NorCal Mountains – Trinity Alps Wilderness
525,627 acres
North of Weaverville & Lewiston, about 10 miles
West of Trinity Lake & Redding, CA
Headwaters of the Trinity River & the Salmon River
Shasta-Trinity National Forest
Thompson Peak – 9002′ elevation
Trinity Mountain – 6094′
Granite Peak – 8091′
Trinity is NorCal’s jewel of alpine lakes and granite peaks – many above 8000′ elevation, about 40 miles inland from the ocean. Trinity is located in between the infamous redwood coast and the I-5 corridor. Rivers, creeks, lakes, and trails into the high elevations regions, bqckpackers and equestrian campers alike.
Hiking trailheads are accessed from all sides -On the east side you have Trinity Lake & Trinity River w/ Highway 3 running lengthwise in a north-south direction. Hwy 299 runs east-west along the south side of the wilderness. Klamath River Hwy 96 lies on the west side of the wilderness. Salmon River, Scott Mountains and Cecilville are north of the alps.
Both the small Russian Wilderness & the larger Marble Mountain Wilderness are located to the north of Trinity Alps, along with rural towns near the Scott Mountains and the Salmon River. Castle Crags Wilderness is to the eastern side, near Interstate 5.
towns nearby –
- Callahan
- Cecilville
- Coffee Creek
- Etna
- Fort Jones
- Lewiston
- Orleans
- Sawyers Bar
- Somes Bar
- Trinity Center
- Weaverville
- Willow Creek
Campgrounds near Trinity Alps Wilderness
Trinity Alps Trailheads
Waterfalls & Lakes near Trinity
The mountainous area is quite unique, as exposed granite mountain peaks and alpine lakes are pretty rare in the coastal Cascade ranges. The only other spot in California that has an 8000′ peak nearing the coast is just north of Los Angeles – Los Padres’s Mount Abel & Mount Pinos peaks, both over 8000′ in elevation.
TRINITY ALPS TOPO MAP
The USDA map for Trinity Alps Wilderness was outta print for nearly 2 years and it has recently been updated and reprinted. New edition released in 2013 and now available at the Total Escape map store. Printed on waterproof map paper and updated in 2012.
Extra caution should be used when winds are high, camp fires are often banned due to wildfire danger. Check with local rangers for up to date conditions and always get your campfire permit.
mountain biking
4×4 trailheads
equestrian trails
Motorized vehicles, such as quads, ATVs, dirt bikes, Jeeps & 4x4s must stick to designated routes signed specifically for OHV (off highway vehicle) & you won’t be finding many of those inside National Parks & State Parks, so it’s best to look for BLM or NF lands. Many regular, forest, back roads close in winter due to heavy snow pack & thus become cross country ski, snowshoe or even snowmobiling trails. The best ones can be found in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
BLM: Bureau of Land Management
Some roads are suitable for passenger cars, but many are NOT. Dirt slides, erosion gullies, wash outs and rocks are common on these roads, so drive slow and pay attention. Have a spotter get out and take a look at the road conditions. Have a stroll, in the dark w/ the flashlights.
WILDFLOWERS – joshua tree, yucca, barrel cactus
California Terrain
SDBKCO Recreation Map
If you are fed up with city life, sitting in traffic & need to vacate your mind among the barren hills of California (if only for a weekend), then Total Escape is your place. You seek solitude, peace, maybe a mini tailgate party & BBQ on a dry lake bed, with the heavenly stars above. Imagine the warm camp fire light reflecting off the high canyon walls, your music echoing, moonlight hikes for a few miles.
or C as a backup idea.
CALIFORNIA OFF ROAD MAPS –
. The center of the parks is pretty much the town of Borrego Springs, where the State Parks visitors center is located. San Diego County Road S3 leads from Hwy 78 down the the town of 
If you’ve ever tried to travel across the state with a GoogleMap, YahooMap or MapQuest one page printout, you will soon realize the limitations. Stuck in a small town called Julian, at night, on Christmas Eve, arguing with your partner, trying to find your way over to Interstate 10. Not a good plan! A 
When you go camping, you wanna explore the area. That’s why you are camping there, right? Hiking & biking trails, equestrian trails, off road routes, river, streams, waterfalls & the closest trail heads. If you prefer primitive camping, outside of developed campgrounds without all the amenities, topographic maps of the back roads give you a perfect overview on where to begin your search. 
Mokelumne Map
