Hike Kanaka Peak

Head to the Peltier Bridge Campground after entering Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and then go 1.1 miles along the road through the campground until you reach the trailhead for Kanaka Peak. The road from the campground is open from late spring to late fall, otherwise hikers will need to park at the campground and hike the extra 1.1 miles to the trailhead.

From the trailhead, you'll cross over Paige Boulder Creek and follow the trail until you reach a trail junction with Peltier Trail on the right. Stay straight and don't go onto Peltier Trail. Keep on the trail and 1.6 miles from the trailhead you will reach another trail junction, this time with Kanaka Cutoff Trail on the left. Ignore this one too and keep going straight.

1.9 miles later, you'll reach the summit after two steep sections of elevation gain. Be sure to enjoy the hike and take a moment to soak in the views as you hike up. At the top, there is a nice wooden bench to rest on as you look north. If you're quiet, you might even see black bear, blacktail mule deer, and various types of birds. According to the National Park Service, wildflowers are in abundance starting around April (and even in mid-March).

Watch out for poison oak if you wander off-trail to "chase a bear," especially in the winter months when they don't have their leaves. Look for reddish, skinny stick-like bushes that point upward (instead of outward), and avoid them.

Note: Visitors to Whiskeytown National Recreation Area will need either a Whiskeytown Pass or an Interagency Pass (e.g. America the Beautiful annual pass) to park anywhere in the park. They can be purchased for $10 (weekly pass) or $40 (annual pass) at the visitor information center upon turning into the park.