All Stories from Greater California
Carson Calling
Along the banks of the East Fork Carson River, brushing the California–Nevada border, sits a series of hot spring pools surrounded by high desert. The springs have for years been a
ViewFancy Camp
Wanna go rugged on the coast, minus the whole pitching your own tent and sleeping on the ground bit? Mendocino Grove is spot-on for upgrading your roughing-it experience, with beautifully appointed tent-cabins set across the bluffs overlooking Mendocino Bay.
ViewHead for the Headlands
A stroll along Mendocino's marquee bluffs is pretty much mandatory when you visit, and Mendocino Headlands State Park, which surrounds the charming hamlet of Mendocino, offers your
ViewBluffing Seals
We love aquariums, but there’s something special about viewing adorable, blubbery harbor seals in their natural habitat—namely Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve and Seal Sanctuary
ViewPirate of the Coast
Mendocino’s wild and scenic Pacific waters are filled with dramatic coves and caves best explored by kayak. Push your paddling boundaries with the experienced guides of Kayak Mendo
ViewEyepopping Poppies
Poppies! Lots and lots of poppies. Reaching the top of Grass Mountain near Santa Ynez feels like approaching the Emerald City in the Land of Oz—only crossing this poppy field won’t
ViewFantastic Phantom!
Blooming wildflowers and gushing waterfalls can only mean one thing: spring on North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve! The mountain—actually a basalt mesa—is worth a visit any tim
ViewA Splash of Whiskeytown
Located just 8 miles west of Redding and surrounded by mountain peaks, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is nearly 40,000 acres of all things outdoors: waterfalls, campgrounds, beaches, hiking trails, and a beautiful crystal-clear lake at the center of it all.
ViewWeekend at Burney's
The 129-foot Burney Falls gushes 100 million gallons of water every day over a basalt cliff face from Burney Creek. Get up close to it on an easy 1.2-mile hike taking you down to the waterfall’s base.
ViewWest's Best Bike Ride
It’s the crown jewel of biking trails, wending its way through wildflowers and by the banks of the rippling Sacramento River, with stunning mountain views along the way. You’ll als
ViewHot, Wet, and Wild!
At Wild Willy’s Hot Springs, you can soak up a primeval landscape that’s amazingly close to Mammoth Lakes and Highway 395—it just feels a few geological epochs away. The springs ar
ViewSoaking Up History
When you slide into the soothing water of Keough’s Hot Springs, you’re bathing in a piece of Owens Valley history. Although this rustic resort south of Bishop has changed hands a f
ViewHike the Pioneer Trail
Wildflowers unfurling from their winter slumber, birds chirping in the trees, turtles warming themselves in the sun—find your Zen early this spring with a mellow and scenic hike to
ViewAll the Ride Stuff
Car-free, paved, picnic-friendly, and paralleling the river, the American River Parkway–Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail is the perfect place for exploring on two wheels. The multi-us
ViewRow With the Flow
Gliding across the tranquil waters of Lake Natoma, you’ll quickly discover why this oasis is beloved by locals. The lake—actually part of the American River—is a paddler’s paradise
ViewTotally Tubular!
Lift, slide, scream, repeat! For pure winter fun, you can’t beat tubing at Woolly's Tube Park near Mammoth Mountain. It’s all about the simplistic delight of hurtling down a 600-foot-long chute of packed snow on an inner tube.
ViewSnowshoe Country
Snowshoeing at Virginia Lakes, a cluster of alpine lakes nestled in the rugged eastern Sierra northwest of Mono Lake, is an unforgettable journey—and you’re likely to see just a ha
ViewPeaceful Pistes
Downhill not your cup of cocoa? Go Nordic! Mammoth’s stunning Lakes Basin has 19-plus miles of groomed cross-country ski and snowshoe trails where you won’t find crowds or expensiv
ViewMake Way for McWay
Big Sur’s had some hard luck with fire damage and mudslides in the past few years, but that hasn’t put a stop to its wild natural beauty: epic Pacific views, iconic redwoods, and o
ViewRedwoods Friday
How’s this for a post-Thanksgiving plan: on Black Friday, you’ll be seeing red … as in magnificent redwoods! Yep, the day after Thanksgiving you can enjoy free day-use admission to
View
The 2025 Hiking Calendar Is Here!
Ready to make hiking part of your New Year’s wellness plan? Get the all-new 2025 Hiking Calendar courtesy of Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST).
Get the 2025 POST Hiking Calendar
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