Corte Madera, California

This hike is perfect for any time of year, always staying cool because it is near the coast, and there are multiple creeks that flow year-round. Even on foggy days, the fog condenses on trees to make it seem like it is "raining." Be warned that this hike has a lot of elevation change and is stre...

This beautiful mountain bike ride can be started at the Purisima Creek Road Trailhead or on Skyline Boulevard. There are many trails in the Purisisma Creek Redwoods, but Whittemore Gulch is by far the most beautiful and fun single track to descend on. Starting Options:Start at Purisima Creek Roa...

This trail begins at the Cowell State Beach parking lot and is only open on the weekends. From the lot, take the short Cowell Ranch Access trail to a scenic overlook. There are steps down to the secluded pocket beach just above the main trail. The trail playfully meanders along the cliffside with...

The Pony Gate-Canyon Loop within Sugarloaf Ridge State Park is a new favorite of mine on my list of family and kid-friendly hikes. Our little girls did great with this hike and loved it. If you can get moving early in the day and begin your hike around breakfast time, you might find there are few...

This is a great hike for any season of the year, with rushing streams during the winter, wildflowers in the spring, and cool, shaded canyons during the summer. Starting from near the Zwierlein Picnic area, take the Crystal Springs to the left into the redwood forest. Stay straight at the next tr...

The Canyon Trail to Spring Creek Trail Loop is a popular hiking route in Trione-Annadel State Park in Sonoma County, California. This loop offers a mix of shaded woodland paths and open trails, making it a favorite for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. Trail Highlights: Length & Difficulty: A...

This loop hike will provide people with the opportunity to experience the tranquility of the lower canyons of the preserve, which tend to be more isolated than the heavier-trafficked trails that are closer to the main highway. Be warned that this hike is fairly strenuous because of the large amo...

This hike starts at the parking lot of the El Corte de Madera Open Space Preserve. The lot is located roughly a mile south on Skyline Boulevard from the Skeggs Point Vista. From the parking lot, take the Methuselah Trail for 0.3 miles until you reach the Timberview Trail. Take this trail for anot...

Located in the iconic Silicon Valley town of Woodside, Wunderlich County Park offers a number of hiking trails as well as some horseback riding trails through the wilderness.  Once in the parking lot, you will see a number of stables, riding ring, as well as a beautiful historic stable that was ...

Martin's Beach is a beach about 7 miles south of Half Moon Bay. It features a large, very cool looking rock formation right off the coast. This beach is accessible via Martin's Beach Road, which is a small turn off on your right when southbound on Highway 1, though sometimes the road is only open...

Hike to Gunsight Rock through Hood Mountain Regional Park to get a view overlooking Sonoma and Napa Valley. In order to get to the trailhead take Highway 12 to Los Alamos Rd, the road will then turn into Timberline Dr, this will take you to the trailhead. There is a parking fee of $8. From the p...

Sitting west of the San Andrea fault, the Bodega Head is a massive chunk of granite from the Salinian Block, a geological terrane that contains Point Reyes and the Farallon Islands, and shares its origins with the Sierra Nevada mountains, the Head itself having been carried hundreds of miles to t...

Begin your ride from Lagoon Valley Park in Vacaville, California. There is a parking lot here if you drive to the start of your ride (the park entrance fee is $3 per vehicle per day). Head out of the parking lot and turn right onto Rivera Road where you'll cross over Hwy 80. The road becomes Cher...

Kite Hill is nothing more than what the name describes. A simple ascent less than 100 feet in elevation. But that 100 feet is all you need to feel like you discovered a little escape from the buzz below. To get there, you can park directly at the base of Kite Hill along Peter Coutts Rd and simpl...

The Grove of Old trees is a privately-owned preserve in Western Sonoma County that is open to the public year round. It is not large, only about 33 acres, but it makes a wonderful spot to go on a walk and to soak in the beauty of the redwoods. To get there from downtown Occidental, drive West up...

The "lollipop" hike starts at the "Ranch House" parking lot off of Chiles Pope Valley Road - alternatively, you can access from Conn Valley Road for a shortened 5.6-mile loop. You turn off Chiles Pope Valley Road onto Moore Creek Trail, drive past a private house (you can see it on the map) and t...