All Stories from Northern CA

Skyline's the Limit
The brand-new Saratoga to the Skyline Trail connects Saratoga to the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Thru-hike the first 5.1 miles for beautiful Santa Clara Valley vistas.
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2021 Hiking Calendar!
Ready to kick off 2021? (Like we have to ask.) Literally kick it off, with a hike! Download the 2021 POST Hiking Calendar (complimentary)—with recommended trails for every month of the year.
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Thank You to Our 2020 Team
Thank you to our wonderful 2020 team for bringing the great outdoors home in a most challenging year. Meet our contributors and get ideas from their personal favorite CA adventures this year.
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It Takes a Hidden Villa
Adorable farm animals and peaceful hiking trails: Visit Hidden Villa in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, hike to South Bay vistas and see animal cuteness.
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Tamtastical Hike
This 6.8-mile loop through the woods and ridges that make up the northern foothills of Tam offer the best of both worlds: solitude and grandeur. Enjoy quiet trails, tranquil forest, and big views.
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Hawk-Eyed Sunset
It's one of the best sunset spots in the Bay Area. Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands is magical, with a sweeping panorama 923 feet above the Pacific.
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Hiking Forecast: Windy
Fall colors on your mind? Put Windy Hill Preserve in the South Bay on your hiking list. We recommend a 6.2-mile loop that starts and finishes at its namesake summit, where sunsets dazzle.
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Wander Among the Mistletoe
This 2.7-mile loop through the East Bay’s Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park is brimming with a holiday staple: mistletoe.
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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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Sweet Roll El Dorado
Step out of the car and onto a biking trail that resembles fall in Vermont. Just 40 miles from Sacramento, the El Dorado Trail in Placerville is a multi-use trail through with 12.5 paved miles.
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Bike to the Brews and Views
An island city on San Francisco Bay, Alameda is home to a craft beer and spirits boom that has a firm foothold in its industrial westside. Ride your bike from Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach to Faction Brewing.
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Oh Hill Yes!
California's closest thing to fall in New England is 40 miles from Sacramento. Apple Hill near Placerville is a collection of over 50 local farms, ranches, trails, and wineries. Tasty times ahead!
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Full Suspension Ahead
See fall colors and the beautiful Angkula Seo Suspension Bridge on this easy 2-mile loop hike through the Nisenan Tribute Site located just outside of Nevada City. There's plenty of history within.
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Light of Los Trancos
In autumn, Los Trancos Open Space Preserve lights up with orange-red maples, yellow hazelnut, and deciduous oaks, making this 2.5-mile hike in the Santa Cruz mountains a wonder-fall destination.
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Historically Serene
Olompali State Historic Park is a small park that packs big California history. Go on a mostly easy 3-mile loop hike where oak trees, big-leaf maples, and madrones are stunning in autumn.
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Muir Woods Through the Backdoor
A backdoor entrance into Muir Woods? Hike a tranquil trail that starts in Mount Tamalpais State Park and quietly leads into Muir Woods, letting you avoid the busyness of the main parking area.
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Refreshingly Different
Reno Tahoe is where America’s largest alpine lake meets the Biggest Little City in the World. Easily access the best ski resorts (and hot springs!) and have urban adventures at your fingertips.
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Forest Bathe Under the Redwoods
Giant Douglas firs and a peaceful madrone- and tanoak-studded forest make the hiking at Sanborn County Park sublime, but there’s an added majesty here thanks to the Todd Creek Redwoods Grove.
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Sutro Noir
San Francisco’s Sutro Baths take on a novel mystique under a full moon, especially if the fog rolls in. Hike among these famous ruins, said to be one of San Francisco’s most ghostly places.
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Hike and Seek
This 2.1-mile hike in McClellan Ranch Preserve near downtown Cupertino has quiet nature, historic ranch buildings, wildlife-watching, fall color, and Stevens Creek.
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