Reservoir Hikes

California’s dry spell is getting some much needed quenching—and drenching. If cabin fever has you thirsting for the outdoors, these three hikes are short (3 miles or less) and go straight to the source with excellent views of reservoirs. H2Outside!

Week: 12.05.2019
Regions: Northern CA

Easy Does It, East Bay

Hike Lafayette Reservoir in the East Bay

Hike Lafayette Reservoir in the East Bay
Lafayette Reservoir is an East Bay classic and this time of year we recommend simply stretching your legs on the trail around the reservoir.
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Touch the Skyline

Hike Russian Ridge and Skyline Ridge

The Peninsula's Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve knows how to make a grand entrance when it comes to changing seasons. Combine ridgetop vistas, and a tranquil lake on a 4-mile (round-trip) hike that includes a section of the Bay Area Ridge Trail.
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Fall Escape to Yosemite's Tenaya Lodge

Fall Escape to Yosemite's Tenaya Lodge

Everybody loves national parks. But the lodging, well, that often leaves plenty to be desired. Unless you stay at Yosemite’s only four-diamond resort: Tenaya Lodge. All of Tenaya’s lodge rooms are newly renovated, with deluxe baths, cozy beds, and flat-screen TVs. Just 2 miles fr
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Wine O'Clock

Hike Rector Reservoir near Yountville in Napa Valley

Wine may be Napa’s most famous liquid, but there’s a way you can just stick with water and still enjoy yourself (really!). Do a 3-mile out-and-back hike at Rector Reservoir Wildlife Area northeast of Yountville.
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. 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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  2. 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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  3. Berry Good Hike (or Bike)

    This 7-mile out-and-back through Sanborn County Park has big views of the South Bay and offers some reprieve from summer heat thanks to shaded sections among towering firs.

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  4. Hike top Angel Island Mount Livermore San Francisco Bay

    Good Heavens

    The 4-mile hike to the top of Angel Island offers Bay-mazing scenery. Some people claim you get a five-bridge view: Richmond-San Rafael, Bay, Golden Gate, San Mateo-Hayward, and Dumbarton bridges.

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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. 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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  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. A group of people clamored around the summit marker at Mission Peak in the Bay Area

    Your Mission Is Less Crowded

    Mission Peak is one of the Bay Area’s most popular mountains, with many hikers climbing every weekend. Skip the crowds with this 6-mile loop up the less-traveled southern route.

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