The biggest mountain range in California is the massive Sierra Nevada, famous for its legendary Gold Rush Trail and now an incredibly rich wine region, world famous for producing gold of a different kind, the liquid kind. But there's more. There's Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Mountain, both delivering exceptional skiing, plus the California coastal range, San Bernardino mountains, the Cascade range and plenty more remarkable sights.
The highest peak in California is Mount Whitney at 14,505 feet, in the hot, dry Sierra Nevada.
Head to the world famous Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon and Lassen National Park for landscapes so wild and beautiful you'll carry their captivating siren song in your heart forever. Discover the deepest valley in North America and the oldest lake. Explore baked, desert-dry lake beds and the oldest living being in the world, the bristlecone pine tree. This really is an unforgettable destination.
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Yosemite
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Lake Tahoe
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Mammoth Lakes
Take in all three of these outstanding natural wonders and you'll leave feeling your life has been enriched and enhanced through total immersion in some of the planet's most beautiful landscapes.
Owens Valley sits at more than 4,500 feet, making it one of the deepest in the USA. The stunning, wild Big Sur Coast is part of the Coastal mountain range, running from Carmel to just north of San Simeon, California. Experts say California is so different from the rest of the USA because of its mountains, which kept it separate, secret and remote for longer than the rest of the nation.
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The Sierra Nevada range is 500 miles long, 70 miles wide, 15,000 feet high
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Mammoth Mountain is popular with skiers, hikers and mountain bikers, topping 12,000 feet
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The amazing Mount Shasta Volcano sits in the extreme north of the Sierra Nevada
Mount Pinos, Lassen Volcano, Mount Shasta, Mount Williamson, San Gorgonio... everywhere you look in California you're ringed by stunning ranges of mountains, each with its own personality.
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you.” - John Muir
It's perfectly possible to start off baking in the desert and end up freezing in the snow. The Sierra Nevada is a magical blend of lakes, streams and rivers, sheer delight for hikers and heaven for anglers. This is prime backpacker country studded with beautiful, well-marked trails and remote camps. It's adored by cross country skiers and known worldwide for its outstanding snow conditions in winter and spring. Climbers scale the dizzying heights and mountaineers enjoy thrilling rock walls, high gullies, ridges, peaks and vast, skyscraping summits. You will feel very small! With its rugged terrain, unique flora and fauna and exciting opportunities for outdoor recreation, the many mountain ranges of California offer something for everyone.
The pretty Santa Clarita region awaits you, with 70 miles of scenic trails into the massive wilderness and 20 more miles of 'paseos', made-up trails designed for commuting and recreation. You'll also discover a wealth of excellent museums here, some large and some tiny. The region's waterfalls are amazing, dramatic plumes of crashing water. There are well-laid-out municipal parks and live music concerts, vibrant markets bursting with fresh local produce, sparkling lakes. Choose from a wealth of mountain resorts including June Lake, Bass lake, Northstar, Big Bear Lake, Squaw Valley and Olympic Valley.