Shasta | Lassen | Trinity Alps | Redwood Coast | Sierra Nevada | Bay Area
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 views in all directions across Lava Beds National Monument and beyond, including the hulking mass of Medicine Lake volcano to the south and Mount Dome and distant Mount McLoughlin to the north. [Continue reading]
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]
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]
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]
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]
The sweaty story of the first time I climbed Mount Shasta, not the usual way from Bunny Flat, but via the Old Ski Bowl and Green Butte.I Wrote This Shasta Summit Article for Outdoor Adventure This is an article I wrote in 1998 for the magazine … [Continue reading]
The stretch of Highway 101 between Arcata and Crescent City travels through the most beautiful coastline and redwoods of California, especially in Redwood National & State Parks. This post provides a Highway 101 road mileage guide to the wide … [Continue reading]
There are five free-entrance days (no fee!) in 2020 for national parks and national monuments in Northern California. Hike your favorite trails, picnic, explore, and enjoy nature with your friends and family.Coronavirus Update: Free Entrance to … [Continue reading]
If you're like me, when you're hiking the trails or driving the roads of Lassen Volcanic National Park, you often wonder about the geology of what you see: types of volcanoes, types of lava -- and just exactly how did glaciers affect the … [Continue reading]
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 … [Continue reading]
Love whale watching in Northern California? Then hike coastal trails to spot gray, humpback, and blue, and fin whales from some of the prettiest coastline on the planet. … [Continue reading]
Hiking Cosumnes River Preserve's River Walk Trail, Wetlands Walk Trail, and Boardwalk Trail let you enjoy the natural beauty of this spectacular area, including myriad birds, a wide array of animal species, plus diverse riparian plant … [Continue reading]
I recently bought the Northern California edition of the California Hiking Map, and I'm mightily impressed -- tons of trails! In this review I'll describe the main features of the map, share what I like most about it, and provide one suggestion for … [Continue reading]
Backpacking the trails to Snag Lake, Widow Lake, and Jakey Lake in the Lassen Volcanic Wilderness of Lassen Volcanic National Park is richly rewarding. You'll visit lakes large and small, along with a variety of volcanic landscapes, and you'll share … [Continue reading]
Please help me out and write an honest review of one or more of my books on Amazon. How Your Reviews Help... Reviews help people decide to buy, and more reviews means my books rank higher in Amazon searches. Your reviews can be as short as 1-2 … [Continue reading]
The broad blue expanse of Lake Eiler highlights this hike in Thousand Lakes Wilderness. Numerous other lakes, including Everett Lake, Magee Lake, and Barrett Lake, can be reached by trail or cross-country. … [Continue reading]
The Crystal Lake Trail begins near the Juniper Lake Campground in the eastern reaches of Lassen Volcanic National Park and makes an excellent addition for anyone camping here. The trail rises at a rate of 1,125 feet per mile, which is mighty steep. … [Continue reading]
The Inspiration Point Trail is a top attraction for hikers in the Juniper Lake area of Lassen Volcanic National Park.The hike to Inspiration Point certainly gets the heart pumping. But considering that the trail travels a modest 0.7 mile and ends … [Continue reading]
I've been exploring tide pools along the coast of northern Humboldt and Del Norte Counties for 40 years. This post shares excellent places to find tide pools where you can observe sea stars, anemones, mussels, and the other myriad life that lives on … [Continue reading]
This day hike or short backpacking trip to Seven Lakes Basin on the Pacific Crest Trail is one of the best in the Mount Shasta region. The basin holds Upper Seven Lake, Lower Seven Lake, and several smaller lakes, with swimming the best in Upper … [Continue reading]
Taylor Lake is the most accessible lake in the Russian Wilderness. Camping, fishing, swimming, and picnicking await at the end of the level 0.3 mile hiking trail. This makes Taylor Lake perfect small kids or hikers with physical limitations; nearly … [Continue reading]
Hike peaceful redwood groves and rugged coastline: more info.
Check out the new fourth edition of 100 Classic Hikes in Northern California. Completely updated!
