Adam Blauert: A ‘bucket list’ of the four best easy trails in scenic Central California

Over the past six years, I’ve featured hundreds of trails in this column – some close to home and some far away. Each can be a great place to stretch your legs, enjoy the great outdoors, and have fun with family and friends.

No matter what, however, there are a few trails so beautiful and iconic that you should try to walk them sometime in your lifetime. The following is a short “bucket list” of four of the best easy trails that just about anyone can enjoy in the most scenic Central California destinations:

Sierra Foothills – Hite Cove: Close to home and a great place to see wildflowers, this is one of the best spring hikes in the state. Look for the parking area 20 miles east of Mariposa on Highway 140. The wildflowers are already blooming in great profusion within a half-mile of the highway. You can follow the trail along the river to Hite Cove – a 19th-century gold mine and town located on a bend (cove) in the South Fork of the Merced River for a seven-mile round trip, but the best wildflowers are near the road. For more information, call the Sierra National Forest at (559) 877-2218.

Bay Area – Point Bonita: Located on the Marin County coastline near the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge, you get to the Point Bonita Lighthouse by an exciting trail that includes a tunnel and a suspension bridge. The round-trip walk is only a mile with a short climb on the way back to the parking lot. On weekends, the main parking lot is sometimes full and you may have to park a bit lower on the access road and extend your hike by a short distance. For more information, go to http://www.nps.gov/goga/pobo.htm or call (415) 331-1540. The lighthouse is open Saturday through Monday from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Central Coast – McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is one of the icons of the Big Sur coast. Although it is most impressive in the rainy season, the water falls gracefully over a cliff onto a sandy beach year-round. This is an easy, paved, half-mile round-trip walk along a paved path from the parking lot. Although some people park in narrow spaces along Highway 1, it is much safer to pay the $10 car entry fee and park in the official parking lot. For more information, go to http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578 or call (831) 667-2315.

Yosemite – Glacier Point and Sentinel Dome: If you’ve never been to Yosemite Valley, you’ve got to go at some point in your life. Put it on your calendar and do it. Just don’t go on a weekend in the middle of the summer. I recommend a weekday in May. The waterfalls are flowing at their best during this time and the meadows are starting to turn green. This year’s drought will limit the falls, but Yosemite Valley is always beautiful. I recommend leaving the biggest crowds behind by going up to Glacier Point and doing some exploring along the edge of the valley’s steep, granite walls. From the parking lot, it’s just a few steps to some unforgettable views of the valley floor, Half Dome, and a panorama of Yosemite’s highest peaks. To do some real walking, backtrack a mile along the road and park at the Taft Point/Sentinel Dome Trailhead and walk the easy trail to the dome. A short, steep final climb on granite will take you to the top for unforgettable views. The total trip is just over 2 miles. Glacier Point and Sentinel Dome are both great places to finish the day. The sunset view can be one of the best you’ll find anywhere in the park.

Campers 3,200 vertical feet below in Yosemite Valley often shine their flashlights up at the people at Glacier Point and the Glacier Pointers return the greeting. You also can often spot the lights of backpackers and rock climbers who are camped along the cliffs that surround the valley. For a map, go to http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm. The road to Glacier Point will probably open by the end of April. Check http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm or call (209) 372-0200 for updates.

Every one of these hikes is so easy that just about anyone can do it and all are open currently, except Glacier Point. All except Hite Cove are very popular and those who wish to enjoy them without the crowds (or at least with smaller crowds) should plan their trips for weekdays. All of the trails have steep drop-offs – be especially careful if you bring small children or older children who have a daring streak.

Coming soon: a second “bucket list” of slightly harder trails in the same areas.

This story was originally published March 17, 2015 at 7:16 PM with the headline "Adam Blauert: A ‘bucket list’ of the four best easy trails in scenic Central California."