All Stories from Northern CA

Rise and Shine Zabriskie Hike
The sunrise at Zabriskie Point makes a grand entrance, with the light ascending slowly and washing over the golden badlands. It’s signature Death Valley. It’s also a great starting point for one of the Valley’s marquee hikes.
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Taking the Stage: Tyler Ranch
Hike the recently opened Tyler Ranch Staging Area in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, with 18 miles of new trails. This 6.5-mile loop up Sunol Peak is a challenge and rewards with exceptional views of seasonal iridescent hills.
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Sea-sonal Wonders
You’ll need to go during low tides to safely enjoy tidepooling at Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz. As its name suggests, the beach has a natural arch and is an excellent spot for an intertidal adventure.
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Sonoma Valley's 100 Days of Winter Wellness Guide
This winter wellness plan goes to 100! Nurture yourself in 2024 with Sonoma Valley’s 100 Days of Winter Wellness guide. It’s a perfectly curated array of inspiration and ideas.
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Big Sky, Lodi
In winter millions of birds in winter travel the Pacific Flyway, a major north-south migration route that includes a stop at the Cosumnes River Preserve just north of Lodi.
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Yosemite's Winter Wonders (& Deals!)
It’s snow time, and Yosemite National Park is ready! The Golden State’s beloved park has all kinds of winter sports, scenic adventures, and excellent deals.
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Simply Suttonfield
Tucked in charming Glen Ellen and accessed via a pullout parking area along Arnold Drive, Lake Suttonfield pours on the charm with an easygoing 2-mile trail loop around it.
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Gone Bananas!
It’s banana slug season in the Bay Area, and one of the best places to see these mighty mollusks is on this 4.7-mile loop through Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve.
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Salmon on the Rebound
The return of salmon to Marin County creeks is one of nature’s most intriguing seasonal events, an inspiring sight to behold; but it takes patience, laser focus, and the help of fellow hikers also on the lookout for this special show, happening now! So, where can you currently see them? ...
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POST's 2024 Hiking Calendar
Ready to start the new year on the right foot? Get POST's complimentary 2024 hiking calendar and you'll be inspired with a great local hike every month of the year.
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Misty on Mount Tam
Mount Tam’s 3.9-mile round-trip Steep Ravine and Dipsea Trail Loop weathers the wets and wilds with some confidence, sheltered in parts by redwoods, and wowing with a waterfall.
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Snow Time Like the Present
This holiday season unwrap everyone’s best winter getaway. South Lake Tahoe takes your outdoor adventures beyond the ski resorts. Your basecamp—Zephyr Cove Resort—has lakeside wood cabins, a beautiful mile-long beach, and plenty of activities.
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Bodega's Beautiful Bird Walk
Bodega Bay may be best known as the backdrop for Alfred Hitchcock’s famous movie The Birds, but there’s a softer side to its dramatic coastline. The Bird Walk Coastal Access Trail loops around two ponds and provides a bird’s–eye view of serene Bodega Bay.
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Pleasanton Surprise
Huge views and fiery fall colors await just minutes away from downtown Pleasanton on this 7-mile hike through Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park.
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Not Your Garden Variety Botanical Garden
Fort Bragg’s Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens makes a splash in more ways than its fabulous flora. Its 47 acres include a stunning bluff-side hiking trail overlooking the Pacific, where cliffs drop dramatically to the wild waves below.
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Bluffing Good Time
Accessible right from town, a bluff-side walk at Mendocino Headlands State Park is pretty much mandatory. The marquee trails here overlook not just the charming hamlet of Mendocino, but also the dramatic coastal scenery from the bluffs.
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Beach to Town by Hidden Stairway
A hidden stairway makes this adventure as easy and fun as a walk on the beach. Thank Beth’s Stairs, a hidden wooden staircase connecting Big River Beach in Mendocino Headlands State Park to the charming town of Mendocino.
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London Calling
The writer Jack London was known for his adventure stories, and an autumn hike at his namesake state park in Sonoma Valley illuminates more than his career. Eucalyptus, oaks, sprawling vineyards, and brilliant redwoods are part of the autumn magic amid the rich history of the park.
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Golden Vista
This 4.5-mile loop through Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve includes beautiful vista points, seasonal tarantula sightings, and an epic grand finale sunset spot!
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Tombstones and Tarantulas
Forget black cats; a randy tarantula crossing your path can really get your heart racing. So can spirits in a cemetery! Visit Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve and learn about these misunderstood spiders, plus pay a visit to the Rose Hill Cemetery, where ghosts are said to exist.
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