All "Hikes" Stories in Northern CA

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  You Know Kehoe?

  Hiking with your dog in a national park? Almost unheard of! But Point Reyes National Seashore has an easy and short hiking trail to a stunning beach that’s dog-friendly on its north side. Kehoe Beach is a beautiful place to hang out even if you don’t have a dog.

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  Rosy in Roseburg

  Surrounded by the spirited Umpqua River, southern Oregon’s Roseburg is on the map yet off the beaten path.

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  Make It McInnis

  The old adage that good things come in small packages fits well when you visit San Rafael’s 450-acre McInnis Park. Mini-golf, tennis courts (for pickleball, of course!), and a stellar skate park all feature into the activities here.

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  Bikes, Birds, and Beautiful Blossoms

  This 8-mile out-and-back bike ride or walk on the Los Gatos Creek Trail offers the best highlights of the season; wildflowers, busy birds, and sunny picnic spots.

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  Maisie Peak & The Seven

  Bag a peak, see some wildflowers—it’s the best of both worlds on this 5-mile loop at Fremont Older Open Space Preserve. You’ll stand atop Maisie’s Peak and enjoy a walk through the Seven Springs Loop.

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  Waterfalls, Wildflowers, Wildlife

  Talk about good timing! When waterfalls and wildflowers begin fading in other places, there’s an outdoors mecca that’ll be freshly blooming—and H2O booming: Plumas County!

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  2023 Wildflower Walks Guide!

  Take a walk on the wildflower side with the organization who knows the best spots to see spring blooms. Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) has released their (complimentary) 2023 Wildflower Walks guide.

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  Spring for a New Adventure

  North Lake Tahoe is having a spring for the ages, with historic snow levels. This season has always been special: There are great mid-week deals, and this year the snow is going to stick around for a while—skiing until July! Make a week of it!

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  The Bounties of Bouverie

  Wildlife, wildflowers, and a hidden waterfall! The Bouverie Preserve in Glen Ellen is a protected sanctuary of diverse ecosystems, plentiful wildlife, and—in spring—wildflowers. The only way to see it all is on guided walks.

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  Top Dog Destination

  Redding is a pawsitively ideal destination for you and your four-legged pal. Surrounded by Shasta and Lassen and mountainous Whiskeytown, with year-round sunny days and the gleaming Sacramento River running right through it, Redding is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream.

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  Big Foot in the Big Trees

  When dinosaurs roamed the earth they shared space with giant sequoias, the biggest trees in the world. Get up close to these bold beauties on a docent-led snowshoe trek in Calaveras Big Trees State Park.

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  Stay at Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia National Park

  Stay in a modern yet rustic lodge with vaulted wood-beam ceilings, grand stone fireplaces, panoramic windows overlooking a snow-filled forest, and jagged mountain peaks all around. Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia National Park has adventure trails leaving right from its lobby.

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  The Beauty of Black Mountain

  Rising 2,800 feet over the Peninsula’s Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, Black Mountain—the inspiration behind Mountain View’s name—quietly stands watch over the South Bay. It’s also one of the few local summits with its own backpacking camp.

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  Feather in Your Cap!

  Sure, the main summit of Mount Diablo offers one of the best views in the state, but if you’d rather hike than drive to a summit, lace up your boots for the mountain’s spectacular—and less-traveled—Eagle Peak.

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  E-Hills

  Elephant Mountain and Ewing Hill are two of the Bay Area’s best-kept secrets. This 3.4-mile loop from Hidden Villa offers panoramic views alongside a hands-on farm experience.

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  Hike Pelican Bluffs Preserve

  Tucked just south of Point Arena, the 73-acre Pelican Bluffs Preserve is an ideal blufftop hike with expansive views of the dramatic Mendocino coastline. A 2.2-mile trail starts in a bishop-pine forest before breaking out to wide-open coastal vistas.

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  Super Bowling

  Hidden along the Mendocino Coast, Bowling Ball Beach lives up to its name, and then some! Giant smoothly rounded boulders (some 12 feet across) are scattered along the beach, and it’s a phenomenal spectacle.

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  Diamonds of Diablo

  With its looming peak and devilish name, it’s hard to imagine Mount Diablo having a softer side. But winter’s rains bring an unexpected boon: four watery cascades spill off the mountain’s northern flank.

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  Waterfalls and Wine Pours

  Cooler temps, green hills, and the return of our magnificent waterfalls! This family-friendly 2-mile hike at Uvas Canyon County Park in Morgan Hill is a great way to get the most out of a short hike post-rain.

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  Rush and Tumble

  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 beside Cataract Creek as it’s chugging on all cylinders.

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