Hiking lovers rejoice! There’s actually a hiking trail that spans the entire width of Northern California. The trail is actually part of the much larger American Discovery Trail which spans the entirety of the United States. Starting in Delaware, the Northern California section is considered the tail-end of the trail and it encompasses 376 miles in its entirety. There are several reasons to tackle this epic hike besides the fact that it stretches across the entire state. This incredible trail takes you through a variety of landscapes and contains loads of historical points of interest along the way. You definitely want to check this out.
The American Discovery Trail (referred to at the ADT) is a humongous hiking trail that stretches from the east coast to the west coast. The last leg of the trail makes its way through Northern California while showing off some of the best scenery that our state has to offer.
You'll start the 376-mile journey at the Nevada state line. The trail enters California via the Tahoe Rim Trail. This beautiful trail follows the northwestern shoreline of Lake Tahoe. With stunning panoramic views of the lake, you couldn't ask for a more scenic start to this hike.
You'll then switch over to the Western States Trail as you make your way through the stunning Squaw Valley. You'll find that the ADT switches over to numerous affiliated trails like the Pacific Crest Trail and the Foresthill Loop Trail, all of which have something special to offer.
The trail is a great way of discovering some of Northern California's loveliest hidden gems. You'll cross the historic No Hands Bridge over the American River before continuing onto the Auburn section of the trail.
One of the most fascinating stops along the way occurs when you switch over to the Pioneer Express Trail. From here you'll pass by the Folsom Dam, Folsom Prison, and the charming Old Town of Folsom. The best part of traversing this trail is spending time at all these fascinating spots.
You'll then follow the American River until it flows into the Sacramento River at Discovery Park. The park contains 302 acres of natural beauty and recreation sites. The trail continues meandering along the beautiful Sacramento River.
The ADT then makes its way into Old Town Sacramento where you'll find all sorts of neat historic buildings. The trail follows the city streets for some time before leaving Sacramento and leading you through numerous small towns like Walnut Grove and Locke.
One of the main highlights along the trail is when the ADT makes its way up to the north slope of Mt. Diablo to the 3,849-foot high summit. The view from here is incredible and you'll definitely want to stop and soak it all up.
From here the trail officially begins to enter more highly urban areas. You'll descend down into Strawberry Canyon and make your way through Berkeley and Oakland before boarding a ferry that will take you across to San Francisco.
For the last push, the trail connects to a number of trails that take you through Marin County and into Muir Woods National Monument. The trail continues northwest until it finally terminates at Point Reyes National Seashore. The sight of this breathtaking coastline is the perfect reward for such a massive trek!
