All "Hikes" Stories in Northern CA

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  Mystery Walls

  Mythical crop circles, Stonehenge, California’s Mystery Walls … You don’t have to travel the world to see enigmas, including these stone walls within the South Bay's Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve.

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  The Joaquin Dead

  Named after the poet, Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland belongs in a sonnet about small wonders. But it also may belong in a classic ghost story! This unassuming park is said to be haunted....

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  Mott's Landing

  Nestled north of Lafayette and Orinda, the peaks of Briones Regional Park showcase sweeping views of Mount Diablo, San Pablo Bay, and the San Joaquin River. And you may just make f

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  Crockett in Your Pocket

  There are plenty of reasons to add Crockett Hills Regional Park to your checklist of East Bay apexes. Overlooking the Carquinez Strait, the park is home to Edwards Sky Loop, a 2.1-

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  Panorama Bonanza

  Bring the dog, bag a peak, and get an impressive two-bridge view on a lollipop loop hike that includes the San Francisco skyline. Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve—high in the hil

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  Just Dune It

  Miles of epic sand dunes seem like something you're more likely to find in the desert than on Northern California's lush redwood coast. Surprise! One of the most spectacular expanses of sand-scape you’ll ever see is in Humboldt County, just minutes by car from Old Town Eureka.

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  Big Tree Bonanza

  Roosevelt elk, canyons draped in ferns and dripping with small waterfalls, oh … and the tallest trees on the entire planet! Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park has all the fixings for world-class hiking.

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  I Do!

  Even if you’re not getting married anytime soon, you’ve gotta visit Wedding Rock, the most dramatic spot in Patrick’s Point State Park. It’s called Wedding Rock because the park’s

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  Golden Sunday

  Everyone sings the praises of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, and Sundays are a perfect day to tune in on its hidden art and free music scene. Go on a mile-long meander around th

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  Walk the Line

  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 Gol

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  You Deserve a Medallion

  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

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  Take Me Home to Tennessee

  Tennessee Valley trailhead in the Marin Headlands is rightly popular for its classic coastal scenery and variety of trail options, like this 5.5-mile loop.

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  Swim Hole, Say No More!

  People flock to Kirkwood’s Silver Lake, a quiet beauty set against the backdrop of the Sierras. But few know about the easy 2-mile out-and-back (round-trip) hike that follows one o

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  Tall Drink of Waterfall

  Tucked between Echo Summit and Lover’s Leap on US 50 there's an impressive display of water barreling down a mountain. Hello, Horsetail Falls! The commanding 800-foot-tall waterfal

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  Meet Margaret!

  You have an adventurous side and enjoy lakeside solitude, but you don’t want to be too far from your comfort zone. Time to meet Margaret! Tucked just north of Kirkwood and just off

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  Seaing is Believing

  The best way to truly experience Sea Ranch on the northern Sonoma Coast is to walk its famous coastline, a cliff-hugging sensation with pocket beaches, wildlife sightings, and soar

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  Stump for It!

  Ready to go wild, then kick back and relax? It’s so easy to do on a beach-to-bluff hike in the lightly visited Salt Point State Park on the Sonoma Coast. Most people do the 1.2-mil

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  Secret's Out

  The turquoise waters and pristine beauty of Secret Cove on the east shore of Lake Tahoe are like an ode to Tahoe’s iconic spirit. And while this lovely spot near Incline Village is

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  Spooner Afternoon

  Tucked quietly away above Lake Tahoe’s eastern shore, Spooner Lake hides in plain sight. Just 12 miles north of Stateline on Highway 50, hikers, bikers, and beach loungers jet past

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  Shealor Stunner

  Robust mountains, striking slabs of granite, and deep green pine reflections make Shealor Lake near Kirkwood resort a jewel of the El Dorado National Forest. Reach this alpine oasis on a 1.3-mile hike.

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