[N1 Outdoors]

What are some of the best hiking locations in the U.S.?

[Trent O]

California is loaded with prime hiking opportunities with deeply rewarding vistas. Mammoth Lakes, Big Sur and Yosemite are three of the most beautiful places in the US and are frequented by visitors from all over the world.

But for my money and time it’s hard to beat The Sequoia National Forest area of eastern Kern and Tulare Counties. The weather is always sunny (300 plus days of sunshine per year), the terrain is challenging, the views are fantastic and you won’t have to share them with countless tourists.

I’m a big believer in adventure hiking. I don’t want to walk a loop just to say I did it. I’d much rather pick a point on the map and then work my way there, and hopefully back. The Sequoia National Forest is perfect for this type of hiking.

There are a multitude of maintained trails that will lead you deep into the mountains where you can then veer off trail and find hidden gems. I have learned from my experiences that if you see an interesting rock formation or water feature there is a good chance people from the past were once drawn to that same place and often times will leave signs of their visit.

I love running across old abandoned mine claims and native American pictographs. These areas are extremely remote so I strongly recommend a hiking partner, redundant GPS systems and ample water. Hiking for me is essentially about challenging myself physically and about walking paths few have ever walked before.

[N1 Outdoors]

California has some beautiful forests. We had the opportunity to visit a friend in California several years ago and were blown away by the views!

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