Man hiking up a trail at Montara Mountain, with a view of the Pacific and Grey Whale sand beach in the background

Hikes to Clear the Cobwebs

Who needs some fresh air? Thanks to various organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area, these hikes are a vital part of lands saved from development and turned into nature havens for people and wildlife.

Week: 11.06.2024
Regions: Northern CA

From Beach to Summit

Hike Montara Mountain and Rancho Corral de Tierra

Man hiking up a trail at Montara Mountain, with a view of the Pacific and Grey Whale sand beach in the background
No need to decide between a beach and a mountaintop—this hike includes both! Explore the stunning coastal scenery on this 6-mile out-and-back up Montara Mountain and into Rancho Corral de Tierra.
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Snow Much Fun

Plan Your Winter Vacation to Reno Tahoe

When you know … you Reno! Over the past several years, Reno Tahoe has set itself apart from other mountain destinations with its creative verve, ascendant dining scene, walkability, and of course—amazing outdoors.
Your Best Winter in Reno Tahoe

Light of Los Trancos

Hike Los Trancos Open Space Preserve in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Hike Los Trancos Open Space Preserve in the Santa Cruz Mountains
In autumn, Los Trancos Open Space Preserve lights up with orange-red maples, yellow hazelnut, and deciduous oaks, making this 2.5-mile hike in the Santa Cruz mountains a wonder-fall destination.
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Fernandez Fabulous

Hike Fernandez Ranch in the East Bay Hills

Hiker at Fernandez Ranch in the East Bay
There’s a lesser known hiking haven located in the northern range of the East Bay Hills. Fernandez Ranch has beautiful trails through the park’s golden hills and under oak savannahs. This 4-mile recommended loop hike bonuses with glorious view of San Francisco Bay.
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    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Hot As (Bumpass) Hell

    So you like going to all the hot spots when you visit places? Well, in Lassen Volcanic National Park there’s a place so hot it gets downright steamy. Bumpass Hell is the largest hydrothermal area in the park, with sputtering mud pots, sulfur vents, and boiling pools. It’s California’s Yellowstone. But it only opens in summer through fall.

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  3. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

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  4. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

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