All "Water" Stories in Northern CA

• 

  This Spud's For You!

  Feeling crabby? You’re not the only one. Dungeness crab season is scheduled to open in Sonoma County. Combine some casual seafood dining with a gorgeous coastal hike. Work up your

  View
• 

  Hike-in Hidden Beach

  Blink and you'll miss some hidden beach bliss. Located in the tiny town of Elk on scenic Highway 1, Greenwood State Beach is easy to miss because it's a half-mile walk down to it.

  View
• 

  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.

  View
• 

  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

  View
• 

  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.

  View
• 

  Cabin on the Coast

  So you’d like to camp on the wild Mendocino coast … except for—you know—that whole pitching a tent and sleeping on the ground thing? A-OK! Actually, it’s KOA! Yes, Manchester Beach

  View
• 

  Pillar Paddle

  Looking for some bragging rights? Tell your friends that you kayaked Mavericks. OK, so you may not have kayaked the actual surf spot, but you’ll have come within a few miles of it.

  View
• 

  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

  View
• 

  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

  View
• 

  Blaster Jammin’ on the Kern

  Record snowfall means record snowmelt is coming off the Sierra Nevada, which means the mighty Kern River is flowing stronger than it has in years. While some parts are genuinely tr

  View
• 

  Mono a Mano

  Mono Lake is awesome to behold from any perspective. The saline lake spans the high desert north of Mammoth like a vast sheet of polished steel, and along its shores rise bizarre t

  View
• 

  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

  View
• 

  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

  View
• 

  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

  View
• 

  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.

  View
• 

  Dam Good Canoe Adventure

  Bring your swimsuit to Vegas—but not for the pools. A self-guided canoe trip down the Black Canyon portion of the Colorado River is way better than renting a cabana by the pool. Th

  View
• 

  Seaside Summit in a State Park

  With tangled trails and unmarked spurs lawlessly winding up the rugged 1,898-foot Montara Mountain, McNee Ranch State Park feels like the Wild West Coast. Even wilder? Its endless

  View
• 

  Bavarian Brunch Paddle

  Set right on the Oakland Estuary, Brotzeit Lokal Boathaus & Biergarten is what it sounds like: a Bavarian restaurant and boathouse, with an impressively stocked rotation of craft G

  View
• 

  Tamorama!

  Wide-open coastal views, wildflowers, and a waterfall—get spring-loaded on a 6.5-mile (round-trip) hike that links together Mount Tam's Matt Davis, Bolinas Ridge, and Cataract trails.

  View
• 

  Point Reyes Grand Slam

  Wildflowers, hidden beaches, coastal forests, babbling creeks and awesome Pacific views are just a few of the things that make Point Reyes a world-class hiking destination. With so

  View