Partly Sunny with a Chance of Hiking!

Wow, those rain dances really worked! Sneak in a hike this weekend to see winter's effect on our beautiful slice of Northern California. From hiking to a waterfall with your dog, to ridge walking in the East Bay, to wandering the hills in the Santa Cruz Mountains—weather or not, let's hit the trails!

Week: 01.26.2017
Regions: Northern CA

Four-Legged Falls

Waterfall Hike in Novatos Indian Valley Open Space

waterfall at Indian Valley Open Space in Marin
Indian Valley waterfall hike Novato
Indian Valley waterfall hike Novato
dog hiking in Novato
Love your dog? Love waterfalls? Get the best of both on this easygoing hike hidden in Novato. Indian Valley Open Space Preserve is tucked behind the College of Marin campus, and those who discover it are in for a treat.
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See It To Believe It

Epic Snow and Adventures in North Tahoe

It’s the snowiest January North Lake Tahoe has seen in over 45 years! Here are some top reasons to get up there this winter: Best Conditions + Variety: The snow conditions are the best they’ve been in years, and North Lake Tahoe has North America’s most concentrated selection of
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Viva Las Trampas

Hike Las Trampas Rocky Ridge

Hikers on a ridge trail at Las Trampas Regional Wilderness in the East Bay
Hikers on a ridge trail at Las Trampas Regional Wilderness in the East Bay
Hikers looking out to wide open views at Las Trampas Regional Wilderness in the East Bay
Hiker overlooking the scenery from a trail in Las Trampas Regional Wilderness
A clear winter day calls for a long hike to savor some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful scenery, including some flowing cascades after rain. Hike this nearly 7-mile loop in Las Trampas Regional Wilderness.
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Bello from the Hills

Hike Monte Bello Open Space Stevens Creek Trail

Vast rolling hills, serene forest, breathtaking vistas, and hardly any people … it’s not hermit-ville, it’s hiker-ville! Monte Bello Open Space Preserve in the South Bay spans 3,436 acres. Thank the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, who obtained the area in 1975. They kn
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  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!

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  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!

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  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

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  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.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  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.

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  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.

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  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.  

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  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...

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