Best backpacking trips near Chico, CA

Ranked by straight-line distance from Chico (population ~101,475) to each trip's trailhead. Drive times are rough estimates — mountain roads are slower than they look.

Chico backpacking at a glance

Canyon Creek is the closest documented backpacking trip to Chico — the Canyon Creek Trailhead trailhead sits roughly 46 miles away, about 52 minutes by car. Of the 12 closest routes, 12 are within a two-hour drive of town, spanning Shasta-Trinity NF backcountry, Los Padres backcountry, Lassen Volcanic National Park and Desolation WildernessTrailheads for these trips sit between 512 and 7,661 feet, so you can pick a low, warm-season start or a high alpine route depending on the month.

One of these routes needs no wilderness permit at all — a good spontaneous option. Across the twelve closest trips, the months hikers rate best are July, August, September.If you want the gentlest introduction, Snag Lake Loop climbs only 603 feet over 7.8 miles; the biggest single-trip climb nearby is Snag Lake Loop at 603 feet of total gain over 7.8 miles.

#	Trip	Miles away	Est. drive	Distance	Gain	Difficulty	Permit
1	Canyon Creek Shasta-Trinity NF backcountry	46 mi	~52 min	14 mi	—	40	Required
2	Caldwell - Trout Creek Trail Los Padres backcountry	52 mi	~58 min	22.8 mi	—	55	None
3	Snag Lake Loop Lassen Volcanic National Park	63 mi	~70 min	7.8 mi	603 ft	11	Required
4	McCloud River Trail Shasta-Trinity NF backcountry	66 mi	~74 min	34 mi	—	60	Required
5	Bear Creek Trail Shasta-Trinity NF backcountry	69 mi	~77 min	17 mi	—	40	Required
6	Bailey Cove Trail Shasta-Trinity NF backcountry	77 mi	~86 min	6.2 mi	—	10	Required
7	Chanchelulla Divide Shasta-Trinity NF backcountry	79 mi	~88 min	9.4 mi	—	25	Required
8	East Tule Trail Shasta-Trinity NF backcountry	92 mi	~102 min	10 mi	—	25	Required
9	Stuart Fork Shasta-Trinity NF backcountry	97 mi	~108 min	30 mi	—	50	Required
10	Van Vleck Trail to Forni Lake Desolation Wilderness	98 mi	~109 min	9.8 mi	—		Required
11	North Fork Shasta-Trinity NF backcountry	102 mi	~113 min	38 mi	—	60	Required
12	Meeks Bay to Crag Lake Desolation Wilderness	103 mi	~115 min	9.8 mi	—		Required

Three ways to start backpacking from Chico

Closest trailhead: Canyon Creek — about 46 miles / 52 minutes from town.
Gentlest outing: Bailey Cove Trail — difficulty 10/100 (Easy), 1–2 days.
Biggest adventure: Snag Lake Loop — 7.8 miles and 603 ft of climbing.

Distances are great-circle miles from Chico to trailhead coordinates; actual road distances will be longer. Town data: Wikidata SPARQL (CC0), population values derived from U.S. Census Bureau estimates.

Backpacking near Chico: common questions

What is the closest backpacking trip to Chico?

Canyon Creek is the closest documented trip to Chico at roughly 46 miles (about 52 minutes of driving) from the Canyon Creek Trailhead trailhead.

Do I need a permit to backpack near Chico?

Many routes near Chico, including Canyon Creek, require a wilderness permit from Shasta-Trinity National Forest (USFS). Always check the managing agency before you go.

When is the best season to backpack near Chico?

For Canyon Creek — the closest trip to Chico — the best months are May, June, July, August, September, October.