Wild Views & Wildflowers

Huge views are even better when the surrounding landscape is painted by wildflowers. Here are three Bay Area hikes and bike rides combining beautiful vistas and flower power!

Week: 04.14.2016
Regions: Northern CA

Pedal to Petals

Hike or mountain bike Mount Burdell in North Bay for wildflowers and views

Victory looks and smells so sweet atop a 1,500-foot peak swimming in wildflowers! Go on a gut-busting flower-power mountain bike ride to North Marin’s highest summit, Mount Burdell. The 5-mile (round-trip) journey starts on a wide dirt trail and passes piercing swaths of yellow b
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Magical Wanderland

Redwood Adventures and Hikes in Humboldt County

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Lush, ancient, and giant. Those are just a few of the words that will come to mind as you stand under some of the tallest trees in the world. Just a few hours from San Francisco, Humboldt County is home to one of the most unique national parks in the country, Redwood National and
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Colorful Calero

Hike in South Bay at Calero County Park for wildflowers and views

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Tucked in the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Calero County Park has a surprise side. Its 4,455 acres are home to a well-known reservoir that’s a central attraction for water activities. But venture into its “back country” in spring and discover its wild—and wildfl
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Black Diamond in the Rough

Black Diamond Mine Hike for wildflowers and views

Four million tons of “black diamonds” were mined out of Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch. So what remains? A diamond in the rough! Wildflowers are adding sparkle to over 65 miles of trails. Enjoy spring’s spectacle on a 3.5-mile loop through the park’s 158 differe
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Man hiking up a trail at Montara Mountain, with a view of the Pacific and Grey Whale sand beach in the background

    From Beach to Summit

    No need to decide between a beach and a mountaintop—this hike includes both! Explore the stunning coastal scenery on this 6-mile out-and-back up Montara Mountain and into Rancho Corral de Tierra.

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  2. Picnic and a Pedal

    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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  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

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  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

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  1. Woman walking in the Venice Canals of Los Angeles County

    Canal Contemplations

    With its incense-scented boardwalk, bohemian shops, skateparks, and abundance of body builders, Venice is happily eccentric, and artistic. Exhibit A: Its network of European-style canals with charming bridges, offering a tranquil tour of the town’s history.

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  2. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

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  3. What's Up, Winthrop!

    It’s not just its location close to Washington State’s spectacular and less visited national park (North Cascades) that makes Winthrop such a winsome mountain town. This lively enclave in the Methow Valley bristles with a whimsical blend of Wild West charms, contemporary culture, and a mosaic of outdoor adventures—from river to lake to waterfalls, and beyond.

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  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

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