Trails covered in my hiking guidebooks may be closed for a variety of reasons, with wildfires being the most common. For each trail closure I list the hike name, hike number, and book name.
I also list trails that have had major recent changes, usually meaning a wildfire burned through the area, although the trail is still open.
Note: I try my best to keep this list up to date, but you should always double-check with the relevant government agency for the latest information. Also be aware that this list only covers the trails in my books, not the many other Northern California trails that may also be closed.
Note also: this list does not address trails and trailheads that are inaccessible due to snow or short-term weather events.
Most recent update: June 1, 2021
Northern Sierra Nevada
The 2020 North Complex Fire burned much of the land around the Feather Falls Trail. The earliest it will open is spring of 2021. More information here.
Feather Falls, Plumas National Forest. CLOSED through at least the spring of 2023. Hike 25, 100 Classic Hikes: Northern California, 4e
Lassen Area
Lassen Volcanic National Park
No known closures.
Lassen National Forest
No known closures.
Lava Beds National Monument
The 2020 Caldwell Fire burned much of the eastern portion of Lava Beds National Monument. The following trail in Day Hiking: Mount Shasta, Lassen & Trinity Alps Regions is closed:
Schonchin Butte (Hike 90) CLOSED through mid-July, 2020 for repairs to the lookout on top.
Thomas-Wright Battlefield, Hike 92 CLOSED (The Black Crater Trail is open)
Redding Area and Nearby
The devastating 2018 Carr Fire burned nearly all of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and much of the BLM land in west Redding and nearby.
West Redding
You will see major evidence of the Carr Fire along the following trails in west Redding (all in Day Hiking: Mount Shasta, Lassen & Trinity Alps Regions):
Piety Hill Loop, Bureau of Land Management, Redding. Hike 6
Sacramento River Trail Loop, City of Redding. Hike 7
Sacramento River Rail Trail, Bureau of Land Management, Redding. Hike 8
FB Trail, Bureau of Land Management, Redding. Hike 9
Mule Mountain Pass and Black Bear Pass, Bureau of Land Management, Redding. Hike 13
Mule Mountain Ridge to Mule Mountain Summit, Bureau of Land Management, Redding. Hike 14
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Nearly all the trails in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area suffered major burning in the Carr Fire, with the Shasta Divide Nature Trail an exception. The following trails from Day Hiking: Mount Shasta, Lassen & Trinity Alps Regions are open:
Shasta Divide Nature Trail, Hike 15
Oak Bottom Water Ditch, Hike 16
Crystal Creek Ditch Trail, Hike 19
Whiskeytown Falls, Hike 20
Mount Shasta Mine Loop, Hike 21
Guardian Rock and Clear Creek, Hike 23
Davis Gulch, Hike 24
The following trails from Day Hiking: Mount Shasta, Lassen & Trinity Alps Regions are closed:
Boulder Creek Falls, Hike 17 CLOSED
Tower House Historic District and Mill Creek, Hike 18 CLOSED (also Hike 62 in 100 Classic Hikes: Northern California, 4e); Note: the Camden Water Ditch Trail at the beginning of the hike is open.
Kanaka Peak, Hike 22 CLOSED
Brandy Creek Falls, Hike 25 CLOSED
Shasta Lake Area
The following trail from Day Hiking: Mount Shasta, Lassen & Trinity Alps Regions is partially closed:
Hirz Bay, Hike 29: The first mile of the trail south from the Dekkas Rock picnic is open, but the last portion of the trail to Hirz Bay Campground is temporarily closed until sometime in June 2021 while the Forest Service does hazardous tree removal.
Mount Shasta and Nearby
No known closures.
Trinity Alps Wilderness
No known closures.
Marble Mountains Wilderness and Russian Wilderness
No known closures.
Yolla-Bolly Middle-Eel Wilderness
The 2020 August Complex wildfire burned much of Mendocino National Forest and parts of adjacent forests, including a big chunk of Yolla-Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness.
North Yolla Bolly Trails, Shasta–Trinity National Forest, Yolla Bolly Ranger Station. Hike 77, 100 Classic Hikes: Northern California, 4e. The 2020 August Complex Fire burned the upper portion of the Pettijohn Trail, plus North Yolla Bolly Lake and the summit of North Yolla Bolly Mountain.
Redwood National & State Parks and Nearby
Rhododendron Trail, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Hike 19, Hike the Parks: Redwood National & State Parks. The section of the Rhododendron Trail from the Brown Creek Trail to the South Fork Trail is closed. This means you can’t complete the loop described in Hike 19: Brown Creek, Rhododendron, and South Fork Loop. You can, however, hike the Brown Creek Trail and the South Fork Trail.
Damnation Creek Trail, Redwood National & State Parks. Hike 25, Hike the Parks: Redwood National & State Parks. The trail is open most of the way down, but the bridge is out, preventing hiking the last 200 yards to the ocean.
Mill Creek Trail, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Hike 36, Hike the Parks: Redwood National & State Parks. Due to major improvements related to the Grove of the Titans project, the first mile of the Mill Creek Trail beginning at Howland Hill Road is closed through late summer of 2021. The remaining two miles of trail running northerly to the Smith River is closed until sometime in 2022.
Wine Country
The 2020 Walbridge Fire (LNU Complex Fire) burned much of Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve and Austin Creek State Recreation Area. More information here.
East Ridge and Pool Ridge Loop, Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve and Austin Creek State Recreation Area. CLOSED. Hike 77, 100 Classic Hikes: Northern California, 4e
The 2020 Glass Fire in Sonoma County burned much of Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, but nearly all the trails are open, including:
Bald Mountain, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. Hike 79, 100 Classic Hikes: Northern California, 4e
Bay Area
Most of Butano State Park and Big Basin Redwoods State Park burned during the August 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fires. Big Basin Redwoods State Park is closed through at least summer of 2021. More information here for Big Basin Redwoods State Park and here for Butano State Park.
Butano State Park. CLOSED. Hike 93, 100 Classic Hikes: Northern California, 4e
Berry Creek Falls and Silver Falls, Big Basin Redwoods State Park. CLOSED. Hike 94, 100 Classic Hikes: Northern California, 4e
Skyline to the Sea Trail to Berry Creek Falls, Big Basin Redwoods State Park. CLOSED. Hike 95, 100 Classic Hikes: Northern California, 4e
Sacramento
The Blue Ridge Trail and the Homestead and their surroundings near Lake Berryessa completely burned in the August 2020 LNU Lightning Complex Fire. They are open for much of their lengths; however, as of now the connector trail that allows the combination of the two trails into a loop is closed. More information here.
Blue Ridge Trail, Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve. Hike 34, Urban Trails Sacramento
Homestead Trail, Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve, Hike 35. Urban Trails Sacramento
