Holiday Hikes

Deck the halls? How about deck the trails! Whether you're hankering to bag a peak or just want to watch for whales on a Pacific hugging stroll, here are some holly-jolly adventures for you. Ho ho hike!

Week: 11.01.2017
Regions: Northern CA

Taylor Made Hike

Hike to the Summit of Santa Rosa's Taylor Mountain

Hiking during the holiday season is a great way to gain a little perspective … or a big perspective, if you decide to hike at Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve, where the views are huge. This locals’ favorite near Santa Rosa is worth a visit for anyone in the
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Up to Umunhum

Hike to the newly opened peak of Mount Umuhum in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Clocking in at 3,486 feet, Mount Umunhum is one of the highest peaks in the Santa Cruz Mountains and has long been a South Bay landmark with the mysterious radar tower sitting atop, all of it inaccessible—until just a few months ago, when the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space Dist
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Oregon's Ultimate Ski Town

Winter Vacation in Oregon at Bend and Mt Bachelor

It’s something that Oregonians have known for a while and Californians are just beginning to realize: Bend is the ultimate mountain town for the whole family! And in the winter, it has everything you’d want for a snowy extended weekend. In the midst of the Cascade Mountains, Mt.
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Huddart Comfort

Hiking the redwoods at Huddart Park in San Mateo County

Just minutes west of the tony town of Woodside in San Mateo County, 900-acre Huddart Park has over 24 miles of trails that put redwoods on parade. For a moderate out-and-back featuring stately redwoods, jump onto Dean Trail for a 4-mile hike under the cover of countless madrone a
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You Deserve a Medallion

Walk San Francisco's Barbary Coast Trail for murals and secret tunnel

Art by Banksy, a secret tunnel, colorful murals, and literary lore galore ... the North Beach segment of San Francisco’s Barbary Coast Trail is a fascinating walk through time. All in, the Barbary Coast Trail comprises 170 medallions set in pavement, leading you into the the city
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Walk the Line

Walking Andy Goldsworthy's Wood Line Installation in San Francisco's Presidio

So you’ve walked popular Lover’s Lane in the Presidio, but have you ever noticed the pathway hidden next to it? Tucked quietly between Lover’s Lane and Presidio Boulevard, Andy Goldsworthy’s 1,200-foot-long Wood Line is an installation of eucalyptus tree stumps seamlessly curving
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This Spud's For You!

Hike at Bodega Head and Dine Casually at Spud Point Crab Company

Feeling crabby? You’re not the only one. Dungeness crab season is scheduled to open in Sonoma County. Combine some casual seafood dining with a gorgeous coastal hike. Work up your appetite on the trails at Bodega Head. This tiny outcropping offers mighty views of the Pacific than
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. 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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  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

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  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

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  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

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  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

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  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

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  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

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  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

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