This Underrated National Forest Across California & Nevada Is An Outdoor Haven For Hiking

Between them, California and Nevada contain more than 20 national forests, including the only California national forest without a major paved road, 11 national parks, and 24 national monuments, giving them one of the largest concentrations of federally protected public lands in the United States. Some are more well known than others — hello Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon, just a few of the must-visit national parks you'll want to add to your West Coast bucket list. And some fall beneath the radar, one of which is Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. From the eastern slopes of California's Sierra Nevada, reaching all the way across Nevada to the Utah and Idaho borders, Humboldt-Toiyabe is the largest national forest outside of Alaska. It covers more than 6.3 million acres of non-contiguous land — meaning it's not all in one continuous block — and contains 18 designated wilderness areas.

It also has more than 2,000 miles of trails passing through high desert valleys, alpine meadows, glacial canyons, several mountain ranges, and pine and aspen forests. Although overshadowed by its more famous neighbours, Humboldt-Toiyabe is an adventure playground just waiting to be explored, with endless opportunities for hiking, biking, horseriding, and many other outdoor activities. The double-barrelled name comes from two formerly separate national forests. One named after celebrated German naturalist Baron Alexander von Humboldt, and Toiyabe, meaning mountain in the Shoshone language. Both forests were established in the early 20th century before merging in 1995 for administrative reasons. Being spread out, it's easily reached from several large cities, depending on which wilderness you wish to explore, including Reno and Carson City along its western side, and Elko on the eastern side.

In California, the Pacific Crest Trail, one of the longest hikes in America, passes through Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, specifically the high mountain passes of the Mokelumne and Carson-Iceberg Wildernesses. Although tiny in comparison to the rest of the forest, it's also one of its most scenic, with panoramic views of the surrounding peaks and lakes. No permit is required for day hiking, but if you're staying overnight, you'll need a wilderness permit available from recreation.gov.

In Nevada, there's a great choice of trails, from short, easy hikes to multi-day backpacking treks. Around 63 miles of the Tahoe Rim Trail pass through Mount Rose Wilderness, with views over Lake Tahoe, the Sierra Nevada, and the Carson Range. One of the highlights is the 60-foot Galena Falls and if you get there in early summer, the meadows are bursting with colorful wild flowers. The challenging 37-mile Ruby Crest Trail takes you through the mountain wilderness of the "Swiss Alps of Nevada". As you make your way along the alpine passes, look out for bighorn sheep, marmots, and maybe even a mountain lion.

For day hikes, the popular 5.9-mile Hunter Creek Trail near Reno passes through canyons and subalpine forest before reaching the Hunter Creek Falls. Dip your toes in the water to cool down after a moderate hike with very little shade. The shorter 3.8-mile Fletcher Canyon Trail in the Mount Charleston Wilderness follows rocky paths and forest trails through narrow limestone canyons to the soothing sounds of Fletcher Creek. But if none of these take your fancy, AllTrails lists more than 450 trails in Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, so take your pick.

The Californian gateway town of Bridgeport is an excellent base for exploring other activities. Nearby Twin Lakes provides calm waters for paddling with kayaks, paddleboards, and boats available to hire from Twin Lakes Resort. A faster-flowing spot for kayaking would be the West Walker River, which has plenty of whitewater sections to keep experienced paddlers on their toes. Twin Lakes is also popular for fishing, with anglers hoping to get lucky with rainbow and brown trout. Bridgeport Winter Recreation Area means the fun doesn't stop in winter. It contains the first motorized winter recreation area in the country, for when you want to fool around on your snowmobiles.

Mountain bikers will love Ward Mountain Recreation Area, which has around 20 miles of trails over high-desert terrain. The trails here are also suitable for horse riding, as is Table Mountain Wilderness near the small historic town of Austin, which has both day and overnight trails. When night falls, Angel Lake in the East Humboldt Range near Wells has exceptionally dark and clear skies perfect for stargazing and nighttime photography. Conveniently, Angels Lake Campground is next door, but you'll need to reserve well in advance to be guaranteed a site in the busy summer season.

There are numerous camping options, with more than 40 campgrounds ranging from frontcountry sites to wilderness camping. One worth mentioning is Toquima Cave Campground, which is free and operates on a first-come, first-served basis. It sits next to the sacred Native American rock shelters, with pictographs dating back as far as 3,000 years. It's just one of an estimated 90,000 prehistoric and archaeological sites in Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.