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- Northern CA
Wild Views & Wildflowers
Huge views are even better when the surrounding landscape is painted by wildflowers. Here are three Bay Area hikes and bike rides combining beautiful vistas and flower power!
VIEW - Southern CA
Spring for Fallbrook Hikes
Tucked in north San Diego County, Fallbrook is famous for its avocados, but less known are the outstanding open space preserves, home to some of SoCal's best hiking. From a peak-bagging butt-buster to a lollygagging wander, here are three to Fallbrook for.
VIEW - Northern CA
Big Hikes in Wine Country
Some of the best ridge walks in the Bay Area just go better with a post-hike wine or beer. From Napa to the Russian River, we’ve rounded up a few ridge ramblin’ adventures that pack in the miles, the redwoods, the wildflowers, and the views—with bonus beverages too!
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Sublime San Juan Islands
Well, well, this wellness action plan takes you to the San Juan Islands! Easily reached by ferry yet worlds away in tranquility and unique adventures, this Washington State jewel of the Salish Sea nurtures through nature.
View - Northern CA
Tasty Adventures
Kayak to a Bavarian beer garden, bike to cool urban wineries, and hike secret hillside passageways followed by exotic tequila tastings: A day exploring Oakland is better when you bike, hike, and paddle to the good stuff!
VIEW - Southern CA
Secret Hikes of Griffith Park
LA’s Griffith Park isn’t a secret, but that doesn’t mean there aren't secret hiking spots—especially those of the artistic kind. Here are three ways to explore Griffith and discover its hidden gems. Avant Garde, Griffith!
VIEW - Northern CA
Get Outdoors, Then Grab a Drink
Kicking back with a drink and reveling in your adventure? Well, sometimes that's half the fun. Here are a few adventure and après options to celebrate spring.
VIEW - Northern CA
Easter Outdoors!
New Point of View Battery East Vista on the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge celebrated its official opening in late 2015—and is a coastal gem for hikers, bikers, and sightseers. Shhh Summit Marin’s Mount Tam is one of the Bay Area’s most traveled mountains, yet even this icon holds some secrets … including a lesser known peak. Roses & Redwoods Combine a beautiful garden with a hidden redwood grove—right in Berkeley! [sponsored-story] Bean Meaning to Go South of Pescadero sits one of the few dog-friendly beaches along the San Mateo Coast, and a golden place to barbecue and picnic. Majestic Mojave The newly designated Mojave Trails National Monument in Southern California has colorful canyons, epic mountain ranges, and fossil beds with 550-million-year-old trilobite remnants!
VIEW - Southern CA
Basket of Adventures
Hidden Hike The Canyon View Loop Trail is a less-traveled hike that includes a section of the Pacific Crest Trail and possibly bighorn sheep sightings. Discover it in the recently designated Sand to Snow National Monument. Urban Vistagram Just a mile from the heart of downtown yet an oasis world away lies an 11-acre park with a trail offering one of the very best views of LA’s skyline. B-Roll Three of our favorite B words come together to make this adventure happen: Bike. Beach. Brewery. [sponsored-story] Paddle, Picnic, Sunset, Wine Like a Half Dome of the Central Coast, Morro Rock is an iconic fixture of San Luis Obispo County’s shoreline. Take a magical kayak and picnic tour at sunset. Knapp Time Knapp’s Castle in Los Padres National Forest is a quirky site filled with original ruins—and stunning panoramic views of the Santa Ynez Mountains.
VIEW - Southern CA
Roam the Ruins
From shipwrecks to a fallen mansion and an old jail cell at a mission, the area stretching between Los Padres National Forest and the Pacific Coast is riddled with intriguing ruins. Here are three to see!
VIEW - Northern CA
Spring Forward Hikes
From a Santa Cruz state park hike with a beach bonus, to a Midpeninsula Open Space Preserve hidden behind urban scenes, here are three great hikes to help you spring forward!
VIEW - Northern CA
Wild Weather Adventures
1) Go With the Flow In winter, Mount Tam’s Cataract Falls transforms into a fast-charging flow, churning and tumbling with such spectacular force. The roar of the falls fills Cataract Canyon, an ideal place to hike, especially when it’s raining. Make Tracks in Tahoe Get an amazing view of Lake Tahoe’s big blue beauty on a 3.6-mile (round-trip) snow-shoe adventure offering 360-degree views. Walk with the Devil The multi-use Devil’s Slide section of the California Coastal Trail just south of Pacifica is usually much less crowded when gray skies and rain are around, and it’s a prime spot for viewing all that’s wild about the weather and the sea. Sink Right In Heat things up at Sierra Hot Springs in Sierraville. Open 24 hours, the property sits on the edge of a golden meadow and 700 acres of National Forest land. Light Up Your Life The 115-foot Lighthouse Tower at Point Arena Light Station in Mendocino County is one of the few lighthouses you can climb to the top of for a brilliant balcony panorama of the Pacific Coast (and possible gray whale sightings)! Wine About It When all else fails, wine-taste in a pretty place! Amador County’s Shenandoah Valley is fast becoming the go-to region, with a down-to-earth vibe and inexpensive tasting fees, even as the awards keep rolling in. The loping sun-drenched vineyards are absolutely stunning (and less crowded!) in winter.
