All Stories from Northern CA

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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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  Marvelous Mar Vista

  Demurely located on the southern Mendocino Coast, Mar Vista Farm and Cottages charms you from check-in. Roll up to 11 beautifully appointed private cottages, complete with kitchens and farmhouse decor. The sprawling u-pick veggie garden and outdoor redwood soaking tub are calling your name.

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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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  Waterfall Milestone

  Where can you find a nearly mile-long series of waterfalls right here in the Bay Area? The north flank of Mount Tam. Every winter, Cataract Falls transforms into a long stretch of fast-charging flows.

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  Sponsored

  Best in Snow

  There’s snow better destination for outdoor fun and events. Plumas County is a northern Sierra Nevada dreamland, with vast outdoor spaces, places, and races! Snowshoe Lassen Volcanic National Park, downhill ski at charming Coppervale Resort, and have a blast at the quirky Longboard Races.

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  Sweet as Sugarloaf

  Right in the heart of wine country there’s plenty more than wine flowing right now, with an oft unheralded waterfall that surges to an exuberant spectacle from all the recent rain.

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  Sponsored

  POST's 2023 Hiking Calendar

  Start the new year off right by heading outdoors for a hike. Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) curated a (complimentary) 2023 hiking calendar that provides all the inspiration you’ll need!

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  Sponsored

  The Holiday Spirit of San Ramon

  From a holiday ice rink and mistletoe hikes to outdoor fire pits for cozy winter nights, here’s your San Ramon holiday getaway guide

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  Loma Alta's Hidden Labyrinth

  Oak Manor Labyrinth in Marin’s Loma Alta Open Space is a hidden gem with huge views. The 2-mile out-and-back hike to reach it is a bit steep in parts, but the payoff is a 360-degree joy to the wild (with a bit of cityscape).

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  Sponsored

  Best of Shasta

  When you book just a two-night stay in Redding, you’ll get complimentary tickets to Lake Shasta Caverns National Natural Landmark

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  Fir Sure

  The Garlock family is Christmas tree royalty in Sebastopol, and their Reindeer Ridge Christmas Tree Farm is legendary: 7 acres of Douglas firs, Monterey pines, Scotch pines, and plenty more.

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  Redwoods on Campus

  You don’t have to be a student to enjoy a beautiful stroll in the UC Davis Arboretum. Walk the 3.5-mile (round-trip) paved path alongside Putah Creek, passing through 17 gardens, including beautiful redwoods and Torrey pines.

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  The Grand Ride

  The Sacramento River Trail in Redding lives up to its premier status as one of the best rail trails in the country for bikes and pedestrians only. Start at the architecturally stunning Sundial Bridge and follow the sublime Sacramento River upstream all the way to Shasta Dam.

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  Wine O'Clock

  You’ll find no attitude, no fuss, and no wine tasting fee when visiting some of the down-to-earth wineries just outside Redding. Take Dakaro Cellars, beautifully set amid the Shasta Cascade countryside with charming deck and grounds for tasting.

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