Half Moon Bay, California

Roy's Redwoods Preserve is an easily missed pocket of Redwoods off Nicasio Valley Road in Marin County. Don't miss it: heading North on Sir Francis Drake Blvd turn right onto Nicasio Valley Rd--the gate for this little park is about a half mile up on the right. From the main entrance you enter a ...

Natural Bridges State Beach is a wonderful place to photograph located in Santa Cruz off of West Cliff Drive. This is a great place to practice long exposure photography to capture awesome water movement as it passes through the "Natural Bridge" formation. The best time to shoot this spot is at ...

The park's Monarch Grove provides a temporary home for thousands of Monarchs. From late fall into winter they make this their home and if you time it perfectly you can see them in clusters in the trees.  When you reached the Natural Bridges State Park, on the right of the Visitors Center you'll f...

Mt. Diablo has some of the most expansive views in California, despite it's relatively low peak elevation. It played a large role in the surveying the Bay Area during its early discovery. Getting There: To get to the staging area, take Interstate 80 to I-680 to Highway 4. Exit at Railroad Bouleva...

This beach is less crowded compared to other beaches in Santa Cruz.  I got there early on a Saturday and found easy street parking.  There was plenty of space to spread out on the soft sand.  Later in the day I saw dolphins several times!  This is close to the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum.  It’s als...

Buck Gulch Falls (also known as Fairway Falls) is an easy, scenic hike that takes you through a beautiful forest on your way to a 15-foot waterfall. This little neighborhood treasure is tucked away in Novato, CA at the end of Fairway Drive and there is ample parking near the trailhead.  If you v...

As you enter the park, you'll need to pay $8 for parking via a self-pay envelope, so it's recommended that you bring exact change. At the park booth, be sure to grab a map. The hike can be a little tricky with no cell service and limited trail signage. Once you've grabbed your map, keep driving p...

Uvas Canyon offers up to 6-miles of hiking trails, which includes a 1.5 mile loop, which runs along Swanson Creek and passes many of the park's waterfalls. To take short loop, head North out of the parking lot to the Swanson Creek Trail. Once you find Swanson Creek Trail, you'll be on the Waterfa...

Hop on Road 130 heading out of San Jose and follow the winding two lane road up, up, up to to the top of Mt. Hamilton and the Lick Observatory. There are lots of deer, wild turkey, and pigs in the area. If you are lucky you will get to see a herd of deer grazing in a meadow. But be careful that y...

Permit and Trail Camp Info To stay overnight in Point Reyes, you must stay at one of the Trail Camps.   Camping anywhere else in the park is not allowed.    Permits for the Trail Camps can be booked up to 6 months in advance.  If you are looking to go on a weekend, then you'll want to start loo...

Nicasio is a quaint town just inland of the more popular coastal town of Point Reyes. It's most known for it's wine country, rolling hills, and the home of Skywalker Ranch, George Lucas's getaway home. Most visitors of this area either pass right on through for Point Reyes or use it's scenic road...

Leave your car on a side of the road. When navigating there, put "HI Hostel Point Reyes" in your navigation - you park literally on the other side of the road, opposite to the hostel. Go to the west and soon you'll find the start of Coast Trail with a tsunami warning sign. During first 1.8 mile y...

Sky Trail in Point Reyes National Seashore is a dramatic, mostly single-track trail that runs along the main spine of the Inverness Ridge and across highest mountains in Point Reyes, looming above the Olema Valley and Highway 1 which mark the San Andreas Fault rift zone and the dividing line betw...

Entering Point Reyes National Seashore from Bear Valley Road the Sky Trailhead is a 4.9 mile drive.  Camping in Sky Camp requires a Camping Permit.   Once at the Sky Trailhead parking lot.  The Sky Trailhead will be on the left side pulling in.  The hike is not very strenuous and not all that lo...

Start at the wide gravel parking lot. You will find the start of the San Andreas Fire Road on the south side leading up the mountain.  The San Andreas Fire Road heads up the southern slope before joining the Middle Burdell Fire Road and then very quickly the Deer Camp Fire Road. Keep your eyes p...

Chimney Rock is a 1.8-mile out-and-back, single-track trail. The trailhead gets crowded (even on weekdays) with amateur and professional photographers, as well as nature lovers clutching field guides. Hikers seeking a quiet nature experience may wish to look elsewhere. The display is impressive, ...