VIEW - Southern CA
National Obsession
Recently President Obama federally protected nearly 2 million acres of California desert by designating three new national monuments across select landscapes well worth a visit. Here’s how to hike around and explore each one of them.
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Hidden Redwoods
The awe-inspiring redwoods in Muir Woods and Big Basin rightfully draw a following, but you can experience the tallest living things on earth in lesser-known spots, too. Here are three hidden redwood groves whose roots run deep in the Bay Area.
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Sublime San Juan Islands
Well, well, this wellness action plan takes you to the San Juan Islands! Easily reached by ferry yet worlds away in tranquility and unique adventures, this Washington State jewel of the Salish Sea nurtures through nature.
View - Southern CA
Sepulveda's Secrets
Thousands of motorists catch a glimpse of LA’s Sepulveda Dam while madly weaving through the interchange of the 405 and 101 freeways, but few know that it's publicly accessible by foot and bike trails, with some movie mojo, too. Step outside for some Sepulveda Basin!
VIEW - Southern CA
Welcome to the New Weekend Sherpa
Mugu Magic Set on the coast between Oxnard and Malibu, Point Mugu State Park is dressed to impress. Make a date with its namesake peak on a 5-mile (round-trip) summit-bagging hike. Joshua's Wild Side Joshua Tree National Park is wild in more ways than its gnarly trees. Hike the park's west side for a big-picture vantage of the desertscape. The 6.7-mile Lost Horse Mine loop is both eerie and beautiful. Crystal Ball Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County is prized for its glistening beaches, but there's also 2,400 acres of backcountry, including a 9-mile hike (or mountain bike) to a high point that rewards with gorgeous coastal scenery. LA Stairway Urban hiking has a wild side, and the proof is just northeast of downtown LA. This 4-mile loop traverses Mount Washington and includes a cardio climb up a mountain with stunning views. Bigger and Boulder From afar, Stoney Point Park in Simi Valley looks like a real-life drip sandcastle. Get right into it though and find a park filled with hidden caves and alcoves only nature could design. The Great Ascot! Sometimes the skyline's the limit, and that's a good thing if you're visiting Ascot Hills Park, an 83-acre LA respite that offers a winter sunset to remember. Lava & Java Mojave National Preserve's got more than a few ways to get your adrenaline pumping, so go with the flow—or rather, go where the lava once flowed.
VIEW - Northern CA
Welcome to the New Weekend Sherpa
Kirby Calling Just west of the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin is one of the bay's most secluded beaches for barbecuing and beach lounging. Peak of the Devil At 2,369 feet, Mount Diablo's Eagle Peak is not as high as its main peak, but the 3-mile (one-way) adventure to reach it is much more enticing. Whale a Minute! Mori's got mojo for whale watching! Thanks to its exposed promontory, Pacifica's Mori Point is an ideal spot for spying gray whales during migrations. Nice Ride Ready to stop spinning your wheels with the same old routine in Sonoma and Napa? Shift gears by taking this leisurely 30-mile road ride through the Carneros region. Hot Tomales! The 9-mile (round-trip) hike to Tomales Point in Point Reyes is a classic, and one of California's best, with outstanding views, wildlife sightings, and an oceanfront setting. Yes Sur! A hidden coastal hike in Big Sur, a beautiful beach, and maybe a little wine-tasting afterwards? Here's the plan. Hike & Bike an Island Car-free Angel Island State Park has a rich history, hidden south-facing beach, and ridiculously scenic picnic and campsites. Experience it in a nutshell on an 8-mile bike-and-hike adventure.
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Chasing Waterfalls
The reservoirs are reaching their peak, the hills are electric green, and the waterfalls are in show-off mode. Hit the trail and chase these waterfalls!
VIEW - Southern CA
Best of Big Bear's Winter Hikes
A classic adventureland nestled in the San Bernardino Mountains, Big Bear is the definition of a winter wanderland. Explore by strapping on some snowshoes or good snow boots (and bring some poles). Big Bear hug!
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H2 Flows!
With all this wild weather, you've just gotta go with the flow. And go to the flow! Here are three waterfalls to check out after winter rains. H2-Oh!
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Spring Classics
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 CalendarYour Inbox to the Outdoors
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