Hike the Lakes

Summer's winding down, but the lakes are still filled up. From a trifecta lake hike in Tahoe to a backyard Sierra-esque loop in Marin, here are three excellent hikes around the water. Drink it in.

Week: 09.05.2019
Regions: Northern CA

Tahoe's Trio of Lake Vistas

Hike to Middle Velma Lake in Tahoe

They say good things come in threes, and it’s true when you embark on this 8-mile (round-trip) hike in Tahoe’s Desolation Wilderness. It gives you three excellent lake vistas: Eagle Lake, Middle Velma Lake, and Emerald Bay on Lake Tahoe. From the trailhead, follow signs to Eagle
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Yosemite Is Autumn Magic

Yosemite Mariposa County Autumn Magic

Autumn is Yosemite Mariposa’s secret season. Spring has waterfalls, summer has people, and fall … well that’s an autumn-magic slam-dunk. For starters, the hiking trails are still open, and much quieter (See the Top 5 Hikes for Fall). Channel Ansel Adams with primo autumn lighting
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Backyard Sierra

Hike Bon Tempe Lake in Marin

With bright blue water, ospreys soaring overhead and evergreens towering all around, Bon Tempe feels like a secluded lake in the Sierra Nevada. Surprise! It's one of the five pocket lakes on Mt. Tam's northern flank, and the water supply for many Marin homes. You'll never lose sight of this blue beauty as you hike the flat 3.8-mile trail that circles its shore.
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Life Aquinas

Hiking El Sereno Open Space Preserve

Reach a new height and gain a round-the-compass panorama at El Sereno Open Space Preserve. Just off Highway 17 in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Los Gatos, the preserve’s 7.5-mile (round-trip) out-and-back Aquinas Trail offers a sky-scraping, sun-soaked ridge with striking panoram
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

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  2. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

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  3. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

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  4. Bucks Up!

    Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Coming Up Roses

    Looking to spice up your hiking life? Give your partner a rose—Mount Rose! The 10-mile out-and-back peak hike goes up to one of the grandest views in all of Lake Tahoe. Get ready f

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  2. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

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  3. Lake Nacimiento
    Sponsored

    Savor Summer in Paso Robles

    Ready for the “Great California Road Trip”? Keep it real and rolling in bucolic and beautiful Paso Robles. This down- to-earth destination has everything you need to enjoy the coolest experiences.

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  4. A Rose in the Pines

    A crackling fire, a bottle of wine, a bubbling Jacuzzi tub with a waterfall … now the big question: Marvin Gaye tunes or not? In the morning (ahem) it's breakfast in bed and a leis

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