Best backpacking trips near Madera, CA

Ranked by straight-line distance from Madera (population ~66,224) to each trip's trailhead. Drive times are rough estimates — mountain roads are slower than they look.

Madera backpacking at a glance

Lewis Creek Trail is the closest documented backpacking trip to Madera — the Lewis Creek Trailhead (Hwy 180) trailhead sits roughly 40 miles away, about 44 minutes by car. Of the 12 closest routes, 12 are within a two-hour drive of town, spanning Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Yosemite National Park and Sierra NF backcountryTrailheads for these trips sit between 3,973 and 11,086 feet, so you can pick a low, warm-season start or a high alpine route depending on the month.

Every one of these 12 routes requires a wilderness permit, so plan ahead — reservation windows open months before the season. Across the twelve closest trips, the months hikers rate best are September, July, October.If you want the gentlest introduction, Rancheria Falls climbs only 700 feet over 12.6 miles; the biggest single-trip climb nearby is Red Peak Pass Loop at 6,650 feet of total gain over 48.1 miles.

#	Trip	Miles away	Est. drive	Distance	Gain	Difficulty	Permit
1	Lewis Creek Trail Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks	40 mi	~44 min	11 mi	—		Required
2	Chilnualna Falls Yosemite National Park	47 mi	~52 min	9.2 mi	2,400 ft	15	Required
3	Buena Vista Range Yosemite National Park	47 mi	~52 min	29 mi	5,300 ft	30	Required
4	Kaiser Loop Trail Sierra NF backcountry	53 mi	~59 min	31.2 mi	—	50	Required
5	Rancheria Falls Yosemite National Park	54 mi	~60 min	12.6 mi	700 ft	10	Required
6	Dinkey Lakes Trail Sierra NF backcountry	54 mi	~60 min	22.6 mi	—	50	Required
7	Ostrander Lake Yosemite National Park	55 mi	~61 min	11.4 mi	1,500 ft	13	Required
8	Jackass Lakes Trail Sierra NF backcountry	55 mi	~61 min	7 mi	—	10	Required
9	Full North Rim Yosemite National Park	55 mi	~61 min	29.1 mi	6,200 ft	48	Required
10	Mono Meadow Sierra NF backcountry	56 mi	~62 min	8.6 mi	—	25	Required
11	Red Peak Pass Loop Yosemite National Park	56 mi	~62 min	48.1 mi	6,650 ft	41	Required
12	Pohono Trail + Four Mile Trail Yosemite National Park	56 mi	~62 min	18.3 mi	4,150 ft	32	Required

Three ways to start backpacking from Madera

Closest trailhead: Lewis Creek Trail — about 40 miles / 44 minutes from town.
Gentlest outing: Rancheria Falls — difficulty 10/100 (Easy), 2–2 days.
Biggest adventure: Red Peak Pass Loop — 48.1 miles and 6,650 ft of climbing.

Distances are great-circle miles from Madera 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 Madera: common questions

What is the closest backpacking trip to Madera?

Lewis Creek Trail is the closest documented trip to Madera at roughly 40 miles (about 44 minutes of driving) from the Lewis Creek Trailhead (Hwy 180) trailhead.

Do I need a permit to backpack near Madera?

Many routes near Madera, including Lewis Creek Trail, require a wilderness permit from Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (NPS). Always check the managing agency before you go.

When is the best season to backpack near Madera?

For Lewis Creek Trail — the closest trip to Madera — the best months are July, August, September.