All Stories from Northern CA
It Takes a Hidden Villa
Adorable farm animals and peaceful hiking trails: Now that's some comfort and joy. Visit Hidden Villa in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, hike to South Bay vistas and see animal cuteness.
ViewTamtastical Hike
This 6.8-mile loop through the woods and ridges that make up the northern foothills of Tam offer the best of both worlds: solitude and grandeur. Enjoy quiet trails, tranquil forest, and big views.
ViewHawk-Eyed Sunset
It's one of the best sunset spots in the Bay Area. Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands is magical, with a sweeping panorama 923 feet above the Pacific.
ViewHiking Forecast: Windy
Fall colors on your mind? Put Windy Hill Preserve in the South Bay on your hiking list. We recommend a 6.2-mile loop that starts and finishes at its namesake summit, where sunsets dazzle.
ViewWander Among the Mistletoe
This 2.7-mile loop through the East Bay’s Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park is brimming with a holiday staple: mistletoe.
ViewThrough the Grapevine
Cycle California’s most famous wine valley on the car-free Vine Trail, an ambitious project going through the heart of Napa Valley. Park your car and ride 6 miles from Napa to Yountville for lunch.
ViewSweet Roll El Dorado
Step out of the car and onto a biking trail that resembles fall in Vermont. Just 40 miles from Sacramento, the El Dorado Trail in Placerville is a multi-use trail through with 12.5 paved miles.
ViewBike to the Brews and Views
An island city on San Francisco Bay, Alameda is home to a craft beer and spirits boom that has a firm foothold in its industrial westside. Ride your bike from Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach to Faction Brewing.
ViewOh Hill Yes!
California's closest thing to fall in New England is 40 miles from Sacramento. Apple Hill near Placerville is a collection of over 50 local farms, ranches, trails, and wineries. Tasty times ahead!
ViewFull Suspension Ahead
See fall colors and the beautiful Angkula Seo Suspension Bridge on this easy 2-mile loop hike through the Nisenan Tribute Site located just outside of Nevada City. There's plenty of history within.
ViewLight of Los Trancos
In autumn, Los Trancos Open Space Preserve lights up with orange-red maples, yellow hazelnut, and deciduous oaks, making this 2.5-mile hike in the Santa Cruz mountains a wonder-fall destination.
ViewHistorically Serene
Olompali State Historic Park is a small park that packs big California history. Go on a mostly easy 3-mile loop hike where oak trees, big-leaf maples, and madrones are stunning in autumn.
ViewMuir Woods Through the Backdoor
A backdoor entrance into Muir Woods? Hike a tranquil trail that starts in Mount Tamalpais State Park and quietly leads into Muir Woods, letting you avoid the busyness of the main parking area.
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Refreshingly Different
Reno Tahoe is where America’s largest alpine lake meets the Biggest Little City in the World. Easily access the best ski resorts (and hot springs!) and have urban adventures at your fingertips.
View Forest Bathe Under the Redwoods
Giant Douglas firs and a peaceful madrone- and tanoak-studded forest make the hiking at Sanborn County Park sublime, but there’s an added majesty here thanks to the Todd Creek Redwoods Grove.
ViewSutro Noir
San Francisco’s Sutro Baths take on a novel mystique under a full moon, especially if the fog rolls in. Hike among these famous ruins, said to be one of San Francisco’s most ghostly places.
ViewHike and Seek
This 2.1-mile hike in McClellan Ranch Preserve near downtown Cupertino has quiet nature, historic ranch buildings, wildlife-watching, fall color, and Stevens Creek.
ViewOpt for Oursan
Hike the trail less traveled in the East Bay's Briones Regional Park. The Oursan Trail is pure serenity on a wide hiking path skirting the northern shores of Briones Reservoir.
ViewWho's Chicken?
Chicken Ranch Beach isn’t just for the birds. It’s for folks who want to spend a mellow afternoon at a totally swimmable beach on the shore of Tomales Bay in Point Reyes.
ViewGOAT Coastal Hike + Sunset
GOAT (greatest of all time) Sonoma Coast experience? Hike the Kortum Trail, wine taste on a patio overlooking the Russian River, and catch a sensational sunset at, yep, Goat Rock Beach.
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The 2025 Hiking Calendar Is Here!
Ready to make hiking part of your New Year’s wellness plan? Get the all-new 2025 Hiking Calendar courtesy of Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST).
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