All "Dog Friendly" Stories in Northern CA

  • Vineyard Bathing

    We know forest bathing, but how about vineyard bathing? Combine forest and vineyard for blissful hiking at Bartholomew Park in Sonoma. The park has a good 3-mile trail and beautiful winery grounds.

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  • Sponsored

    Outdoor Zen in Sonoma County

    Sonoma County’s abundant natural beauty is good for your mind, body, and spirit. From redwoods and rhododendron walks, to yoga in a vineyard, here are five ways to soothe your soul in Sonoma County.

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  • Putnam Pedal and Poppies!

    Helen Putnam Regional Park punches above her weight. The compact yet bountiful park near Petaluma explodes with wildflowers every spring, in particular the state’s signature California poppy.

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  • Quicksilver Confetti

    There’s something extra wild about Almaden Quicksilver County Park these days: wildflowers! They’re exploding like confetti amid the grasslands, and you can see them on this 5.7-mile loop hike.

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  • Moore Wildflowers!

    Napa's got poppies on parade! Hike the 4.3-mile Valentine Vista Trail at Moore Creek Park. It's spectacular for views, and the spring wildflowers are a colorful bonus!

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  • Ohlone Time

    The hills have gone green just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, and this 7.5-mile lollipop loop hike passes through some of Mount Tam’s lushest spots, with bridges, creeks, a waterfall, and big views.

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  • Headlands Over Heels

    People come from all over the world to get a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge. Get a dramatic and novel view of the bridge without all the people on this moderate 6-mile hike in the Marin Headlands.

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  • Briones Bountiful!

    With over 6,000 acres teeming with trails, Briones Regional Park has plenty of room, big views, and a classic 7-mile circuit passing the two highest points in the park, Mott’s Peak and Briones Peak.

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  • Edgewood Sparklers

    Edgewood Park and Natural Preserve in Woodside sparkles with wildflowers, and you can see them on this 4.2-mile loop with vistas of Mount Diablo and the San Francisco Bay.

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  • Heart of the Matter

    With very few tourists in town, San Francisco’s Presidio gets to bask mostly in local love. Do the classic Heart of the Park hike, which includes the historic and poignant National Cemetery Overlook.

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  • Thornewood In Your Pocket

    Hints of wildflowers, a ravine of redwoods, and vistas over the San Francisco Bay and Diablo Range. Thornewood Preserve in Woodside packs a lot into its tiny space. An early morning start has perks.

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  • Short Hike, Sweet View!

    Steady as you go ... all the way up to a sweeping Bay vista at Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve. This 208-acre haven has a 4.3-mile loop to one of the best views in the East Bay.

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  • Gone With the Wind

    You don’t have to trek far to enjoy a hiker’s high at Windy Hill Preserve on the Peninsula. Its panoramic attraction is easily accessed via the 0.7-mile Anniversary Trail, and it’s magnificent at sunset.

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  • Find Your Flow

    Far back in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Uvas Canyon County Park is a compact, tree-filled delight with hiking trails and several waterfalls bunched into a loop along Swanson Creek and amid lush forest.

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  • Santa Cruz Epic Views

    Redwoods, wildflowers, and ocean vistas offer the best of the Bay Area at Upper La Honda Creek Preserve in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Take a 3.75-mile loop through the preserve's highlights.

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  • Sponsored

    Ready When You Are: Reno Tahoe

    With outdoors being essential for health and wellness, and new protocols in place, Reno Tahoe welcomes visitors! It's wide open with snowshoe trails, fire pits by the river, skating, and hot springs.

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  • Shell of a Good Hike!

    Head to the East Bay’s Shell Ridge Open Space near Walnut Creek to find 1,400 acres of rolling hills. This 7-mile ridge rambling loop showcases all that the foothills of Mount Diablo have to offer.

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  • Serenity at Sunrise

    El Sereno Preserve's namesake mountain rises to majestic views spanning the Diablo Range, Santa Cruz Mountains, and Santa Lucia Mountains. Do a sunrise hike to a new bench on the Aquinas Trail.

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  • Winter Castle

    All you need is a clear day and a pair of sturdy snowshoes for the 2.25-mile (one-way) hike up to Castle Pass near Donner Summit in Tahoe National Forest. The views from the pass are royally good!

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  • Winter Awakening

    Mavericks' surf break off the coast of Half Moon Bay has been drawing spectators and big-wave surfers for years. Watch the wave when it’s breaking by hiking Pillar Point Bluff's amazing trail system.

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