Northern California Hiking Trails - Shasta-Trinity NF | Klamath NF | Lassen Area | Trinity Alps | Russian Wilderness | Redwood Coast | Bay Area & Wine Country | Sierra Nevada

My Book on Dispersed Camping and Boondocking Now Available!

June 30, 2020 By John Soares 2 Comments

Do you love camping in solitude out in the beauty of nature? Then check out my new book Camp for Free: Dispersed Camping & Boondocking on America’s Public Lands.

For now, it’s only for sale on Amazon, as both a 156-page paperback and as a Kindle ebook.

Click the button, or click here to order on Amazon.

There are plenty of details on the Amazon book page, and you can find out even more here at Northern California Hiking Trails.

I’ve been doing dispersed camping for over 30 years, nearly always combined with hiking, and I absolutely love it!

Hiking the McCloud Falls Trail: Three Magnificent Waterfalls!

May 20, 2021 By John Soares Leave a Comment

Middle Falls of the McCloud River: Autumn Color

Walking the lower, middle, and upper falls of the McCloud River is one of the premier hikes in the Mount Shasta area. This post has everything you need, including a detailed description of the trail, directions to the trailhead, a map, and several … [Continue reading]

Hike the High California Mountains Early — Before the Summer Wildfires Hit

April 25, 2021 By John Soares 2 Comments

Backpacking at Upper Canyon Creek Lake in the Trinity Alps, mid-June 2014, before summmer. No snow and no wildfire smoke.

Making your summer plans for backpacking and day hiking in California? I urge you to go earlier rather than later.Why? Two main reasons... … [Continue reading]

Faery Falls: Fantastic Waterfall on Ney Springs Creek Near Mount Shasta

April 2, 2021 By John Soares 1 Comment

Faery Falls on Ney Springs Creek is one of the most beautiful spots in the entire Mount Shasta area. The fifty-foot waterfall is relatively easy to reach, and the route also travels through the ruins of intriguing Ney Springs Resort. This article … [Continue reading]

Exploring Hidden Falls Regional Park Hiking Trails: Sierra Foothill Beauty

March 14, 2021 By John Soares Leave a Comment

The bridge across Coon Creek links the northern and southern trail systems in Hidden Falls Regional Park.

Hidden Falls Regional Park near Auburn contains an extensive network of hiking trails that run near the year-round streams Coon Creek and Deadman Creek, and also along steep hillsides dotted with oaks and pines and open hillsides filled with spring … [Continue reading]

Urban Trails Sacramento: My New Book Is Out!

March 1, 2021 By John Soares Leave a Comment

Urban Trails Sacramento: details of the all-color guidebook to the best hiking, walking, and running trails in the greater Sacramento area and nearby.

My new all-color guidebook Urban Trails Sacramento is now widely available throughout Northern California! The book has the 35 best trails for hikers, walkers, and runners within an hour drive of downtown Sacramento.Go here for details of all the … [Continue reading]

Surviving a Bear Attack in Northern California’s Trinity Alps

January 28, 2021 By John Soares 44 Comments

Black bear attack in the Trinity Alps of Northern California: hiker and survivor Ken DeCamp.

If you hike long enough in the Trinity Alps or anywhere else in the mountains of Northern California, you’ll see a black bear. In my several dozen backpacking trips and day hikes in the Trinity Alps, I’ve probably seen a black bear about a third of … [Continue reading]

2021 Free Entrance Days at Northern California National Parks and Monuments

January 5, 2021 By John Soares Leave a Comment

Free days to enter Northern California national parks at no cost: Martin Luther King birthday, first day of National Park Week, birthday of National Park Service, National Public Lands Day, Veterans Day. Lassen Peak in Lassen Volcanic National Park.

There are six free-entrance days in 2021 for national parks and national monuments in Northern California. Hike your favorite trails, picnic, explore, and enjoy nature with your friends and family.2021 Free Entrance Days to Northern California … [Continue reading]

Give the Gift of Hiking and Camping Books This Year!

November 18, 2020 By John Soares Leave a Comment

John Soares' Northern California hiking guidebooks, plus his book Camp for Free, about dispersed camping.

Looking for the perfect gift for the outdoorsy people on your list, or the people you want to encourage to be outdoorsy?Then I humbly suggest buying your friends and family members one or more of my Northern California hiking guidebooks, or my … [Continue reading]

Ah-Pah Interpretive Trail: Easy Hike and Beautiful Redwoods

November 12, 2020 By John Soares 2 Comments

The Ah-Pah Interpretive Trail travels through up-slope redwood forest in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

The Ah-Pah Interpretive Trail is an easy redwoods hike near the north end of Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Most people drive right by it, usually because they're headed to the more popular hikes located farther south along Newton B. Drury Scenic … [Continue reading]

Hiking the PCT to Cement Bluff above Bluff Lake

October 21, 2020 By John Soares 2 Comments

China Mountain from the Pacific Crest Trail. View north from the PCT shortly after leaving the Parks Creek Saddle trailhead.

Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail to Cement Bluff above Bluff Lake is an attractive outing in its own right, with gorgeous views of Mount Eddy, Mount Shasta, and the Trinity Alps. This post provides trailhead directions, a map, and a detailed trail … [Continue reading]

Etna Summit: PCT Access and Gateway to the Russian Wilderness

September 16, 2020 By John Soares Leave a Comment

Russian Wilderness from Etna Summit. Etna Summit is a popular trailhead for Pacific Crest Trail through-hikers and section hikers, plus day hikers.

Etna Summit sits astride the Pacific Crest Trail and has stunning views of the Russian Wilderness and the Klamath Mountains surrounding the North Fork Salmon River, all part of Klamath National Forest. Easily reached by paved Sawyers Bar Road from … [Continue reading]

Redwood National and State Parks: Key Facts and Statistics

September 3, 2020 By John Soares Leave a Comment

Redwood National and State Parks Facts: old-growth redwood trees along the Hiouchi Trail in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.

Truly a world treasure, Redwood National and State Parks includes Redwood National Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. This post presents amazing facts and statistics … [Continue reading]

Brokeoff Mountain Trail: Better than Lassen Peak!

August 28, 2020 By John Soares Leave a Comment

Brokeoff Mountain meadow just below timberline. Note the extensive talus slope.

Need to pick between climbing Brokeoff Mountain or climbing Lassen Peak? Both are great hikes, but here are five reasons why I'd rather hike the Brokeoff Mountain Trail than the Lassen Peak Trail.I Prefer Climbing Brokeoff Mountain Rather than … [Continue reading]

Exploring Ridge Lakes and Sulphur Works in Lassen Volcanic National Park

July 30, 2020 By John Soares Leave a Comment

Ridge Lakes in Lassen Volcanic National Park, at the end of the hiking trail. Cross-country hiking to the ridge beyond is fairly easy.

Hiking the steep trail to the Ridge Lakes and beyond will win you some of the most spectacular scenery in Lassen Volcanic National Park, and also a surprising amount of solitude. The lakes are only 1.1 miles from the trailhead at the Sulphur Works … [Continue reading]

Want Solitude When Hiking? Follow These Nine Tips…

June 9, 2020 By John Soares 6 Comments

You can find solitude while day hiking or backpacking in the California mountains. You must hike cross-country far from trails to find this secluded lake.

Want solitude in the wilderness, whether day hiking or backpacking? Sure, many trails are often crowded, but you can find lots of space to roam away from the crowds by following these nine tips. … [Continue reading]

Exploring Intriguing Balcony and Boulevard Caves in Lava Beds National Monument

May 21, 2020 By John Soares Leave a Comment

Boulevard Cave, Lava Beds National Monument: entrance. It's a short distance on the trail beyond Balcony Cave.

Balcony Cave and Boulevard Cave are easy to hike to and are top highlights of Lava Beds National Monument. A short and level trail leaves from Lava Beds National Monument Road and quickly leads to both caves.Along the route you'll have open … [Continue reading]

Hike Beautiful Burstarse Falls via the Pacific Crest Trail

May 15, 2020 By John Soares Leave a Comment

Burstarse Falls on Burstarse Creek, Castle Crags Wilderness

Hiking to beautiful Burstarse Falls in Castle Crags Wilderness via the Pacific Crest Trail is an annual ritual for many North State hikers. Most come in spring, when warmer days melt the winter snow off the high granite peaks of Castle Crags, sending … [Continue reading]

Hikers Not Social Distancing During the Coronavirus Pandemic: My Unsettling Experience

March 22, 2020 By John Soares 5 Comments

Bad social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic: two hikers walk too close to another hiker on the Lower Table Rock Trail in Southern Oregon.

I hiked the Lower Table Rock Trail in Southern Oregon on Friday, March 20. Sadly, most hikers were NOT doing the social distancing necessary to slow the spread of the coronavirus.Note: by Friday, March 20, 2020, all Americans should have known … [Continue reading]

Hike/Walk Locally During the Coronavirus Pandemic, and Do It Wisely

March 18, 2020 By John Soares 2 Comments

A short drive from Highway 101, Lost Man Creek Trail wanders through gorgeous scenery in Redwood National Park.

Californians, Americans, everyone: hiking and walking locally during the coronavirus pandemic is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health, as long as you do it locally and wisely. This post discusses why you should still … [Continue reading]

Walking Redding’s Turtle Bay Trails: Arboretum Loop from Sundial Bridge

March 1, 2020 By John Soares Leave a Comment

Sacramento River Banks and Sundial Bridge: Redding's Turtle Bay, near the Arboretum Loop Trail, perfect for walkers.

Redding's spectacular Turtle Bay offers walkers a wide variety of options: strolling the Sundial Bridge, exploring the McConnell Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, and hiking the Arboretum Loop Trail and the Sacramento River Trail. … [Continue reading]