California · Hiking

Little Bald Hills

Little Bald HillsPhoto: BLUE • ǝnןq, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
10.3 mi
round trip
1,441 ft
climb
1,940 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Jun, Oct
best months

Is Little Bald Hills open right now?

No closures listed

The Forest Service lists no closures for Six Rivers National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Six Rivers National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Little Bald Hills is a hard hike in the Gasquet Ranger District of Six Rivers National Forest in northern California, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about 10 miles long, with a one-way climb of roughly 1,400 feet from a low point near 480 feet to a high of about 1,940 feet. The route is an out-and-back on natural surface, and it is open to both horses and bikes. That makes it a versatile option for riders and pack animals as well as hikers. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 76°F and October highs around 72°F, while July and August average about 94°F. That station sits about 560 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the ridge run cooler. Paradise is about a mile away, and Rock Creek offers canoeing about 2 miles off. For an overnight base, Big Flat campground is about 5 miles away, and Panther Flat Campground is about 9 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Jun, Oct

    Best time to visit Little Bald Hills

    Best months: April–June and October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      49° / 32°

      17 wet · 1 snow

    2. Feb

      55° / 33°

      15 wet · 1 snow

    3. Mar

      60° / 34°

      16 wet · 1 snow

    4. Apr

      67° / 37°

      12 wet

    5. May

      76° / 42°

      8 wet

    6. Jun

      83° / 46°

      4 wet

    7. Jul

      94° / 52°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      94° / 49°

      1 wet

    9. Sep

      87° / 44°

      3 wet

    10. Oct

      72° / 39°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      55° / 36°

      15 wet

    12. Dec

      47° / 33°

      18 wet · 1 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cave Junction 1 Wnw, OR, 35 mi away at 1,377 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

ParadisePhoto: BLUE • ǝnןq, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Paradise

~2 min drive

2.14-mile out-and-back trail in California with 364 ft elevation gain.

Craigs Creek TrailPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Craigs Creek Trail

~10 min drive

7.45-mile out-and-back hike in California with 2,304 ft elevation gain.

Hobbs Wall TrailPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Hobbs Wall Trail

~10 min drive

3.49-mile loop trail in California with 613 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

Coastal Trail: Last Chance Grade (North)

~14 min drive

This trailhead is used mostly by hikers going to Enderts Beach. Additionally, the trail continues south for 13 miles to the Damnation Creek Trailhead - and beyond. This section of the California Coastal Trail is a "hike and bike" trail. It follows the old California Coastal…

Trestle LoopPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Trestle Loop

~10 min drive

1.07-mile loop in California with 807 ft gain and 751 ft loss.

Coastal TrailPhoto: holisticmonkey, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Coastal Trail

~13 min drive

8.78-mile out-and-back coastal trail in California with 3,995 ft gain

Mill Creek Horse Trail (North)Photo: Tori Sloane, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mill Creek Horse Trail (North)

~11 min drive

6.22-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,771 ft elevation gain and loss.

Alder Basin TrailPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Alder Basin Trail

~10 min drive

1.34-mile out-and-back hike in California with 136 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

Old South Kelsey

~9 min drive

15.80-mile out-and-back trail in California with 2,396 ft gain.

Mill Creek TrailPhoto: Tori Sloane, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mill Creek Trail

~11 min drive

3.8-mile out-and-back hike in California with 1,149 ft of elevation gain.