All Stories from "Northern CA"

All "Hikes" Stories in Northern CA

Pleasanton Pursuit
The rolling green hills of Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park are bringing an extra burst of color this spring—wildflowers hidden in the emerald grasses are popping up and should soon
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Call of the Coyote
Wild and scenic Coyote Hills Regional Park is probably best known for its birdlife—from hawks to herons, kestrels to kingfishers. But its 978 acres of marshland and grassy hills is
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Diablo's Back Way
A hike with sweeping East Bay vistas, rushing creeks, and colorful wildflowers—Mount Diablo’s got your back! As in Mitchell Canyon Back Creek Loop, a 7-mile (round-trip) hike with
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Pine City Blooms
Where do you find the most condensed and diverse display of wildflowers of any hike in Joshua Tree National Park? Plus pine trees and a powerful sense of solitude? Why, in Pine City—which isn't a city at all. It's a 4-mile out-and-back trek.
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Willow Hole in Wonderland
All of Joshua Tree National Park might seem like a rocky wonderland, but this hike takes you into the Wonderland—the Wonderland of Rocks—home to a secluded watering hole. Lace up!
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Unoccupied Wall Street
Going wild on Wall Street doesn’t have to mean buying and selling stocks. It can be about hiking and exploring a quiet trail in Joshua Tree National Park. One that leads to the int
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Secret Stairway Hike
Secret passageways aren’t just found in the movies. The East Bay has over 400 of them winding unseen through the hillsides. Explore Oakland’s hidden passages on a 6-mile urban loop
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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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Old as the Hills & Spring Fresh!
Sprawling in the distance beyond Peninsula’s Skyline Boulevard are acres of open space and hills that in spring are absolutely superb for fresh scenery (and wildflowers!). Thanks t
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You Go Pogo!
Skirting the campus of the University of California Santa Cruz is a higher education in going green (vast rolling meadows), being serene (hidden koi pond), and seeing red (redwoods
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Grant You This
High up in the foothills overlooking Santa Clara Valley, Joseph D. Grant County Park is a vast landscape of hiking and biking terrain where the grass colors often run in hues of br
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The Irish Hills Are Smiling
Everyone loves San Luis Obispo, and the Irish Hills rank high among reasons why. Inches from civilization, you enter a world laced with oak-shaded creeks, green grassy hillsides, a
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Cog Wild
Quickly escape the rush of car traffic to find tranquility on a 2.75-mile (round-trip) wander around Cogswell Marsh in the East Bay's Hayward Regional Shoreline .
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The Carson Show
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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From Town to Falls
Mount Tam’s Cascade Falls is a bit under the radar, tucked back off a residential area in Mill Valley. Some people drive up to the tiny parking lot nearest to the falls. Do an easy 3-mile (round-trip) hike right from downtown Mill Valley, weaving through quiet streets and secret trails.
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What a Rush!
Mount Tam’s Cataract Falls is the bobsled course of waterfalls: over a mile of twisting, turning, tumbling water—gushing, rushing, and making a splash! The real joy is hiking right
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Sunset in a Pinch
Sometimes you’ve only got minutes to get to a high point in time for sunset. So keep it simple on a short hike that delivers a sunset punch within twenty minutes. The East Bay’s Cl
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Sunset Gone Wilder
So you’re sort of snobby about your sunsets? You like a brilliant technicolor all across the sky as the sun sets on the horizon? Great! Go Wilder! Wilder Ranch State Park’s Old Cov
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Four-Legged Falls
Love your dog? Love waterfalls? Get the best of both on this easygoing hike hidden in Novato. Indian Valley Open Space Preserve is tucked behind the College of Marin campus, and those who discover it are in for a treat.
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Viva Las Trampas
A clear winter day calls for a long hike to savor some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful scenery, including some flowing cascades after rain. Hike this nearly 7-mile loop in Las Trampas Regional Wilderness.
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