Redwoods All To Yourself

In case you didn't hear, October was just declared California Redwoods Month, celebrating our iconic trees from the coast to the Sierra Nevada. Go on the hunt for redwood October! Here are 10 of the best places to escape the crowds and explore these behemoth beauties.

Week: 10.04.2018
Regions: Northern CA

Picnic and a Pedal

Bike Ride the Cross Marin Trail in West Marin North Bay Area

West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.
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Secret Redwoods + Camping by the River

Camping at Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park

Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park is a little-known gem where skyscraping reds (the tallest living trees in the world!) fly under the radar. Grizzly’s ironically small size and location off the beaten path provide near total seclusion, not to mention relaxing camping!
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Top Notch Climbs

Top Climbs in Reno Tahoe

The view from the top is always better—especially when the views are of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada. Strap in: Reno Tahoe is a rock-climbing haven, where beginners can learn the ropes and experts can fine-tune their skills. There are three major rock-climbing facilities in R
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Leap Frog!

Hiking Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve

So the whole family’s visiting and Muir Woods is full? Good thing it has a doppelganger! Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve near Sonoma County’s Russian River is an 805-acre park that’s home to some seriously old (1,400 years!) and seriously tall (310 feet!) redwoods. Thank
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Hike & Camp Hendy

Hike Hendy Woods in Anderson Valley

Anderson Valley’s Hendy Woods State Park is an 845-acre beauty butting right up to the bank of the Navarro River. Its star attraction? Ancient redwood trees. And some stellar campsites and cabins.
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Big Tree Bonanza

Giant Redwood hikes at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Humboldt County

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park hike
Roosevelt elk, canyons draped in ferns and dripping with small waterfalls, oh … and the tallest trees on the entire planet! Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park has all the fixings for world-class hiking.
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Going to See Madonna

Hike the Redwoods in Mount Madonna Park

If you're going to see Madonna we're guaranteeing the venue is going to be amazing: high up in the Santa Cruz Mountains and dominated by redwood trees. Okay, we’re not talking "Like a Virgin" Madonna; we're talking like "Second-Growth Redwoods" Mount Madonna.
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Take a Napa

Camp or Stay in a Yurt in Napa Valley

With its beautifully manicured vines and stately tasting rooms fronted by giant water fountains, it's refreshing to know Napa has a wild side beyond bachelor parties in limos. You can get legitimately rugged here! Tucked in the northern part of Napa Valley, Bothe-Napa Valley Stat
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Giant Escape

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

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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BONUS: Redwoods on the House!

Hike the Redwoods in 2018 with Complimentary Parking Passes

In celebration of turning 100 this year, Save the Redwoods League is hosting a celebration week and also giving away complimentary day-use admission to more than 100 redwood parks for every second Saturday of 2018. The next one is Saturday, October 13. (Some parks have waived fee
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  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.

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  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.

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  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.

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  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.

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  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.

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  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!

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  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.

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  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

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