Going Big in the High Sierra

Big trees, big peaks, big backpacking treks, and big views … it doesn’t get bigger (or better!) than adventuring in California’s first national park, Sequoia & Kings Canyon. This is the first in our May series celebrating the 2016 National Park Centennial. Each week we’ll bring you a range of national park ideas, with insider tips and plenty of ideas to get you going!

Week: 05.05.2016
Regions: Northern & Southern CA

Rae of Light

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park Rae Lakes Loop Backpacking Trip

Want special access to some of the most beautiful lakes in the Sierra Nevada? Grab your backpack and lace up your hiking boots for a multi-night journey on Rae Lakes Loop in Kings Canyon. On the agenda: spiky granite peaks, rivers and lakes for refreshing swims, high mountain passes, and starry nights.
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Mendocino's Gone Wildflowers

Spring Wildflowers in Mendocino County

Wait for it … wait for it … now! Winter rains delivered a gorgeous spring gift to Mendocino County: Wildflowers have gone bananas across its 90+ miles of pure coastline, 24 state and national parks, and hidden hiking trails! This spring some of Mendocino County’s secret spots loo
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King of the Mountains

Hiking and Camping in Mineral King in Sequoia National Park

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California’s first national park, Sequoia, is also among the least visited, and that means you get the quiet and raw beauty almost entirely to yourself. In a remote setting at the park’s southern end, Mineral King is a subalpine valley that will absolutely knock your boots off. Y
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Giant Escape

Hiking to the General Sherman tree and beyond to Crescent Meadow in Sequoia National Park

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Sequoia’s main tourist attraction is the General Sherman tree, literally the largest living thing on earth. Hordes of visitors make the easy 0.4-mile mini-pilgrimage to see the General, but a funny thing happens if you hike just a few minutes beyond: The people disappear! By cont
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Taking the Stage: Tyler Ranch

    Hike the recently opened Tyler Ranch Staging Area in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, with 18 miles of new trails. This 6.5-mile loop up Sunol Peak is a challenge and rewards with exceptional views of seasonal iridescent hills.

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  2. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike (and Manly Lake Vista!) at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. On clear days you get views of both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous U.S. 

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  3. Swing into Spring

    Swing into this 7.1-mile hike in the hills of Half Moon Bay! It’s got gorgeous views, fields of spring wildflowers, and a hidden rustic tree swing.

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  4. The Carson Show

    Carson Falls is ready for primetime. This three-tiered, 100-foot stunner is hidden back in a canyon outside of Fairfax and reached on a 3.25-mile (round-trip) hike.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Lava Lava

    Once a land of volcanic activity, Mojave National Preserve shares plenty about its past via a quick yet adventurous hike to the Lava Tube in the Cima Dome Volcanic Field.

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  2. Kelso Dunes

    The hike to the top of Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve is only 3 miles (out and back), but you’ll feel like you’ve hiked much farther by the time you’re done.

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  3. William Kenyon Overlook

    Some of the best vistas of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park are easily accessible via a short and sweet 1.25-mile (round-trip) hike just off the CA-78. Enter your next favorite desert viewpoint: the William Kenyon Overlook.

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  4. Beaudry Bountiful

    There are no cars allowed on Beaudry Loop, but this 6-mile hike takes you on a wild ride. You’ll be climbing 1,500 feet up the southern Verdugos along a chaparral-lined trail with gorgeous mountain and urban vistas every step of the way.

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