Spring It On!

Need an excuse to cut out of work early and call it a weekend? Say you've got a fever ... spring fever! Here are a few hikes and bike rides that are at their prime, giving you a reason to spring into the weekend!

Week: 05.16.2019
Regions: Northern CA

From Peak to Beach

Hike the North Peak of Montara Mountain, then Hit the Beach!

Morning on the mountain, afternoon at the beach, and in between both: banner ocean views. It’s all within 3 miles’ reach on the Peninsula when you get an early start at Montara State Beach. From the parking lot, beeline for Montara Mountain’s north peak trailhead, which is across
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Planet Picnic

Hike-In-Picnic at Sonoma's Sugarloaf Ridge State Park

So, you wanna give your love the sun, the moon, the stars … okay. But to turn it up to 11 you’re gonna have to give the planets too! Good thing there’s a state park hike for that. And it includes a brilliant picnic spot set by a giant oak and overlooking a beautiful wine country
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It's Flowing, So Get Going!

Spring Rivers Waterfall and Lakes in Yosemite Mariposa

Adventure Rafting! A rollicking rafting trip on the Merced River goes only in spring and early summer—and this is a year not to be missed! Combine a rafting adventure with visiting Yosemite Valley. The river runs from Class 2 to 4, but after peak snowmelt like we’re seeing it’s r
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Bike to Beers (& Bites)

Bike the Contra Costa Canal Trail in the East Bay

Ride your bike on a car-free trail and take a break at an alehouse ... yes, please! Backed by looming Mount Diablo, the East Bay’s Contra Costa Canal Trail is an easygoing 23-mile (all-in) trail following its namesake canal, passing parks and open space.
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To Do: Tilden for Wildflowers!

Go on a Wildflower Hike in Berkeley at Tilden Regional Park

Ingredients for a lush and lovely hike in Berkeley’s backyard: Just add water. And wildflowers! It all comes together in Tilden Regional Park. Hike in a landscape of greenery and wildflower scenery on a quick 2.5-mile loop.
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Valley Rock 'n' Roll

Rent a Bike and Pedal Around Yosemite Valley

Imagine if there was a bike-friendly paved trail that circled Yosemite Valley’s floor, hitting all the highlights … including the tallest waterfall in North America. Well, in fact, there is! Rent your wheels and grab a map from the Yosemite Valley Lodge or Half Dome Village and forget about the buses.
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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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