Bag the Wright Peak

Hiking to Wright Peak on Mount Konocti in Clear Lake California

04.28.2016

Perched proudly over the largest freshwater lake located wholly within California’s borders, and visible for miles in all directions, Wright Peak on Mount Konocti is the tallest point overlooking Clear Lake and offers a stunning summit panorama. Vistas span well to the Sierra Nevada! Reaching the peak requires a steady 1,649-foot climb on Mount Konocti, a long-dormant volcano that’s part of the Ring of Fire. All in, this is a 6.6-mile out-and-back adventure. Follow Wright Peak Trail, ascending through thick growths of California laurel, mountain mahogany, and foothill pine, stopping to take in some teasing peek-a-boo views of Clear Lake and the valley below. Spring flowers like baby blue eyes paint the landscape. Hang a sharp right at the rest area and make your way uphill into the dense, towering canopy of a cool maul-oak grove (some of these behemoths are over 500 years old!). Muscle through this last steep climb, past the wreckage of a private plane, and take a seat on one of the boulders at the peak to absorb the epic 360-degree views of the lake and the Sacramento Valley, stretching as far as the Sutter Buttes and Mount Lassen. All the Wright stuff!

ALTERNATE HIKE: Not seeking a steady climb to a peak? Head to Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, about 30 minutes away. This 6.5-mile (round-trip) hikes traverses the riparian wetlands of Anderson Marsh in lush meadows of valley oak, finally leading to a trail alongside the lakeshore.

wrightpeak2-image-jpeg

STAY: For the easiest access to Mount Konocti and Wright Peak Summit Trail, reserve a cabin or pitch a tent on the shore at Clear Lake State Park (pictured), a good home base.

To reach Mount Konocti and the Wright Peak Trail from downtown Kelseyville: Drive east until you enter Mount Konocti County Park. Continue for a mile, park at the paved lot a mile down the road, and walk through the gate to start your hike. A dirt road gently meanders into a blooming walnut orchard that marks the trailhead. Wright Peak is dog-friendly! (No dogs at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, the alternate hike option.)

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories

  1. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

    View

  2. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

    View

  3. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

    View
  4. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Locals' Feature: Jim Litchfield, Owner of Reno Fly Shop

    If there's a river, you're likely to find Jim Litchfield there. As the owner of Reno Fly Shop, Nevada's premier fly fishing outfitter and shop, Jim's passion for rivers knows no bounds: he's fished in places near and far, including Alaska, Bolivia and Christmas Island. But home is beautiful Reno, where he has been running Reno Fly Shop and leading tailored river float and fly fishing adventures (including beginner-friendly options) for over a decade.

    View

  2. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

    View

  3. Volcanic Activity

    Northern California is home to one of the most unique ecosystems in the country: Lassen Volcanic National Park. The region features geothermal areas, including the largest dome volcano in the world, Lassen Peak. Hike to the top of this active volcano on a 5-mile out-and-back.  

    View

  4. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

    View