Oh Yeah, Open Space!

Long before the tech industry started taking root in the South Bay, huge oaks, bays, alders, and sycamore trees dominated the landscape. Thanks to the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, more than 16,000 acres of open space have been preserved for the public, with the newest preserve opening just two weeks ago. Here are three to explore!

Week: 07.07.2015
Regions: Northern CA

Coyote Calls

Hike Coyote Valley Open Space

Ahhh, that new open space smell! Saved from corporate development and stretching from Morgan Hill to south San Jose, Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve opened just a few weeks ago—shining with new redwood bridges, picnic areas, wildlife, wildflowers, and a terrific hiking and moun
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Adventure After Hours

Evening Adventures in Redding

Located just three hours northeast of San Francisco, Redding is cradled by Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen, with the Sacramento River running right through the city. And a little-known secret: Redding keeps the outdoor adventures going throughout summer nights! Here are the top 5 w
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Morgan Glory

Hike Rancho Canada del Oro Open Space

Set in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Morgan Hill's Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve is remote, wild, and delivers summit views that can make you feel like you're on top of the world. Reach sweeping vistas of the Diablo Range on a 5-mile (round-trip) loop hik
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Sierra Vista Surprise

Hike Sierra Vista Open Preserve

Urbanized landscape can sometimes blend beautifully with wide-open spaces. It’s all about perspective. And San Jose's Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve provides it! Get unobstructed views of the Santa Clara Valley and all the way across the bay on a 4.2-mile (round-trip) partial l
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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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