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 wildflowers.
2021 Free Entrance Days at Northern California National Parks and Monuments
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 National Parks and Monuments Here are the six days in 2021 that you can save your hard-earned money […]
2019 Free Entrance Days to Northern California National Parks and Monuments
There are five free-entrance days (no fee!) in 2019 for national parks and national monuments in Northern California. Hike your favorite trails, picnic, explore, and enjoy nature with your friends and family. 2019 Free Entrance Days to Northern California National Parks and Monuments Here are the five days in 2019 that you can save your […]
The Best Northern California Spring Backpacking Trips, 2025
Northern California is a great place for a spring 2025 backpacking trip! Here are the best low/middle elevation trails in the Bay Area, Northern Sierra Nevada, Lassen National Forest, Klamath Mountains, redwoods, and North Coast. You can hike many of them year-round, even in winter. Tired of Winter, Ready to Backpack This Spring, 2025? Wherever […]
Big Bald Rock Trail: Sierra Granite Views!
The Big Bald Rock Trail takes you atop a broad granite dome in Plumas National Forest where you have wide-ranging views across the Northern Sierra Nevada. It’s an easy hike with a big payoff! BIG BALD ROCK TRAIL CLOSED, 2020-2023 Much of the area burned in 2020 North Complex Fire (including the nearby Feather Falls […]
Hiking the Sierra Buttes Trail in the Northern Sierra Nevada
Hiking the Sierra Buttes Trail wins you one of the best views in the Northern Sierra Nevada, ranging from Lassen Peak in the north to the Desolation Wilderness in the south. You’ll have to do some steep climbing, and you’ll have to mount steep stairs to get to the lookout, where people with acrophobia will […]
Hiking the Ellis Peak Trail Near Lake Tahoe
Hiking the trail to the summit of Ellis Peak rewards you with views of Lake Tahoe, Desolation Wilderness, Granite Chief Wilderness, and a vast swath of the Northern Sierra Nevada. You’ll also see lots of summer wildflowers and you’ll walk through a shady red-fir forest. Note: this is Hike 18 in my book 100 Classic […]
Hiking Echo Lakes to Lake Aloha: Desolation Wilderness via the Pacific Crest Trail
Hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Echo Lakes into Desolation Wilderness and to Lake Aloha, Lake of the Woods, and Ropi Lake, all under the jagged granite of Pyramid Peak, Mount Agassiz, and Mount Price. Backpackers and day hikers will find all the relevant info in this post, which is based on Hike 6 of […]
Section Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in Northern California
Ever thought about backpacking sections of the Pacific Crest Trail in Northern California? Philip Kramer, author of the new book Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Northern California Section Hiking from Tuolumne Meadows to Donomore Pass (Mountaineers Books, 2018) shares key information in this wide-ranging interview. Why Does Section Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail Have Such […]
Backpack the Mill Creek Trail near Ishi Wilderness
The Mill Creek Trail in Lassen National Forest offers backpackers a challenging spring hiking trip just north of Ishi Wilderness. While hiking trails at higher elevations still lie under winter snow, this trail in the northern Sierra Nevada just south of Lassen Volcanic National Park lets you enjoy views of a 1,000-foot-high canyon rim, a […]
Hiking the Feather Falls Trail to a 410-Foot Waterfall!
