Emerald Hills, California

This hike is best done during the spring, fall, or winter when moderate temperatures make the hike more comfortable. Be warned that this hike has a large elevation change despite being about 4.5 miles. Starting at the Arroyo Road Staging Area, take the East Shore Trail east, heading towards a s...

This quiet 10 mile hike features a winding creek and tall redwoods throughout the trail.  The parking at the Fall Creek Trailhead is limited, so it is best to get there before 10am.  There are redwoods very close to the trail and a good portion is alongside the creek.  Most of the trail is dirt, ...

Henry Cowell Redwood State Park is a super easy destination to get to from Santa Cruz, but the seclusion of the Fall Creek Unit makes this a big bang for buck hike. This hike will take you to Big Ben, a medium sized old growth Redwood, and the abandoned Henry Cowell Lime and Cement Company Kilns ...

Tilden Park is a beautiful recreational area with scenic hiking trails, a swimming lake, small animal farm, a steam train and botanical gardens. The versatility of this park makes it very family and kid friendly, and those who are looking for a moderate hike within the park have almost forty mile...

From Inspiration Point, head toward Nimitz gate. Once you pass through the gate, keep an eye out for Curran Trailhead; this is the trail you'll be starting on. After about 1/8 of a mile, you'll reach a junction with the Meadows Canyon Trail. Turn right onto this trail to continue the loop. This p...

First make sure to stop at the store and stock up on fresh lettuce and celery for the animals. Your kids (or just the kid in you) will love to feed them! Note that they're only allowed to eat lettuce and celery, so don't try to feed them your own snacks or get creative. ;) If you want to make it...

The Tennessee Valley trail is leisurely 3.6 mile roundtrip hike that turns around at Tennessee Valley Cove. Along the way, you’ll hike past shrublands, wetlands, and a lake before you get to a cool little secluded beach that many people picnic at. This is probably the easiest to access, and most...

Sugarloaf Open Space Loop is an almost 2-mile loop for hiking, running and walking. This trail is relatively easy and takes under one hour to hike. This loop is dog friendly. 

Starting just before the Tennessee Valley parking lot, head out from the Miwok Trailhead. This Mill Valley hike offers incredible views of the San Francisco Bay, the Pacific Ocean (fog permitting of course!), and on occasion, wildlife. Unfortunately, this trail is not dog-friendly.  Keep in mind...

Briones Reservoir Loop: Bear Creek, Oursan, Hampton Trails is a loop trail that takes you by a lake located near Lafayette, California.

Looking to escape the hustle of San Francisco, but don't want to commit to an entire day on the trail? When setting out for this morning hike, be prepared for about 1.5 hour hiking adventure (longer if you stop for extra photos) and a 20 minute commute from San Francisco.   This hike is recomend...

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is located just a few miles north of the city of Santa Cruz, along Highway 9. The park is home to an array of hiking and biking trails, but the crown jewel of the park is the Redwood Grove Loop Trail, which is only a 1/4 mile in from the park's entrance. Many peo...

The trail starts at the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Visitors Center. Grab a map in the center, as your hike has you turning onto a few different trails to get to the observation deck.  Starting at the Redwood Grove Loop Trail, follow the trail until it connects with the Pipeline Road Trail ...

The Santa Teresa County Park loop is perfect for wildlife viewing! Be ready to see deer, coyote, hawks, turkeys, pigs and cows. The trail is rated as moderate - be cautious with mud if you are visiting the park after a rain shower. Dogs are allowed in the park, but must be kept on leash.  There ...

This is a nice and casual hike through the meadows and rolling hills, dotted with cows and hawks and sometimes goats or foxes. As you head up Lafayette Ridge, you'll be rewarded with the beautiful vista spanning from the Oakland Hills to sparkling Lafayette Reservoir. The hike is mostly through ...

Miwok, Coyote Ridge and Coastal Trail Loop is a loop trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Mill Valley, California.