146 official trails lie within 25 miles of Salinas — 307 miles in total, 92 rated easy and 10 hard or expert. Every distance and elevation figure below is computed from the agency centerline and a 10 m elevation model, not crowd-sourced.
The biggest climb nearby gains 3,904 ft; the median trail gains 353 ft.
| Trail | Miles | Climb | Difficulty | Drive from town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paloma Ridge Truck Trail | 9.7 | 3,904 ft | Expert | 1 h 25 min · 34 mi |
| Carmel River | 13.3 | 2,602 ft | Expert | 1 h 12 min · 35 mi |
| Big Pines | 7.2 | 2,431 ft | Expert | 1 h 28 min · 38 mi |
| Ollason Trail | 4.7 | 1,395 ft | Hard | 46 min · 18 mi |
| Black Mountain Trail | 3.1 | 1,604 ft | Hard | 29 min · 13 mi |
| Snively's Ridge Trail | 4.1 | 1,357 ft | Hard | 49 min · 26 mi |
| Rocky Ridge Trl | 1.9 | 1,749 ft | Moderate | 55 min · 35 mi |
| Toyon Ridge Trail | 2.4 | 1,390 ft | Moderate | 27 min · 11 mi |
| Cougar Ridge Trail | 2.3 | 1,352 ft | Moderate | 31 min · 13 mi |
| Saddle Trail | 1.6 | 1,590 ft | Hard | 1 h 08 min · 33 mi |
| Sprig Trail | 2.7 | 1,128 ft | Moderate | 59 min · 38 mi |
| San Clemente Trail | 1.7 | 1,487 ft | Moderate | 1 h 28 min · 38 mi |
| East Ridge Trail | 1.7 | 1,398 ft | Moderate | 1 h 08 min · 33 mi |
| Palisades Trail | 1.9 | 1,281 ft | Moderate | 39 min · 23 mi |
| Merry-Go-Round Trail | 2.0 | 1,144 ft | Moderate | 1 h 09 min · 34 mi |
| Rattlesnake Creek | 1.7 | 1,081 ft | Moderate | 1 h 13 min · 35 mi |
| Mark's Canyon Trail | 2.0 | 1,004 ft | Moderate | 39 min · 14 mi |
| San Clemente | 1.8 | 1,032 ft | Moderate | 1 h 21 min · 45 mi |
| Monterey Peninsula Recreational Trail | 10.0 | 148 ft | Moderate | 39 min · 23 mi |
| Hennicksons Jeep Trail | 2.6 | 606 ft | Moderate | 1 h 23 min · 37 mi |
| Garzas Canyon Trail | 2.4 | 665 ft | Moderate | 39 min · 22 mi |
| Hitchcock Loop Trail | 1.4 | 1,093 ft | Moderate | 50 min · 25 mi |
| Ridge Trail | 1.6 | 982 ft | Moderate | 59 min · 38 mi |
| Skyline Rd | 3.0 | 659 ft | Moderate | 29 min · 12 mi |
Summits: Paloma Ridge Truck Trail to Twin Peaks; Vasquez Trail to Vasquez Knob; Loop Trail (Mount Madonna County Park) to Mount Madonna; Tan Oak Trail to Mount Madonna
Lakes: Sprig Trail to Sprig Lake; Monterey Peninsula Recreational Trail to Roberts Lake; Sand City to Monterey Beach Route to El Estero; Monterey Bay Recreation Trail to El Estero
Viewpoints: Wood Camp to Overlook; Byrne Trail to AJ's Point of View; Palo Corona to Inspiration Point; Vizcaino to Whisler Overlook
Mountain passes: Carmel River to Church Creek Divide; Hennicksons Jeep Trail to Little Bear Trap
Springs: Carmel River to Sulphur Spring
Beaches: Carmel Beach to Carmel Beach; Carmel River State Beach to Monastery Beach; Sand City to Monterey Beach Route to Del Monte Beach; Monterey Coastal Bike Path - in Monterey to Aeneas Beach
Nearby towns: Gilroy (22 mi) · Soledad (25 mi) · Santa Cruz (30 mi) · San Jose (43 mi)
All California trail guides · Hiking by city · Dispersed camping rules