Woman snowshoe hiking at Castle Pass overlooking the mountains in Tahoe National Forest

Outdoors After Rain and Snow

Wishing you a safe and healthy holiday. While the weather outside has at times been a bit frightful, the outdoors is still delightful, so if you're wondering where to go, here are some adventures that are good after rain or snow.

Week: 12.22.2021
Regions: Northern CA

Winter Castle

Snowshoe Hike to Castle Pass in Tahoe National Forest

Woman snowshoeing at Castle Pass overlooking mountains in Tahoe
All you need is a clear day and a pair of sturdy snowshoes for the 2.25-mile (one-way) hike up to Castle Pass near Donner Summit in Tahoe National Forest. The views from the pass are royally good!
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Expansive Southern Oregon

Adventure to Southern Oregon, Crater Lake, and Beyond

winter sunset at Crater Lake national park
Toketee Falls
Crater Lake national park in winter
Crater Lake swimming
It’s where you’ll find Oregon’s only national park, Crater Lake, a volcanic wonder that’s the deepest lake in the country. Southern Oregon is a land of remote open spaces, Dark Skies, waterfalls, and healing hot springs. Hit the road for a bounty of outdoors and book some guided tours.
Adventure Plan: Southern Oregon

The Carson Show

Hiking to Carson Falls on Mount Tam

Carson Falls is ready for primetime. This three-tiered, 100-foot stunner is hidden back in a canyon outside of Fairfax and reached on a 3.25-mile (round-trip) hike.
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Take the Plunge

Hike to Waterfalls Along the Southern Oregon Highway of Waterfalls

Two women looking up at Watson Falls, Southwest Oregon's highest waterfall
Watson Falls on the Highway of Waterfalls in Southern Oregon
How can you take a road trip through Southern Oregon and not hit the Highway of Waterfalls? This stretch of Highway 138 east of Roseburg along the Umqua River is a watery marvel that’s terrific year-round. Winter sees fewer people, making it an ideal time to visit.
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Short Hike, Sweet View!

Hike to Big Views at Claremont Canyon in the East Bay

Woman and her dog looking out to view of the Bay at Claremont Canyon Preserve in the East Bay
Hike Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve
Woman walking her dog through a forest at Claremont Canyon in the East Bay
Woman sitting on a bench with her dog overlooking a view of the San Francisco Bay
Steady as you go ... all the way up to a sweeping Bay vista at Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve. This 208-acre haven has a 4.3-mile loop to one of the best views in the East Bay.
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Thornewood In Your Pocket

Hike Among Redwoods at Thornewood Preserve in Woodside

Woman on hiking trail staring up at redwood trees at Thornewood Preserve in Woodside
Hints of wildflowers, a ravine of redwoods, and vistas over the San Francisco Bay and Diablo Range. Thornewood Preserve in Woodside packs a lot into its tiny space. An early morning start has perks.
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Weekend Sherpa Podcast: Take It Outside

Weekend Sherpa Podcast: Take It Outside

Jim Litchfield holding a fish from a fly fishing adventure
Adventure for your earbuds. What's new in the world of the outdoors? Listen to Weekend Sherpa co-founders discuss local hikes, beaches, bike rides, camping spots and all kinds of travel and adventure in California and beyond!
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Aloha from California

    Say Aloha without leaving California with a 7-mile out-and-back hiking adventure to Lake Aloha in El Dorado National Forest. You can also camp here, a premier place for stargazing.

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  2. 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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  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. 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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  2. Underground Garden

    Looking to escape the summer heat? Head to Fresno and discover its cool secret: the Forestiere Underground Gardens–an enchanting garden and architecture oasis like no other.

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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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