All in Northern CA

  1. Fall Hikes with a Hint of Haunted

    It’s Halloween weekend, so scare up some outdoor adventures that are ‘fall’ of charm with just a hint of haunted...

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  2. Woman hiking with her dog amid a forest of second growth redwoods and ferns

    Out You H2-Go!

    Okay, who did the rain dance?! Bring it on! Getting some much needed rain doesn't have to dampen your outdoors spirit. From waterfalls to redwoods here are five autumn adventures where it's okay to get a bit wet. All you have to do is find your rain boots!

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  3. Hill Yeah!

    These three parks and preserves have short hikes to brilliant vistas, and they're pretty in autumn. Bonus wine and sunsets.

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  4. Sponsored
    2025-08-20

    Let's Go to Paso!

    Paso Robles is a good idea in all seasons, but one season brings a special bounty: harvest season! Road-trip ready and teeming with fall colors and fun events, Paso Robles is the ultimate destination for unique autumn experiences.

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  5. woman hiking by redwood at Samuel p Taylor state park

    Celebrate the Giants With These Other Giants

    In honor of the San Francisco Giants getting to the postseason in record-setting fashion, celebrate with some of Northern California's other beloved giants: redwoods!

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  6. H2-Go for Autumn

    Rivers, lakes, estuaries—there's something so calming about water. Dip into fall with one of these easygoing paddle and waterside hike adventures.

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  7. hiker at the summit of Mt Umunhum

    Put These Hikes On Your Radar

    Some of the most panoramic viewpoints in the Bay Area are also home to former and current radar stations. Be sure to put these hikes on your own radar!

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  8. South Bay Outdoor Bounties

    While we all still cling to summer, the truth is fall's bounty is at our doorstep. So step outside and greet the new season in South Bay style with a classic hike, an urban bike ride, and some time at the ranch ....

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  9. Kirby Cove Marin Headlands with view of Golden Gate Bridge

    Hike-in, Bike-in Beaches

    September’s a great time to visit the coastline. These are some classic places where you can take your pick between hiking, biking, even snagging a campsite for fall …

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  10. People walking th labyrinth in San Francisco near Mile Rock Beach

    San Francisco September Spectacular

    We’re thinking about people affected by California’s multiple fires — stay safe! And with the closures of all National Forests in California for a couple of weeks, outdoor recreation is getting squeezed. So isn’t it time for some adventures in America’s most beautiful city? These San Francisco hikes and park explorations are September spectacular.

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  11. hikers in sequoia redwoods at Mariposa Grove

    Redwood Hikes for Respite

    Resilient and resoundingly beautiful, redwoods are a treasure in California's landscape, and a canopy of quiet for looking wayyy up for a new perspective. Venture out on these beautiful hikes featuring redwood groves for respite.

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  12. Hike Mount Tam Tree Swing Dipsea Trail Stinson

    Coasting Along

    These aren't just hikes to great Pacific and Bay views, these are hikes to great views enjoyed with a swing, bench, picnic table, or labyrinth. Sea it to believe it!

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  13. Woman hiking the Coastal Trail in the Marin Headlands

    Chicken Soup for the Hiker's Soul

    Like chicken soup for the soul, there’s just something about the Marin Headlands that’s comforting. From the hidden hike-in beaches and vast coastal views with golden sunsets, go get your headlands fix on these coastal comfort hikes.

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  14. Backpacker on Tuolumne River in Yosemite High Sierra

    How to Lose the Crowds in National Parks

    A magical thing happens when you hike just a mile or two from trailheads in popular national parks: Crowds begin to disappear. Even better, go backpacking to really have solitude. These trips in Yosemite, Zion, Point Reyes, and Channel Islands are out-of-office adventure havens.

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  15. Sponsored
    2025-08-20

    Let's Go to Paso!

    Paso Robles is a good idea in all seasons, but one season brings a special bounty: harvest season! Road-trip ready and teeming with fall colors and fun events, Paso Robles is the ultimate destination for unique autumn experiences.

    View
  16. Woman walking by driftwood at Greenwood State Beach in Elk, Northern California near Mendocino

    Beaches Less Known

    Beaches are calling, but a few sandy secrets simply whisper among the waves or shorelines across the Bay Area and North Coast. This summer, hike-in to these beaches less traveled.

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  17. Mountain bikers on Estero Trail to Drakes Head Point Reyes

    Waterside Rides

    The wind in your hair, the scent of the sea, the thirst-quenching beers … who’s ready for a waterside bike ride? These beginner-friendly pedals range from a national park seashore to an island in the sea, with a riverside cruiser to beers in between. Roll call for summer!

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  18. Hike San Francisco!

    No disrespect to our beautiful parks, but you can go on an amazing hike right in the city! San Francisco is one of the country's most walkable and beautiful cities—and a perfect place to take a hike (including one that's a historical treasure hunt).

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  19. No Reservations Backpacking and Camping

    No reservation? No problem! Well, at least if you have a few of these tips on camping and backpacking in California. From first-come, first-served camping, to no quotas on wilderness backpacking, here are three places to go for summer.

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  20. Hike-in to Marin's Black Sands Beach

    Beaches, Bike Rides, Campsites

    America’s birthday is this weekend. And, well, it’s been quite a year. Take a deep breath at a hike-in beach, pedal a car-free bike trail, or score a first-come first-served campsite.

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  21. Woman hiking towards Point Cabrillo Light Station on the Mendocino Coast

    Coastal Bliss in Mendocino

    Ready, set, take it easy! The Mendocino Coast is a great way to ease into summer. The dramatic coastline offers fantastic hiking, incredible sunsets, romantic lighthouses, a vibrant botanical garden, and plenty more.

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  22. Two women hikers looking out to the foggy coast from a hiking trail at Jenner Headlands on the Sonoma Coast

    Oh That's Cool

    Since you can't crank the air conditioning outdoors, we found some ways to beat the heat and cool down, courtesy of nature. From coastal bike rides to redwood hikes and picnics, here are some ways to chill outside.

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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Aloha from California

    Say Aloha without leaving California with a 7-mile out-and-back hiking adventure to Lake Aloha in El Dorado National Forest. You can also camp here, a premier place for stargazing.

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  2. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

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  3. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

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  4. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    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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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

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  2. Underground Garden

    Looking to escape the summer heat? Head to Fresno and discover its cool secret: the Forestiere Underground Gardens–an enchanting garden and architecture oasis like no other.

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  3. Volcanic Activity

    Northern California is home to one of the most unique ecosystems in the country: Lassen Volcanic National Park. The region features geothermal areas, including the largest dome volcano in the world, Lassen Peak. Hike to the top of this active volcano on a 5-mile out-and-back.  

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  4. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

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