Best backpacking trips near Merced, CA

Ranked by straight-line distance from Merced (population ~86,333) to each trip's trailhead. Drive times are rough estimates — mountain roads are slower than they look.

Merced backpacking at a glance

Tuolumne River Canyon Trail is the closest documented backpacking trip to Merced — the Tuolumne River Canyon Trail Trailhead trailhead sits roughly 44 miles away, about 48 minutes by car. Of the 12 closest routes, 12 are within a two-hour drive of town, spanning Stanislaus NF backcountry, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Yosemite National Park and Sierra NF backcountryTrailheads for these trips sit between 1,457 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, June.If you want the gentlest introduction, Ostrander Lake climbs only 1,500 feet over 11.4 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	Tuolumne River Canyon Trail Stanislaus NF backcountry	44 mi	~48 min	7 mi	—	10	Required
2	Lewis Creek Trail Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks	48 mi	~53 min	11 mi	—		Required
3	Chilnualna Falls Yosemite National Park	50 mi	~55 min	9.2 mi	2,400 ft	15	Required
4	Buena Vista Range Yosemite National Park	50 mi	~55 min	29 mi	5,300 ft	30	Required
5	Full North Rim Yosemite National Park	50 mi	~55 min	29.1 mi	6,200 ft	48	Required
6	El Capitan via Tamarack Creek Yosemite National Park	51 mi	~57 min	21.6 mi	1,700 ft	21	Required
7	Pohono Trail + Four Mile Trail Yosemite National Park	52 mi	~58 min	18.3 mi	4,150 ft	32	Required
8	Ostrander Lake Yosemite National Park	54 mi	~60 min	11.4 mi	1,500 ft	13	Required
9	Mono Meadow Sierra NF backcountry	55 mi	~62 min	8.6 mi	—	25	Required
10	Red Peak Pass Loop Yosemite National Park	55 mi	~62 min	48.1 mi	6,650 ft	41	Required
11	Upper Yosemite Fall Yosemite National Park	57 mi	~63 min	7.4 mi	2,700 ft	16	Required
12	Eagle Peak Yosemite National Park	57 mi	~63 min	12.6 mi	3,770 ft	23	Required

Three ways to start backpacking from Merced

Closest trailhead: Tuolumne River Canyon Trail — about 44 miles / 48 minutes from town.
Gentlest outing: Tuolumne River Canyon Trail — difficulty 10/100 (Easy), 1–2 days.
Biggest adventure: Red Peak Pass Loop — 48.1 miles and 6,650 ft of climbing.

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

What is the closest backpacking trip to Merced?

Tuolumne River Canyon Trail is the closest documented trip to Merced at roughly 44 miles (about 48 minutes of driving) from the Tuolumne River Canyon Trail Trailhead trailhead.

Do I need a permit to backpack near Merced?

Many routes near Merced, including Tuolumne River Canyon Trail, require a wilderness permit from Stanislaus National Forest (USFS). Always check the managing agency before you go.

When is the best season to backpack near Merced?

For Tuolumne River Canyon Trail — the closest trip to Merced — the best months are June, July, August, September, October.