All "Overnight Escapes" Stories in Northern CA
Great Is an Understatement!
Tucked against the Utah border in eastern Nevada, Great Basin is a hiking wonderland of 13,000-foot peaks, ancient forests, sub-alpine lakes, and marble limestone caves.
ViewAll the Wright Stuff
Avoiding drama? That’s a good thing. Unless you’re talking about campsites. In that case, the more dramatic the better! And Wright’s Beach on the Sonoma Coast is quite the drama queen—27 campsites sitting smack dab in the middle of the wild and raging Sonoma Coast State Beach.
ViewCalifornia's Serengeti
When people talk about our great golden state, rarely included in that conversation is the Central Valley’s Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, or, as we call it: California’s Serengeti. It’s home to some of the most spectacular concentrations of waterfowl in the entire continent, and fall and winter are prime times for viewing action.
ViewSea You at the Ranch
Rough-and-tumble coastline, twisting Highway 1, open grasslands, hidden beaches, bluff trails, and a rustic lodge for storm watching from indoors —we’re not talking about Big Sur.
ViewSteep Sleep
Perhaps the best deal in the Bay Area: an oceanfront cabin at Steep Ravine for $100. The challenge? Actually reserving one of these popular cabins! Don’t be dissuaded; the effort is well worth it.
ViewLighthouse ZZZs
It’s the closest point of land to the Hawaiian Islands in the continental United States and it might well be the best view on the coast. The historic 115-foot lighthouse tower at P
ViewHappy Ending
Everybody loves a happy ending. And one of the happiest endings in Northern California is where the Russian River empties into the Pacific. Get a front row seat to witness this won
ViewLone Oasis
Every summer, thousands travel to Whitney Portal in the Eastern Sierra to summit Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States. But thousands more are denied the
ViewOld and Gnarly
Few places will magnify your sense of time and space quite like the rugged White Mountains. A part of Inyo National Forest, this remote, seldom-visited range along the upper Owens
ViewGlamp Camp
So your idea of camping is barbecues, beach cruisers, and better-not-have-to-pitch-a-tent? Say hello to Autocamp! (Or what we call Autoglamp.) Set right in downtown Santa Barbara,
ViewStar This Camp
Ready to take your camping experience to the next level? Put a star next to this on your outdoors adventures list: Way up in the foothills overlooking the Santa Clara Valley, withi
ViewTake Liberty
Wine country: busy! Camping in wine country: woo-hoo solitude! Though you now have to make a reservation (even if it’s 20 minutes prior), there’s a good chance you’ll be able to pi
ViewLookout There!
Perched at 4,900 feet in the Greenhorn Mountains amid majestic oaks and huge, cleaved boulders, Oak Flat Lookout in Sequoia National Forest (named for the Giant Sequoia groves and
ViewHigh Sierra Sorensen's
At the eastern edge of Hope Valley, just 20 minutes south of Lake Tahoe, is what you would call an elegantly rustic respite suited to all seasons. Situated in an alpine valley rin
ViewDesolation Drama
Oval-shaped Dicks Lake is one of the scenic gems of the Desolation Wilderness. Set in a dramatic glacial cirque with 9,974-foot Dicks Peak soaring behind it, the lake makes a perfe
ViewSleep Like a Rock
No crowds, no cell phone service—now that’s a wilderness getaway! The hugely underrated Rock Creek Lake in the Inyo National Forest of the eastern Sierra is known for its peaceful
ViewSea Life
Hundreds of dolphins and whales have been sighted in Monterey Bay since mid-June, and with huge populations of California sea lions, southern sea otters, and harbor seals frequenti
ViewSurfwood's Up!
MacKerricher State Park in Mendocino County delivers nine miles of diverse coastline and a seaside gem for spending the night: Surfwood Campground is a laid-back oasis with 45 lush coastal campsites—including 10 secluded walk-ins.
ViewOhh, Gualala
Coastal camping just got cozy in Sonoma County. Enjoy the sea breeze and take refuge from it too at Gualala Point Regional Park Campground, where 18 sites sit shaded beneath a rich
ViewJust Dune It!
Coastal wildflowers are still going strong at Manchester State Park in Mendocino County, where dune-top hiking trails colored in baby blue eyes and purple lupine dance across the n
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The 2025 Hiking Calendar Is Here!
Ready to make hiking part of your New Year’s wellness plan? Get the all-new 2025 Hiking Calendar courtesy of Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST).
Get the 2025 POST Hiking Calendar
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