Adventure Advisor:

In the entire history of Kings Canyon and Sequoia, I doubt there was ever a hiker who came in search of a treeless landscape. Visitors to northern California's parks generally come looking for redwoods, not rocks.

But if you insist on minimizing your exposure to greenery, you can try the Alta Peak Trail in Sequoia National Park. It's a rigorous 12.6-mile roundtrip that climbs nearly 4,000 feet to the summit -- one of the best views in the Sierras. You'll meander through some fairly dense foliage in the lower parts of the trail, but there's some scrambling over granite at the peak.

In Kings Canyon, the seven miles of steep switchbacks on the Copper Creek Trail should satisfy your need for a vertical challenge. As you climb, you can watch the canyons and meadows fall away far below.

Next time you come to California, I recommend that you keep to the southern end of the state. Your tastes might be more suited to the sandstone starkness of Joshua Tree or Anza Borrego.

In the meantime, may you make peace with the big trees.

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