All "Hikes" Stories in Northern CA

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  Woods Lake in Winter

  Powder up for a snow-filled adventure to frozen Woods Lake. This 4-mile (round-trip) out-and-back in the Carson Pass takes you through gently rolling hills, across snow-covered mea

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  Hike to Hidden Falls

  Rain, sun, rain, wind, partial sun, rain … what’s a hiker to do? Go with the flow! Or rather, go to the flow. Hidden Falls Regional Park in the Sierra foothills near Auburn has 30

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  Yes, Berryessa!

  Napa County’s Lake Berryessa is known for its boating, but few people know of the excellent hiking trails overlooking this lake, which is particularly serene in winter. Thank UC Da

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  Redwoods Ramble

  If your idea of a great winter wander is walking among coastal redwoods without encountering many other people, then head to the San Mateo Coast’s Butano State Park. Get an early s

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  Hike to Pluto!

  Ever wanted to check out Mars? How about Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto? All you’ve gotta do is hike in Sonoma Valley’s Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. The park’s super cool PlanetWalk is a marvelous, and marvelously quiet, hiking trail designed as a scale model of the solar system.

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  Redwoods Star Power

  Go on a 5-mile (round-trip) redwoods hike that starts from Chabot’s Moon Gate entrance and through Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, then visit the Chabot Space and Science Center for a rooftop telescope star viewing.

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  Museum in the Redwoods

  Wanna find some solitude to read more this year? Get inspired at a literary museum and an adjacent hiking trail leading to famous ruins tucked among redwoods. The all new House of

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  Sunol Salutations

  New Year, new points of view … lots of views, thanks to a less-hiked trail in the East Bay. Well-known Sunol Regional Wilderness has 6,800 acres of bountiful terrain, yet few hiker

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  Go Nuts for It

  Chestnuts and pines: two things that’ll put you in the holiday spirit! Find both on this 4.5-mile loop hike (or mountain bike ride) through the northeastern corner of Briones Regio

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  Sealed With a Kiss

  Pucker up! This 2.7-mile loop through the East Bay's Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park is brimming with a holiday staple—mistletoe. Start from the Foothill Staging Area, and head up t

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  From Redwoods to Sea Stacks

  In the heart of Anderson Valley, Hendy Woods State Park is rarely crowded, especially in winter, and has a star attraction: ancient redwoods. There’s an easy 2-mile (round-trip) hi

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  Keen for Kennedy

  Take tucked-away Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area, on the northern edge of San Pablo Reservoir. Once part of the 17,754-acre Rancho San Pablo, Kennedy is now a 222-acre park with hiking trails, excellent views of the reservoir, and open space fragrant with eucalyptus trees.

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  Millerton Time

  Point Reyes National Seashore seems to be on everyone’s “favorite things” list, and for good reason. It’s a bounty of beauty from land to sea. So, how do you find a little peace and quiet here? Make it a Millerton afternoon!

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  The Ghost & the Fairy

  It’s hard to resist paddling the tranquil waters of Golden Gate Park’s Stow Lake … home to ducks, geese, gulls, turtles, tourists, and—according to legend—a ghost! Urban myth or no

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  Cal Secret Spots

  In its bustling urban setting, UC Berkeley’s campus may seem like an open book, but it’s actually home to spots that are off the beaten path, even for students. Find less-known gems at Cal, including several that are outdoors.

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  Whale Season

  With the Bay Area’s clear autumn days, now’s a good time to spy whales in the ocean. But seeing one on the green grasses of San Francisco’s Crissy Field? Well, that’s a big deal! T

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  On the Ropes!

  Italy has given us great coffee, superb fashion, and an exciting way to get your outdoor thrills via, well—Via Ferrata! Part rock climbing, part alpine hiking, Via Ferrata is a bui

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  Slide On Over

  Marin's Slide Ranch has a popular neighbor in the Muir Beach Overlook. But don’t overlook Slide! This open-to-the-public nonprofit organization sits on 134 acres of coastline and is filled with animals, Pacific scenery, and an adjacent hiking trail.

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  Strolling With Sam

  Most people come to Samuel P. Taylor State Park for the beautiful creekside campground and picnic areas. But the hiking here can be pleasantly peaceful on a short trail featuring old-growth redwood trees.

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  Picnic with a View

  When early autumn arrives in the mountains, you never really know what you’ll get … hot days, rainy afternoons, snow. Good thing the path to Picnic Rock on the Tahoe Rim Trail is a

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