Outdoor Confidential

Got plans for the unofficial start of summer? Make it official! We've got you covered. From hikes and a bike ride, to stairway walks, picnic spots, and sunset views. Long live the long weekend!

Week: 05.25.2017
Regions: Northern CA

Sunol Salutations

Hiking a less-traveled trail in Sunol Regional Park

Ahh … Sunol in the spring could make John Steinbeck wax poetic about the land of milk and honey. This East Bay Regional Park is a rolling green open space of giant oak trees, wildflowers, hidden canyons, seasonal streams, and winding hiking trails. While most visitors head to Lit
Read the full story

Marshall Mellow

Hike in to secluded Marshall Beach in Point Reyes

Tucked away in the northern part of Point Reyes National Seashore, Marshall Beach is a sandy hidden haven set along the warm waters of Tomales Bay. And you can’t get to it by car! Access to Marshall is by way of a 1-mile hike or by kayaking in.
Read the full story

Afternoon on the Island

Paddle to an island in the middle of Loch Lomond lake

What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger guided boat tour!
Read the full story

Partner in Wine

Line 39 Weekend Wine Adventures

Getting after it this weekend? Don’t forget the wine! Hello, Line 39. What makes Line 39 your ideal partner in wine? For starters, it’s the approachability. Line 39 is an amazing collection of California wines inspired by the outdoors: There’s a wine to pair with every imaginable
Read the full story

Lake Loop

Biking around Spring Lake in Santa Rosa

Bike Ride Spring Lake Santa Rosa
The template for a perfect multipurpose park? Hundreds of acres of open space, wending hiking and biking trails, glistening lakes, and picnic spots galore. Spring Lake and Howarth Park in Santa Rosa certainly fit this bill. The two parks border each other and make up more than 50
Read the full story

Tempe Temptations

Hiking at Bon Tempe Lake in Marin

Wildflowers, wildlife, and a wildly great view of Mount Tam as the backdrop … get your wows at Bon Tempe Reservoir, one of the five lakes on Mount Tam’s northern flank, and a water supply for many Marin homes. Ospreys soar overhead and evergreens tower all around as you hike the
Read the full story

Lands Zen

Hiking Lincoln Park Steps and Lands End in San Francisco

Find a little peace in San Francisco on an urban walk featuring a beautiful stairway, panoramic views, a labyrinth, and plentiful coastal drama.
Read the full story

Sun Tam

Watching a sunset on Mount Tam in Marin County

If you’ve ever driven Mount Tam’s West Ridgecrest Boulevard, then you know how dramatic it is, with its sweeping coastal scenery, edged by rolling headlands and hulking cliffs, with sea stacks rising from the Pacific, thrashed or bathed by moody waves. So it’s no surprise that so
Read the full story

Let the Adventures Begin!

2017 Adventure Challenge

The Weekend Sherpa Adventure Challenge is back for its sixth year! Don’t let the name intimidate you: it’s free and easy to participate. Just get outdoors over the next few months and take a photo of yourself in action! And we’re excited to be teaming up with Line 39—their wines
Read the full story

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. 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.

    View
  2. 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.

    View
  3. Woman hiker is climbing up the ladder in the Steep Ravine section of the Dipsea Loop Trail on Mount Tam

    Misty on Mount Tam

    Mount Tam’s 3.9-mile round-trip Steep Ravine and Dipsea Trail Loop weathers the wets and wilds with some confidence, sheltered in parts by redwoods, and wowing with a waterfall.

    View
  4. Mile-Long Cataract Club

    In winter after heavy rains, the north flank of Mount Tam glows with flows. The nearly mile-long series of waterfalls—Cataract Falls—transforms into a supercharged spectacle. Starting at Alpine Dam, a 1.6 mile (one-way) narrow trails threads through redwoods and ferns along Cataract Creek.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Peace Labyrinth

    Hidden in LA’s historic West Adams district, the Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens is a welcome respite from the norms of urban noise.

    View
  2. Weekend Sherpa Podcast: Take It Outside

    Adventure for your earbuds. What's new in the world of the outdoors? Listen to Weekend Sherpa co-founders discuss local hikes, beaches, bike rides, camping spots and all kinds of travel and adventure in California and beyond!

    View
  3. Hikers sitting on a large rock slab next to Three Sisters Falls in Cleveland National Forest Southern California near Julian

    Three Sisters

    Good things come in threes at this hike to a lovely trio-tiered waterfall in Cleveland National Forest. The 4.25-mile out-and-back hike rambles among rolling hills, with rocky mountain views as switchbacks take you down to a lush canyon and the falls.

    View
  4. People gathered around a tree at an LA Park as part of the Tree Tour led by Stephanie Carrie

    LA's Tree Tour

    Los Angeles is famous for its iconic palm trees but did you know that LA is home to one of the most diverse urban forests in the world? With over 1,000 different tree species lining its streets, LA offers a unique urban canopy waiting to be explored. One of the best ways to discover it is by joining a Tree Tour

    View