Storm Troopers!

When El Niño's storms are pounding the coast, don't run for shelter, run for the trails! Here are three trails that offer great vantages of the approaching storms, and are short enough to retreat if there’s a downpour!

Week: 01.19.2016
Regions: Northern CA

Walking with the Devil

Devils Slide Trail Storm Hike

devilsslidelookout_lrg-image-jpeg
The Devil's Slide section of the California Coastal Trail is a 1.3-mile (one-way) multi-use path just south of Pacifica. It's usually much less crowded when gray skies and rain are around. And it's a prime spot for viewing all that's wild about the weather and the sea.
Read the full story

48 Hours on the Central Coast

San Luis Obispo County Winter 2016 Getaway

People say that California has it all. Perhaps there'’s no truer representation of that than San Luis Obispo County. From the dramatic coastline to the green hills, seaside villages, and two world- class wine regions, San Luis Obispo County is all that'’s good about California! W
Read the full story

Owl Be the One!

Hike the Owl Trail in Marin During a Storm

The Owl Trail, Marin's swooping seashore tramp, offers bonuses in winter: the chance to see the moody waves of the Pacific during unsettled weather, and an opportunity to spy migrating gray whales offshore. The 2-mile round-trip trek—not for those with a fear of heights—parallels
Read the full story

Culture Club

Hike Lands End and Explore Legion of Honor

Combine one of San Francisco's best hiking trails with one of its best museums for a dose of the coast, some culture, and shelter from the rain if needed! Start from the visitor center, Lands End Lookout. The mostly flat Coastal Trail is popular for obvious reasons: stunning vist
Read the full story

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Man hiking up a trail at Montara Mountain, with a view of the Pacific and Grey Whale sand beach in the background

    From Beach to Summit

    No need to decide between a beach and a mountaintop—this hike includes both! Explore the stunning coastal scenery on this 6-mile out-and-back up Montara Mountain and into Rancho Corral de Tierra.

    View

  2. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

    View

  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

    View

  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Woman walking in the Venice Canals of Los Angeles County

    Canal Contemplations

    With its incense-scented boardwalk, bohemian shops, skateparks, and abundance of body builders, Venice is happily eccentric, and artistic. Exhibit A: Its network of European-style canals with charming bridges, offering a tranquil tour of the town’s history.

    View

  2. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

    View

  3. What's Up, Winthrop!

    It’s not just its location close to Washington State’s spectacular and less visited national park (North Cascades) that makes Winthrop such a winsome mountain town. This lively enclave in the Methow Valley bristles with a whimsical blend of Wild West charms, contemporary culture, and a mosaic of outdoor adventures—from river to lake to waterfalls, and beyond.

    View
  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

    View