All Stories from Northern CA

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  New Rules of the Trail

  As some parks around California begin to re-open, we came up with tips for being responsible on your outdoor adventures. Let’s do our part so we can all keep enjoying the parks.

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  Ideas for Mother's Day

  Create arrangements from what is already growing in your yard (or in between the cracks of your sidewalk). Make make beautiful bouquets from a variety of weeds, grasses, and plants.

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  The Occidental Tourist

  The Grove of Old Trees is 33 hidden acres of towering redwoods and the only privately owned preserve in Sonoma County that's free to the public.

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  Mellow Mavericks

  It’s a site famous for the Mavericks surfing competition, but even without the massive swells, Pillar Point still has plenty to get excited about. Including a short hike with beautiful coastal views and striking sunset scenery.

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  Peak a Boo-Yeah!

  Laurel Canyon Trailhead in the East Bay’s Tilden Regional Park is like finding the entrance to Narnia and getting whisked away to a magical landscape.

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  Mellow in the Marsh

  Beach, birds, ice plant popping purple flowers: That’s a hiking slam dunk! Hike about 2 miles at Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve using their fully reopened and well-signed Sequoia Audubon Trail.

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  Marshall's in Town!

  Everyone has a favorite view of the Golden Gate Bridge. And ours? With respect to all the great options, we’ve got to say it’s from San Francisco’s Marshall’s Beach.

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  Solano Salutations

  This is for those who like to find their hiking thrills in the hills! Make this destination near Fairfield one of your spring strolling—and birding—sites.

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  Wanda-ful Hike

  When John Muir wasn’t trekking the Sierra, he could usually be found hiking near his home in Martinez, at Mount Wanda, named for his daughter.

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  Hill Yeah!

  The East Bay's Crockett Hills Regional Park has a 3-mile loop overflowing with rolling landscape and beautiful scenery.

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  Bridge the Distance

  You like a good trail mix? Hike a blend of ridgetop rambling, bridge and bay views, and a eucalyptus forest at Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline.

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  Hike the Islands in the Sky

  Redwoods and ridgelines and phenomenal views of the Pacific: Get to Duncans Mills and hike the Islands in the Sky Vista Loop, a 4-mile charmer in Sonoma Coast State Park.

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  Ride the Redwoods to Wine

  Bike riding: fun. Wine tasting: fun. Combining both: really fun! Make it a 6-mile (round-trip) afternoon of biking and wine-tasting and redwood forests, starting in downtown Guerneville.

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  Seat at the Top Table

  It just might be the best view in Napa. At 4.5 miles (round-trip) the hike to Table Rock overlook isn’t a walk in the park, but it’s well worth it, packing in plenty of highlights, especially the marquee destination: Table Rock.

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  Secret Stash of Redwoods

  Located in the tiny town of Angwin, Pacific Union College has 864 acres of forest that are now open to the public for hiking.

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  Ciao Bello!

  Rising 2,800 feet over the Peninsula’s Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, Black Mountain quietly stands watch over the South Bay. The 2-mile exposed hiking trail is a feast for the eyes.

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  Owl Be there

  The Owl Trail, Marin’s swooping seashore tramp, offers the chance to spy migrating gray whales offshore, and sightings of the trail’s namesake, great horned owls.

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  Big Sky, Lodi

  In winter millions of birds in winter travel the Pacific Flyway, a major north-south migration route that includes a stop at the Cosumnes River Preserve just north of Lodi.

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  Big Love!

  Every year in winter elephant seals converge on one of their favorite breeding grounds, 13 miles south of Pescadero on the San Mateo coast: Año Nuevo State Park.

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  The Ryan King

  At 5,456 feet, the summit of Ryan Mountain has the best view in the park. Its brilliant panoramic expanse, spanning desert to mountains, and—bonus—late afternoons can feature a sky tinged with lavender thanks to the low-sitting sun.

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