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  1. Bikers taking in the view on the Bay Area Ridge Trail in El Sereno Open Space Preserve in the South Bay Peninsula
    Northern CA

    Favorite Ridge Trail Hikes & Bike Rides

    The Bay Area Ridge Trail (aka Ridge Trail) comprises over 400 miles of trails encircling the bay. That's a lot of hiking and biking and multi-use adventures! We've rounded up three of the best sections to do in San Francisco and the East and South Bay.

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  2. Northern CA

    Summer Cool Down

    The heat is on! So get to nature's best air conditioning by heading out to these Bay Area beaches. Time to chill out...

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  3. Southern CA

    Beach You To It!

    The heat's still on! These Southern California beach-based outdoor adventures offer some coastal chill, camping, and beautiful scenery—from murals, to viewpoints, and important stories.

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  4. Sponsored
    2026-02-02

    Warm Up to Winter in Reno Tahoe

    2026 is just getting started, but there’s one place already rising to the top as the best for adventure and relaxation: Reno Tahoe. The awe—and ahhhs—begin as soon as you arrive. G

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  5. Northern CA

    Waterside Wanders

    Whether it's a lake, a reservoir, or a quiet bay, here are three trails to savor the season and take in some reflection time.

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  6. Southern CA

    Beer Here Now

    The glass is more than half full on these three hikes that end in beer(s). Get your fill of outdoors with huge mountain views and a beach to beach ramble that goes between breweries. Here's to hikes, and beer!

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  7. Southern CA

    Summer Sunsets

    Summer's not over yet! Bid a slow goodbye to the season by savoring some sunsets in these three special places where you can hike, stroll, or just relax.

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  8. Northern CA

    Stairways to Heavenly Views

    Quiet pathways, iconic ocean views, incredible hilltop perspectives, art—oh yeah! Step up to these Bay Area stairway hikes for heavenly views.

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  9. Northern CA

    Summer Nights

    Summer nights and the living is easy. From a picnic at sea to a lighthouse hike and a place to see a perfect starry night, here are three great bets to savor the season.

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  10. Dog friendly full moon hike Westridge Trail Brentwood
    Southern CA

    Sunsets, Starry Nights, and Moonlight Hikes

    Sunsets, starry nights, and a moonlight hike ... nature's light is genius at these three places to trek, camp, and enjoy some sunset viewing, too.

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  11. Northern CA & Southern CA

    CA Backpacking and Wilderness Hikes

    California’s Sierra Nevada is a boon of wilderness wonders, from waterfalls and lakes to quiet and secluded backcountry camping amid forest and jagged peaks. Here are three amazing backpacking adventures, including a few that can be done as long day hikes.

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  12. Northern CA

    Coastal Camping and Hikes

    As the summer keeps coasting, get coasting! These three camping spots are blissfully brought to you by beautiful coastal locations that are prime time for pitching your tent by the water.

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  13. Southern CA

    Summer Hike Refresher

    Hot summer days are sending a message: pair your outdoor adventures with some fresh brews. After you bag these peaks or log the miles on these select hikes, refresh yourself at these excellent breweries nearby.

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  14. Southern CA

    Park Yourself Here

    Trying to find a parking spot in LA … not fun! Trying to find a park in LA … hey now, that's pretty fun! Head out on a park- hopping bike ride, linger at a classic place for sunset viewing, and set your sights on a hidden mountain with iconic views.

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  15. Sponsored
    2026-02-02

    Warm Up to Winter in Reno Tahoe

    2026 is just getting started, but there’s one place already rising to the top as the best for adventure and relaxation: Reno Tahoe. The awe—and ahhhs—begin as soon as you arrive. G

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  16. Northern CA

    Long Live the Redwoods

    Massive and resilient, redwoods survived the Ice Age—and now they’re also having to endure the climate crisis, with a lot of help from heroic firefighters. In appreciation of redwoods, resiliency, and the heroics of first responders, here are three beautiful places to find respite in the redwoods.

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  17. Sun Valley Idaho

    Here Comes The Sun

    Inhale, exhale, and stay sunny this summer. Sun Valley, Idaho, is famous for its epic outdoors, but nature nurtures in so many different ways here: mountain yoga, summit hikes filled with flowing waters, wildflowers and vast alpine views, and car-free bike trails to botanical gardens plus fresh food stops. Oh, and those romantic dark sky starry nights...

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  18. Northern CA

    Summer Wheeling

    Summer breeze feels better on two wheels. From a multi-use trail that hugs the coastal blufftops to an easy rolling ramble through wine country, these bike rides were meant for easy wheeling.

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  19. Southern CA

    A Walk Among Oaks

    A walk in the woods can be good medicine, and seeing the forest for the trees can also be beneficial. These three hikes feature beautiful and resilient oak trees along with big views for extra inspiration.

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  20. Southern CA

    Firework Hikes

    Grab a headlamp and a sense of adventure to do any of these hikes in LA at sunset. And 4th of July bonus: the chance to catch some distant fireworks!

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  21. Northern CA

    Fourth and Out!

    Beyond the BBQs and parades, find some time to relax and reflect in the great outdoors. From kayaking in wine country to walking beneath giant redwood trees, we have some ideas to get your summer swinging.

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  22. Hike to the Peak of Mount Elwell in the Lakes Basin
    Northern CA

    Long On Summer!

    Longing for a long hike? Well, you've come to the right time of year! Summer lets you linger later on the trails, and these three longer hikes are worth the miles.

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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. A man takes a break at a temple spot on a hike at Dragon Mountain in Milptas

    Dragon Quest

    The newly reopened, 4-mile out-and-back hike at Dragon Mountain in Milpitas mixes the physical with the spiritual for a serene hiking experience.

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  2. Keough's Hot Springs

    Soaking Up History

    When you slide into the soothing water of Keough’s Hot Springs, you’re bathing in a piece of Owens Valley history.

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  3. woman hiking Buck Gulch Falls Novato

    Buck Wild!

    Tucked back beyond the residential ranch-style homes and golf courses of Novato in the North Bay is a wild and wondrous 30-foot waterfall that springs to life in the rainy season. Buck Gulch Falls in Novato’s Ignacio Valley Preserve is in peak flow right now, and it’s a short and Middle-earthy hike to reach it.

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  4. Grover Hot Springs

    State Park Soaker

    Set in an alpine meadow at 6,000 feet and surrounded by the 10,000-foot granite peaks of the Sierra, Grover Hot Springs State Park—just outside the town of Markleeville—has its very own hot springs.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. Right now there's a banner and bonus view of a rare lake formation that appears only after big rains.

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  2. Hot, Wet, and Wild!

    At Wild Willy’s Hot Springs, you can soak up a primeval landscape that’s amazingly close to Mammoth Lakes and Highway 395—it just feels a few geological epochs away.

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  3. It's a Waterfall Life

    Tahquitz Canyon’s crystalline stream and lush stands of desert lavender, honey mesquite, and leafy sycamores is home to an easy day hike with a big bonus: a 60-foot waterfall that runs with remarkable gusto after winter rains.

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  4. Oh Snow Nice

    Live in California long enough, and you’ll come to know the rite of passage called “going to the snow”–when we ditch our fair-weather cities and towns in search of winter weather. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks deliver a winter wonderland worth a visit if there’s been a good dose of snow.

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