All "Hikes" Stories in Northern CA

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  Stay Sunny!

  Minimize the screen time, maximize the great outdoors, and get the family on a trip to Sun Valley, Idaho! From pedaling the rails-to-trails bike path the locals love, to taking your pick of parks.

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  Simply Sun Valley, Idaho

  A change of scenery is like a breath of fresh air, and you benefit from both when you experience the Sun Valley, Idaho, very few people know. Nature nurtures here in the original mountain town.

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  Seal the Bluffing Deal

  We love aquariums, but there’s something special about viewing adorable, blubbery harbor seals in their natural habitat—namely Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve. An easy 1-mile (r

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  Santa Teresa Serenity

  Santa Teresa County Park offers wooded trails, stunning views, and an up-close look at ranch life, all without ever leaving San Jose. This 3.7-mile loop is a breath of fresh air.

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  Carr Ranch

  Can’t decide between an epic hike or a relaxing nature walk? The 8.3-mile Carr Ranch Trail loop in the East Bay’s Contra Costa County is the perfect hike for rugged adventurers with a soft side.

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  North Lake Tahoe, Naturally

  Where do you go to make this spring twice as fun? North Lake Tahoe, naturally! Just 45 minutes from Reno-Tahoe International Airport, North Lake Tahoe’s spring season lets you double up your days with diverse outdoor experiences.

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  Hidden Wilds of Healdsburg

  When you arrive at Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preserve, you may wonder what could possibly be tucked behind a subdivision. But within minutes of hiking in this 155-acre preserve, the beauty reveals itself: majestic oak trees, wetland, spring wildflowers, and wowing views of the Mayacama Mountains and Russian River.

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  Guide to the Best Wildflower Walks

  Where will you wildflower this season? Check out POST’s 2022 digital guide to Wildflower Walks and find the best in bloom around the Peninsula and South Bay.

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  Disc-go!

  Big views and one of the most scenic disc golf courses in Northern California: Crane Creek Regional Park in Sonoma County packs a lot into its 128 acres!

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  Flashy Fernandez

  Green rolling hills studded in oak trees, wildflowers like poppies, lupine, and the Mount Diablo sunflower—exclusive to Contra Costa County: the landscape at Fernandez Ranch in Martinez is a highlight reel of wildlife, wildflowers, and wowing panoramas. Try this 6-mile hike or bike ride.

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  Colorful Calero

  Rolling green hills, gorgeous vistas, and wildflowers festooning the landscape … this 5.4-mile out-and-back hike in the South Bay’s Calero County Park is a gentle ascent through landscape currently awash with color.

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  Muiraculous Beauty

  Ready to make your non-California friends jealous? Have a bonfire at Muir Beach while watching the sunset. This is Northern California living at its most braggadocious.

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  BBQ by the Bay

  Picnic spots don't get more "on the Bay" than at China Camp State Park. This sprawling state park in Marin has several panoramic picnic spots (with BBQ grills) right on the shores of San Pablo Bay.

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  Samuel's Place

  Samuel P. Taylor State Park has all the fixings for a beautiful picnic combined with a hike or bike ride: redwood forest, babbling Lagunitas Creek, barbecue grills, and beautiful trails.

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  Ride the Ridge

  Galloping green hills, grazing cattle, great vantages … Bolinas Ridge Trail in Point Reyes National Seashore is a challenging yet visually rewarding intermediate-level mountain bike ride (or hike). Winter and spring are ideal for an adventure here, and seasonal features like wildflowers can pop early.

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  The Mission is Mission

  Thousands of hikers and bikers come to test their mettle against Mission Peak and pose with the famous “Mission Peeker” summit pole. This 6-mile out-and-back route happens to be one of the best sunset hikes in the Bay Area.

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  Rock It

  Hike a 6-mile loop to the Baccardo Lookout Point in San Jose at Alum Rock Park.

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  Loop Less Traveled

  The East Bay has some of the Bay Area’s most popular mountains, and Monument Peak shares the gorgeous views with fewer people on the trail. Hike this 8.7-mile loop to the summit and it might just be you, and the cows!

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  Channel Islands for a Change

  There’s no better time to visit California’s Channel Islands National Park. Located 25 miles off Ventura County Coast, this series of five distinct and spectacular islands is reached by a fun ferry ride often filled with wildlife sightings.

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  A New Work of Heart

  Ready for a heartfelt hike? This urban walk in San Francisco features a beautiful mosaic stairway, panoramic views, a new work of "heart," and plentiful coastal drama.

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