All "Hikes" Stories in Northern CA

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  The Wild, Wild East

  Gloriously uncrowded and teeming with terrain both sublime and rugged, Eastern Oregon is truly wild, with natural hot springs, the deepest canyon in North America, and the extraordinary Painted Hills.

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  Expansive Southern Oregon

  It’s where you’ll find Oregon’s only national park, Crater Lake, a volcanic wonder that’s the deepest lake in the country. Southern Oregon is a land of remote open spaces, Dark Skies, waterfalls, and healing hot springs. Hit the road for a bounty of outdoors and book some guided tours.

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  Surreal Sandscape

  It’s a stunning landscape that inspired the sci-fi classic Dune (and hence its recent blockbuster adaptation), but no special effects are needed to enhance the scenery of Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. This 42 miles of sand, forest, rivers, and lakes is both ethereal and surreal.

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  Falls of the Wild

  Through the redwoods you’ll go on this adventurous 9-mile (round-trip) out-and-back hike in the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park. This hike is loaded with charms, but the big riches come from viewing Maple Falls, a 30-foot stunner that comes to life after rains.

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  Gorge-ous Escape

  Oregon’s tallest mountain? That’s Mt. Hood—surrounded by six ski areas, surprise waterfall hikes, and plenty of rivers, lakes, and streams to play in. Just east of Portland, the region of Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge brings a range of outdoor adventures for every season.

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  Lucky as a Horseshoe

  Horseshoe Lake in Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve gets adventurers young and old up close to some of the Bay Area’s best winged wildlife along its namesake shoreline via a 3.5-mile (round-trip) hike that’s easy and tranquil.

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  Now and Zin

  From colorful foliage to rainstorm-fed rivers and beautiful views, Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve showcases the best of autumn. For a relaxing walk beneath the trees, do the 4-mile (round-trip) Zinfandel Trail through the Cupertino foothills.

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  Gem of a Vacation

  Backed by the Coachella Valley’s Santa Rosa Mountains, La Quinta’s vast wild spaces are steeped in history, with plenty of important historical sites amid its beautiful nature. Add in boutique hotels, spas, and great dining, and you’ve got one gem of a vacation.

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  Adventure Plan Portland

  With the Willamette River running through it and Mt. Hood rising crisply on the horizon, Portland is well-known for its exceptional food, coffee, culture, and beer scene. But it’s also an ideal basecamp for branching out into nature and a bevy of outdoor adventures within city limits and just beyond.

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  Doubleup Russian Ridge

  Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve packs two scenic hills into a 9-mile (round-trip) challenging hike to Borel and Mindego Hills for spectacular views stretching all the way from the Diablo Range to the Pacific Ocean.

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  The Coast with the Most Adventures

  The Oregon Coast isn't your average coast. Take a road trip through charming towns, see numerous historic lighthouses, explore shipwreck beaches, wander bustling promenades, or go “sandboarding” at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

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  Barnabe Bonanza

  Sure, there are higher mountains in Marin (Mount Tam) and easier ascents (Mount Burdell), but is there a more expansive North Bay view? Barnabe Peak in Samuel P. Taylor State Park offers a glorious panorama including Mount Tam, Mount Diablo, and Mount St. Helena.

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  Waterfalls, Wine, Wanderlust: Willamette Valley

  Oregon’s lush and lovely Willamette Valley is home to the McKenzie River, an outdoor adventurer’s paradise with its crystalline waters and surrounding waterfall hikes. Oh, and the wine … it “reigns and pours” world-famous pinots here.

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  Sweet and Salty

  Located on Highway 1 about 18 miles north of Jenner, Salt Point State Park is wild, scenic, and one of the most beautiful places to do some classic coastal camping.

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  Central Oregon: Center of Adventure

  It's good to be the center of it all—and that's especially true in Central Oregon, home to the craft beer capital of the nation, the Deschutes River, and more adventure trails than you can dream of.

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  Hill of a Good Hike

  Located just off Highway 17 in the Los Gatos hills, St. Joseph’s Hill packs a big panorama within this 3.5-mile loop. This beautiful preserve has hiking and biking trails, and beautiful vistas.

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  Hill Yeah!

  Though it stands at only 960 feet, Hill 88 features some of Marin’s best views from a peak not named Mount Tam. See the upper reaches of the wild yet accessible headlands on a 5.5-mile (round-trip) hike.

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  Up Umunhum

  Rising from the Santa Cruz Mountains, Mount Umunhum is one of the Bay Area’s highest points, reaching an impressive 3,486 feet. With the new 7.4-mile (round-trip) addition to the Bay Area Ridge Trail, locals can finally step up to its peak.

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  Kirby Your Enthusiasm

  Just west of the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin is one of the Bay's most-accessible secluded beaches. Kirby Cove is accessed by hiking or biking a 1-mile fire road down to the beach, where the reward is an all-time classic Golden Gate view.

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  Three Beaches to the Wind

  This beautiful 7-mile (round-trip) coastal hike in the Marin Headlands connects three beaches: Muir Beach, Pirates Cove, and Tennessee Cove.

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