All Stories from "Greater California"

All Stories from Greater California

Light at the End of the Road
Looking for the light at the end of the road? How about a light station?! Dramatically perched at the tip of a headland and surrounded by 30 acres of open space, Point Cabrillo Lig
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Sea-nic Stay & Stroll
Charmed. That’s about the best word to describe the way you’ll feel when you stay at Mendocino’s Sea Rock Inn. Its location couldn’t be better: just outside the village and overloo
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Just Dune It
Miles of epic sand dunes seem like something you're more likely to find in the desert than on Northern California's lush redwood coast. Surprise! One of the most spectacular expanses of sand-scape you’ll ever see is in Humboldt County, just minutes by car from Old Town Eureka.
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Big Tree Bonanza
Roosevelt elk, canyons draped in ferns and dripping with small waterfalls, oh … and the tallest trees on the entire planet! Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park has all the fixings for world-class hiking.
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I Do!
Even if you’re not getting married anytime soon, you’ve gotta visit Wedding Rock, the most dramatic spot in Patrick’s Point State Park. It’s called Wedding Rock because the park’s
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Cabin on the Coast
So you’d like to camp on the wild Mendocino coast … except for—you know—that whole pitching a tent and sleeping on the ground thing? A-OK! Actually, it’s KOA! Yes, Manchester Beach
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Swim Hole, Say No More!
People flock to Kirkwood’s Silver Lake, a quiet beauty set against the backdrop of the Sierras. But few know about the easy 2-mile out-and-back (round-trip) hike that follows one o
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Tall Drink of Waterfall
Tucked between Echo Summit and Lover’s Leap on US 50 there's an impressive display of water barreling down a mountain. Hello, Horsetail Falls! The commanding 800-foot-tall waterfal
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Meet Margaret!
You have an adventurous side and enjoy lakeside solitude, but you don’t want to be too far from your comfort zone. Time to meet Margaret! Tucked just north of Kirkwood and just off
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Blaster Jammin’ on the Kern
Record snowfall means record snowmelt is coming off the Sierra Nevada, which means the mighty Kern River is flowing stronger than it has in years. While some parts are genuinely tr
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Mono a Mano
Mono Lake is awesome to behold from any perspective. The saline lake spans the high desert north of Mammoth like a vast sheet of polished steel, and along its shores rise bizarre t
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Secret's Out
The turquoise waters and pristine beauty of Secret Cove on the east shore of Lake Tahoe are like an ode to Tahoe’s iconic spirit. And while this lovely spot near Incline Village is
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Spooner Afternoon
Tucked quietly away above Lake Tahoe’s eastern shore, Spooner Lake hides in plain sight. Just 12 miles north of Stateline on Highway 50, hikers, bikers, and beach loungers jet past
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Shealor Stunner
Robust mountains, striking slabs of granite, and deep green pine reflections make Shealor Lake near Kirkwood resort a jewel of the El Dorado National Forest. Reach this alpine oasis on a 1.3-mile hike.
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Tae Go Sah Temple
A startling vision greets you deep in Sand Canyon outside Tehachapi. Like an ancient Oriental woodblock print come to life, a Buddhist temple sits at the confluence of two narrow w
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Seaside Cycle and Sip
Enjoy an easy Santa Barbara bike ride and all the trimmings—which include gorgeous beach scenery and samples of local vintages. Hop on the Cabrillo Bike Path at Stearns Wharf for a
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Tunnel Vision
Don’t expect logic from oddball desert hermits! At Burro Schmidt Tunnel, that’s to our great benefit. It took 32 years for William “Burro” Schmidt to dig through a mountain in a re
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Red, White, and Hoodoos
“Don’t stay on the trail” sounds like an odd suggestion, but it’s the best way to explore the crimson sandstone cliffs and hoodoos that crosscut Red Rock Canyon State Park in the n
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The Tortoise In Its Lair
The Mojave Desert’s most extraordinary creatures are rarely seen, but at the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area, you’ll have your best chance. Tortoises live in higher density i
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Pine City Blooms
Where do you find the most condensed and diverse display of wildflowers of any hike in Joshua Tree National Park? Plus pine trees and a powerful sense of solitude? Why, in Pine City—which isn't a city at all. It's a 4-mile out-and-back trek.
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