The hike to Feather Falls in Plumas National Forest outside of Oroville has always been one of my favorite waterfall walks. It’s a moderate hike on a good trail with a spectacular reward: the Fall River plunging 410 feet down a sheer cliff face to then meet the Feather River and Lake Oroville. This post […]
American River Hiking Blogs
It’s been quite a while since I’ve hiked trails in American River territory, but I love hiking the Sierra Nevada foothills east of Sacramento and I hope to get back there soon. Here’s a cool creation by Bill Mash and the Foothill Hikers gang. I’m happy to be included! Click here to go to a […]
Feather Falls Trail Closed
I give a full description of the Feather Falls hike here, and spring and early summer are the most popular times to walk the trail to the stunning waterfall. However, the trail is now closed. Here are the details from a press release: Feather Falls Trail Emergency Closure Release Date: Mar 10, 2011 Plumas National […]
Tioga and Glacier Point Roads Closed for the 2010 Season in Yosemite National Park
Hot off the press: Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road, the two that access the Yosemite National Park high country, are closed for the winter and won’t reopen until the snow season is over. Here are the details: The Tioga and Glacier Point Roads in Yosemite National Park are closed for the season. These roads […]
Cool John Muir Wilderness Video
I love hiking the Sierra Nevada. Stephanie and I did some great hikes in Desolation Wilderness, Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Park, and King’s Canyon National Park in September, and I’m planning my return next summer. Just came across this great video created by the musician Cadamole. He sings a beautiful song while the vid […]
Mt Julius Caesar in John Muir Wilderness — a Panoramic Video
Calipidder likes to do some serious hiking in the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada. She’s doing a series of posts about her recent backpacking trip in the John Muir Wilderness. Each is detailed and very interesting, and contains great photos. I especially liked this video she posted from the summit of Mt Julius Caesar:
Free Admission to California National Parks on Saturday, September 25, 2010
It’s National Public Lands Day this Saturday, and that means you get a free pass to national parks in California and the rest of the United States. Take advantage, but check the weather forecast and be prepared for all conditions. Here’s a list of national parks in California: Cabrillo National Monument Death Valley National Park […]
North Fork American River Hiking Trails and Swimming Holes
The North Fork American River has many hiking trails that lead to some of the best swimming holes in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Best Hiking Trails in and near Sacramento! My compact, all-color guidebook features the best trails: Greater Sacramento region Auburn State Recreation Area Sierra foothills Davis and nearby Includes trailhead directions and detailed […]
Columbine Lake, Sawtooth Peak, and Sawtooth Pass in the Sierra Nevada — Calipidder’s Video
Here’s an enticing video that Calipidder shot and posted to Youtube. She does a 360-degree with narrative of Columbine Lake, Sawtooth Peak, Sawtooth Pass, and other high Sierra scenery. It’s all above timberline and it’s stunning — well worth your time. The Top 100 Day Hikes and Backpacking Trips in Northern California The all-color fourth […]
Yosemite National Park Ecological Restoration Projects
Yosemite National Park has been active over the last few years to restore damaged parts of the park, including many that we hikers visit when day hiking or backpacking our favorite trails. Here is info a recent press release from the park with details of past and present projects… Yosemite National Park Ecological Restoration Projects […]
Sword Lake — Hiking and Camping in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness through Calipidder’s Eyes
Sword Lake in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness is a favorite destination for Sierra Nevada backpackers. You can day hike the trail, or you can backpack in and camp. Sword Lake in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness I love the Calipidder blog. Rebecca Sowards-Emmerd, the woman who writes it, paints vivid descriptions with her words, and she backs it […]
Yosemite Half Dome Hiking Cables Up On June 16, 2010
I wrote recently about Yosemite National Park’s Half Dome hiking proposal, and the need for you give your input. Half Dome Hiking Cables Now for the good news. The hiking cables are going up on June 16. Here’s the scoop on the cables and on hiking permits straight from Yosemite National Park: The cables allowing […]
Yosemite National Park Half Dome Trail: Your Input Requested
It’s no secret that the Half Dome Trail has problems with overcrowding. A permit system for Half Dome is already in place. Now Yosemite National Park wants to hear what you think about proposed changes to protect the Half Dome Trail and the people who hike it (press release): Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher […]
Hiking Hazards–Rock slides, Rock falls, Avalanches, Landslides
Another danger awaiting day-hikers and backpackers: rock falls, rock slides, avalanches, and landslides. These all involve materials on slopes that rapidly make their way downhill. Many factors can trigger the movement of materials down a slope: water saturation of soils, water freezing in rock cracks, an earthquake, and the never-ending process of entropy that seeks […]
New Permit System for Yosemite National Park’s Half Dome Hike
Beginning this May you’ll need a permit if you want to climb Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. Here’s all the details from a Yosemite National Park Half Dome press release: Hiking to the top of Half Dome is one of the most popular hikes in Yosemite National Park. The iconic granite monolith, at 8,842 […]