All in Northern CA

  1. Wet, Wild, Waterfalls

    Well, this is a wet and wild start to 2023! Stay safe, and when the storms pass, head out on any of these three hikes where the water will be flowing big. Wishing you a waterfall new year!

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  2. Put it On the Calendar!

    With all the uncertainty surrounding California's back to back to back (to back!) atmospheric rivers, travel and trail conditions are unpredictable. So we're thinking of bigger trips for later in the year. Here are three national park adventures to get booked for 2023! 

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  3. Top 10 Outdoor Adventures of 2022

    For this year’s Top 10 adventures we used an old school algorithm. What did we like? Actually, these are what you liked too! Some are near, others are a bit further afield, and all are excellent ways to explore our natural environment. So as we bid adieu to 2022, here’s to you and the great outdoors.

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  4. Sponsored

    Extra-Celestial Central Oregon

    Some trips promise you the moon and the stars. And this one delivers in a big way, plus throws in some extra planets for your viewing pleasure. From Bend, Sunriver, and Sisters to Antelope Basecamp in the remote high desert.

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  5. Woman jumping on the beach at Pescadero Marsh

    Freedom of Beach

    Wishing you a very happy holiday season. Deck the halls and the trails with these three winter wanders that have beautiful beach bonuses. Stay tuned next week for our annual Top 10 adventures of the year. Merry and bright!

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  6. A-maze-ing Scenery

    Have an a-maze-ing time on these three outdoor adventures featuring big scenery, festive bonuses, and beautiful labyrinths.

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  7. Briones Regional Park hike

    Huge Views for the Holidays

    These three hikes and bike rides are bound to deliver that old holiday magic. Deck the trails!

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  8. Woman hiking at Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park in the East Bay

    Tree Time

    What’s your preference: tranquility, festivity, or a little bit of both? Trees company! These outdoor adventures include redwoods, Torrey pines, Douglas firs, oaks, and beautiful spots for picnicking.

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  9. Shake Your Trail Feathers

    Friends, family, family who are friends, what do you do when the holiday meal has been digested? Shake your trail feathers on these viewtiful hikes, bike rides to beer, and an urban stroll filled with iconic treasures.

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  10. A River Runs Through It

    Surrounded by Shasta and Lassen and mountainous Whiskeytown, sunny year-round, and glistening with the Sacramento River running right through it, Redding is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. Waterfall hikes, craft beer and artisan wines, beautiful biking—get Redding for a wonder-fall escape!

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  11. Hike Olompali State Historic Park

    Fall Hikes for the Season

    Fall colors, beautiful light, crisp air: these three hikes are autumn-magical and good ways to spend time outdoors for a little alone time, or to share with family and friends over the holiday.

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  12. Chasing Sunlight

    Daylight saving time ends this weekend, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy some beautiful light! Late afternoon hikes bring glorious sunlight this time of year—including for the magic hour. Here are three hikes for enjoying fall sunshine and sublime sunsets.

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  13. Fall-Filling Outdoor Adventures

    Hello, Ahh-tumn: Churning colors, apples in season, and harvest time in wine country… it’s all best experienced on these bike rides featuring fall foliage, food and winery stops, and fresh fruit charms …. How do you like them apples?!

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  14. Wetland and Wild

    Hard work and commitment pays off when it comes to local initiatives to rehabilitate nature, including wetland envrionments once neglected. Celebrate restoration initiatives on these three hike, bike, and paddle adventures, among rejuvinated wetlands in the Bay Area.

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  15. Sponsored

    Extra-Celestial Central Oregon

    Some trips promise you the moon and the stars. And this one delivers in a big way, plus throws in some extra planets for your viewing pleasure. From Bend, Sunriver, and Sisters to Antelope Basecamp in the remote high desert.

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  16. Waterfront Wonders

    Autumn is a great time to hit the Northern California coast. Whether you're looking to camp, hike, or bike, these three spots are autumn-magic!

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  17. Hikes & Wine in the Bay Area

    Autumn and harvest season are a great time to visit wineries in the Bay Area. And it's even better if you can combine your tasting experience with a do-it-yourself hike or garden stroll. Here are three places to combine the outdoors with the fruits of the vineyards.

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  18. Fall For These Peak Hikes

    Official fall calls for some officially good views, and these peak and summit hikes deliver with coastal panoramas and top notch mountainous vistas. Here's your autumn viewfinder!

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  19. Coasting in Mendocino: Stay, Eat, Beach

    Autumn on the coast of Mendocino County is spectacular, and sublime, thanks in large part to the beautiful and dramatic coastline with beaches all along the way. From where to stay, camp, eat, and beach, here are some ideas to get you inspired.

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  20. Secret Spots of Monterey

    Monterey has a few sea-crets, both on land and within its world-famous national marine sanctuary. All you have to do is know where to go! From a phenomenal new exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, to new hikes and secret viewpoints, here's your guide for a wondrous getaway.

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  21. Bikers taking in the view on the Bay Area Ridge Trail in El Sereno Open Space Preserve in the South Bay Peninsula

    Favorite Ridge Trail Hikes & Bike Rides

    The Bay Area Ridge Trail (aka Ridge Trail) comprises over 400 miles of trails encircling the bay. That's a lot of hiking and biking and multi-use adventures! We've rounded up three of the best sections to do in San Francisco and the East and South Bay.

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  22. Summer Cool Down

    The heat is on! So get to nature's best air conditioning by heading out to these Bay Area beaches. Time to chill out...

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A Hiker looking over a mountain range

Your Inbox to the Outdoors

Stay up to date with our weekly recommendations on where to explore locally in California.

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  1. Woman walking down the stairs overlooking the ocean on the Coastal Trail in San Francisco

    America's Best Urban Hike

    Long ago we dubbed it the “Grand Walk” and said it was one of the most scenic and stunning trails in the West. We were wrong. This is the most scenic urban hike in America!

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  2. Hike or Bike the Skyline

    A new section of the Bay Area Ridge Trail is open for biking, hiking, or horseback riding along the 12-mile (out-and-back) Skyline Watershed Ridge Trail.

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  3. Woman riding a bike on the the Vine Trail in Napa Valley

    Through the Grapevine

    Cycle California’s most famous wine valley on the car-free Vine Trail, an ambitious project going through the heart of Napa Valley. Park your car and ride 6 miles from Napa to Yountville for lunch.

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  1. Stars, Steaks, and Strange Brews

    Forget Michelin stars. Deep in Oregon's high desert, legendary Cowboy Dinner Tree is destination dining at its most deliciously down-to-earth, well worth the required reservation and desert drive to reach it.

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  2. Outback to the Future

    Some must-see destinations are written in the stars. Deep in Oregon's remote southern high desert lies the largest certified International Dark Sky Sanctuary on the planet. With 2.5 million acres of protected dark skies, you get the best of the celestial out here in what's known as the Oregon Outback, including geothermal soaks and an incredible playa that's a hidden gem.

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  3. Sponsored

    Extra-Celestial Central Oregon

    Some trips promise you the moon and the stars. And this one delivers in a big way, plus throws in some extra planets for your viewing pleasure. From Bend, Sunriver, and Sisters to Antelope Basecamp in the remote high desert.

    View