All "Dog Friendly" Stories in Northern CA

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  Berry Good Hike (or Bike)

  This 7-mile out-and-back through Sanborn County Park has big views of the South Bay and offers some reprieve from summer heat thanks to shaded sections among towering firs.

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  Your Mission Is Less Crowded

  Mission Peak is one of the Bay Area’s most popular mountains, with many hikers climbing every weekend. Skip the crowds with this 6-mile loop up the less-traveled southern route.

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  Bear Hug

  This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

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  Peaceful at Pyramid

  About 40 minutes beyond downtown Reno, Pyramid Lake Scenic Byway leads to one of the world’s largest oases. Pyramid Lake is the end point of the Truckee River, and it’s an absolute marvel.

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  Huffaker for Huge Views

  As the sun goes down, the iconic lights come up in the Biggest Little City in the World. And there’s a perfect place to witness both on a short sunset hike to an outcropping offering a brilliant panorama. South Reno’s Huffaker Hills is a grass prairie open space teeming with wildlife and seasonal wildflowers.

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  Key to the Biking Kingdom

  It’s not often that you get amazing mountain biking trails within city limits. Hello, Keystone Canyon in Reno! Keystone Canyon feels like a wilderness world away with its vast network of trails ranging from beginner-friendly to truly challenging.

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  This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

  Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

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  Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

  Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

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  Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

  Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

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  Downtown Delights

  Behold Paso Robles’ historic-meets-modern downtown. At the center of it all: Downtown City Park, surrounded by chic and down-to-earth food + drink establishments, beautiful mural art, and stores unique to Paso's creative roots.

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  Eat, Drink, E-bike!

  No offense to charcuterie but sometimes you want a full meal while tasting world-class wine. And Paso Robles knows this better than perhaps any other wine region in California. Case in point: Cass Vineyard and Winery, where you can eat, drink, and e-bike!

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  Hike the Rainbow

  Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

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  Serene Las Gallinas

  A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

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  Paint Brushy

  This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

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  Weekend in Reno Tahoe

  Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

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  All right, Almaden!

  Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

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  Savor Spring in Paso Robles

  Take a classic California road trip this spring and find all the treasures of the season in Paso Robles. Located midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, this laid-back slice of California country combines with the Central Coast for an absolutely spring-loaded getaway.

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  Locals' Feature: Jesse James Ziegler, Reno's Poet Laureate

  Meet Jesse James Ziegler, Reno's Poet Laureate. Jesse is also the Creative Director of Reno’s Monday Night Poetry (at Shim's Tavern) and True Colors Poetry.

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  This Coyote

  Combine a workout with rewarding vistas by hiking or biking Coyote Peak in San Jose’s Santa Teresa County Park. The 4.1-mile loop up Coyote Peak is spring green with rewarding vistas of both the Diablo Range and the Santa Cruz Mountains.

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  Mile-Long Cataract Club

  In winter after heavy rains, the north flank of Mount Tam glows with flows. The nearly mile-long series of waterfalls—Cataract Falls—transforms into a supercharged spectacle. Starting at Alpine Dam, a 1.6 mile (one-way) narrow trails threads through redwoods and ferns along Cataract Creek.

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