Two hikers at Bear Creek Redwoods Regional Preserve on a new trail.

Tranquility in the Trees

If you find yourself in overdrive during the season of holly jolly, take a tree break. These three Bay Area hikes, including a new trail, offer tranquility amid oaks, redwoods, and mixed forest.

Week: 12.04.2024
Regions: Northern CA

New Trails at Bear Creek

Hike New Trails at Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve

Two hikers at Bear Creek Redwoods Regional Preserve on a new trail.
Looking for new trails? Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve has added 170 acres of forest, grassland, and historical sites. Hike this 3.5-mile loop through the new addition.
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Something to Look Forward to

Discover Shoulder Season in Reno Tahoe

Spring for the West’s most dynamic mountain town – Reno, Nevada. The city’s very nature brings limitless possibilities for all seasons, including shoulder season! Here are some Reno Tahoe adventures to spring for in the new year.
Plan for Shoulder Season in Reno Tahoe

The Occidental Tourist

Grove of Old Trees in Occidental

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The Grove of Old Trees in Occidental is 33 hidden acres of towering redwoods and the only privately owned preserve in Sonoma County that's free to the public. Hike one of two flat loop trails shaped like an upside-down peace sign.
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High and Mighty in the East Bay

Hiking Oakland's Redwoods Regional Park

Tucked beyond Oakland’s bustling city streets is Redwood Regional Park, a secluded escape of second-growth redwoods that’s treasured among locals for its canopied forest and dog-friendly trails.
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Trending Stories NorCal

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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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Trending Stories SoCal

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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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