Tramp at Trampas

Adventure hike in Las Trampas

Epic East Bay views: check! Terrain with just enough challenge to keep things interesting: check! Wildflowers blooming on spring green hills: check and check! Yep, you’ll wanna tramp Las Trampas for a richly scenic 6.2-mile (round-trip) loop that goes up and down across two ridges (and one valley!) through the eastern side of the park.

You will start and finish your hike on the Chamise Trail as it switchbacks through a cattle pasture, where the friendly giants may require you to pause your trek as you coax them off the trail. As you climb, you’ll pass the Mahogany Trail on your right. But keep left and stay on the Chamise Trail, so that you can save the most difficult and possibly slippery portions of this trail for uphill pushes. Be sure to enjoy the views of the rock formations and the hills to the south as you reach the top of the first climb.

After connecting with the Corduroy Hills Trail, you will have to scramble over a few boulders with scrub on either side (this is the most technical portion of this hike and is about 50 feet of trail). The next few miles are filled with spectacular views of Mount Diablo as you descend through shaded forest and open grasslands filled with a variety of wildflowers and butterflies.

The final push of this hike is a difficult uphill dirt section (approximately half a mile), so be sure to bring enough water and take some breaks as needed. The majority of the climb is through shaded forest, and after passing the top, you’ll hike along a creek that looks inviting enough to dip your toes in after the long climb. A final short ascent will bring you back to the Chamise Trail, where you can head back to the trailhead. Stamp for Trampas!

This loop follows the trails in this order when traveling clockwise around the loop: Chamise, Las Trampas Ridge, Corduroy Hills, Madrone, Virgil Williams, Del Amigo, Sulphur Springs, Trapline, and Mahogany. Make sure to pay attention to the trail markings as this loop does intersect multiple other trails. You can find a trail map at the parking lot or on the official site for Las Trampas Regional Wilderness. Park either in the Las Trampas Staging Area (map; bathrooms and water located here) or, to save 0.4 mile of additional distance, at the Chamise Trailhead parking lot. Be sure to have plenty of water with you for this hike. This is a moderately trafficked trail and is dog-friendly although some rock scrambling is needed.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

    View
  2. Hike the Oursan Trail alongside Briones Reservoir in the East Bay

    Opt for Oursan

    Hike the trail less traveled in the East Bay's Briones Regional Park. The Oursan Trail is pure serenity on a wide hiking path skirting the northern shores of Briones Reservoir.

    View
  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

    View
  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

    View
  2. Lace Up for Lacy

    Lacy Park in San Marino is a hidden gem that may very well be the most pristine green space in greater Los Angeles, and a concealed pair of nearby stairways makes it all the more appealing.

    View
  3. Hiker amid trees at Oak Glen Preserve in Yucaipa Southern California

    Apple of Your Eye

    That fall feeling is definitely in the air and on display at the Oak Glen Preserve. Apple orchards and colorful leaves are a bonus, as are the apple cider donuts and slushies you can enjoy post-hike.

    View
  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

    View