the mist from the waterfalls. Something you should really experience! After reaching the summit of this challenging trail, hikers can admire the incredible view of the Yosemite Valley.

That’s it for our list! Where do you think you’ll be going this weekend? Remember to always be prepared.