When John Muir wasn't meeting with Teddy Roosevelt or trekking across the Sierras, he could be found hiking nearby his home in Martinez at Mount Wanda, named after his daughter. The 325-acre preserve gently rises to a high point of 660 feet (pictured) with unobscured views at almost every turn. Muir used to take his family up this hill to study the spring wildflowers—shooting star, buttercup, purple owl's clover, mule's ear—that currently are in full bloom. Traffic noise from Martinez can be heard at the start of the trail, but the farther back it goes, the quieter it gets. Stop and relax underneath one of the many large oak trees along the ripe green hillsides, or at one of the viewpoint benches. Muir enthusiasts can also visit his nearby home—now a National Historic Site. The 14-room Victorian mansion sits on nine acres of land filled mostly with fruit orchards and oak woodlands. It's a genuine walk in Muir's legendary footsteps.

BONUS: Celebrate John Muir's 170th birthday and Earth Day at the John Muir Earth Day Festival this Saturday. Take a guided wildflower walk on Mount Wanda, and enjoy birthday cake, bagpipes, and a barbecue.

The trailhead to Mount Wanda is at the park-and-ride lot on Franklin Canyon Rd. and Alhambra Ave. in Martinez (map). Pick up a map at the kiosk in the park and follow the Nature Trail with a stop at the top of Mount Wanda. John Muir's home is just on the other side of Highway 4 on Alhambra Ave. Mount Wanda is dog-friendly!