Don't Pass Over These Hikes!

What's more fun than a Cadbury Creme Egg? How about eye candy on trails? Here are some great Bay Area outdoor adventures in colorful spring bloom right now. Hop to it!

Week: 04.18.2019
Regions: Northern CA

Slide On Over

Picnic and Camp at Slide Ranch in Marin

Slide Ranch Marin
Marin's Slide Ranch has a popular neighbor in the Muir Beach Overlook. But don’t overlook Slide! This open-to-the-public nonprofit organization sits on 134 acres of coastline and is filled with animals, Pacific scenery, and an adjacent hiking trail.
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Yes, Berryessa!

Hike the Trails at Lake Berryessa in Napa County

Napa County’s Lake Berryessa is known for its boating, but few people know of the excellent hiking trails overlooking this lake, which is particularly serene in winter. Thank UC Davis for maintaining Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve—the land next to the lake where the trails can be f
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Wilder Than You Think

Wild Adventures on Catalina Island

1) Goat for It! You won’t sight a single goat on the 7-mile Goat Whiskers Trail loop west of Two Harbors on Catalina. You will see abundant native flora and fauna, though, on this coast-to-mountain hike. 2) Kayak to a Beach Campground Lava Wall. This towering volcanic cliff is th
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Hike to Hidden Falls

Hike to Hidden Falls in the Sierra Foothills

Rain, sun, rain, wind, partial sun, rain … what’s a hiker to do? Go with the flow! Or rather, go to the flow. Hidden Falls Regional Park in the Sierra foothills near Auburn has 30 miles of multi-use trails, the most popular of which is the 2.5-mile (round-trip) route leading to H
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Hello, Sunol

Hike Sunol Regional Park for Wildflowers

It's one of the grandest hikes of them all: Sunol Regional Park positively beams in spring. Take the grand tour and see major landmarks in the park on a 6-mile (round-trip) hike featuring babbling brooks, beautiful peaks, and burgeoning wildflowers.
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Redwoods Ramble

Redwoods Hike on the San Mateo Coast

If your idea of a great winter wander is walking among coastal redwoods without encountering many other people, then head to the San Mateo Coast’s Butano State Park. Get an early start for the 9.5-mile Canyon Loop hike, one of the park’s classics. From the visitor center take the
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  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

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  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

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  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

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  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

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  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

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  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

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  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

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  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

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