| 2. |
Sleeping Beauty: She only comes out after a good rain—and when she does Murietta Falls shouldn't be missed. You'll need a full day to complete the 12-mile (round-trip) epic hike to one of the Bay Area's most elusive waterfalls. |
| 3. |
Glide to the Hut: Having Yosemite all to yourself this winter? Fantastic. Spending a night in a remote lodge perched at the park's most iconic viewpoint? Even better. For the best of both worlds, cross-country ski a few hours to Glacier Point Ski Hut. Good glidings. |
| 4. |
Big Cheese Wheel: Ride like Levi Leipheimer, eat like Alice Waters. The 34-mile Cheese Factory road ride loop offers a double-whammy of amazing West Marin countryside scenery topped off by a gourmet post-ride snack. Start where you finish. Say cheese. |
| 5. |
Pearfect: When summer comes pitch your tent near sparkling Pear Lake, an emerald oasis surrounded by jagged granite peaks in Sequoia National Park. Get there by trekking 6 miles (one-way), through a white fir and lodgepole forest, and skirting 2,000 feet above Tokopah Valley on the famed Watchtower Trail. |
| 6. |
Splish Splash: The best swimming holes are easy to access by foot, hidden from the hordes, and have plenty of pools for playing. Welcome to Oregon Creek Swimming Hole (in the foothills near Auburn) where granite meets Sierra snowmelt for a secret summer splash. |
| 7. |
Get Your Grove On: Hike to the most pristine grove of old-growth redwoods in the Bay Area. Portola Redwoods State Park's Peters Creek isn't for windshield tourists or tour bus groups; it's a 13-mile (round-trip) hike to reach these big red beauties. They're waiting for you. |
| 8. |
Death Becomes Her: As the lower 48's largest national park, Death Valley has plenty of room to roam. Visit any time between now and May to stroll through magnificent Golden Canyon and explore the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. Stay in the heart of the valley at Furnace Creek Inn.
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| 9. |
Fat Tire Fun: Ridgetop scenery, zig-zagging singletrack, and peaceful redwood forests make the South Bay's Saratoga Gap a mountain-bike bonanza. Ride a 10-mile loop across the hilltops with views all the way to the Pacific. (Worth the wait: The trails won't open until after the rainy season). |
| 10. |
Point Reyes Grand Slam: Go from coastal forest to grassy hillsides to secluded beaches on this 13-miler that hits it out of the park. Time your hike in Point Reyes for low tide to explore a giant rock tunnel. |
