All "Hikes" Stories in Northern CA

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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Rise and Shine in Camarillo
Camarillo shines in more ways than one—including nearly year-round sun. Bathed in a Mediterranean climate and surrounded by agricultural “charmland”—especially wineries and vineyards—Camarillo is the perfect blend of outdoor bliss and urban comforts.
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Summit Up
This 5-mile out-and-back hike on Mount Diablo's Summit Trail is an ideal choice for hikers who want to pack good views into a moderate hike.
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Your Winter Wellness Retreat: La Quinta
La Quinta is one of SoCal’s best-kept secrets, a land of wild open spaces, deep history, beautiful art, and all kinds of ways to relax and soak in the healing power of nature.
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Challenge of a Big Sizer!
If ever there was a "Beauty and the Beast" hike, this is it! The 15-mile (round-trip) Mount Sizer loop hike in Henry W. Coe State Park is considered the toughest in the Bay Area. And cooler months are the best time to tackle it. The reward? One of the most beautiful panoramas in the region ... all the way out to the Sierras on clear days.
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Hood's New Trail
Tucked just on the edge of Sonoma Valley near Santa Rosa, Hood Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve has a trail leading up to a brilliant picnic spot with a panorama of Sonoma Valley all the way out to the ocean.
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Mix Things Up in Oxnard
By land, by sea, by taco trail—Oxnard in Ventura County hits its stride in winter. The golden beaches are uncrowded, and surfers find their bliss in the curling waves.
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Flowing and Glowing
San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park charms with splashy waterfalls, but in January it adds splashes of color too, thanks to its Winter Lights in Golden Gate Park displays, including the popular Entwined installation in Peacock Meadows.
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Find Your Vibe
Start off 2022 with some good vibes! Head to the destination that’s all about a California State of Mind. The Ventura County Coast has all the good vibes you’ll need for your next getaway. It’s home to Channel Islands National Park, also known as “the Galapagos of North America.”
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