Day Hikes/Backpacking: Mount Shasta | Trinity Alps | Northern Sierra Nevada | Lassen Volcanic National Park | Redwoods | Coast | San Francisco Bay Area
Sims Flat along the upper Sacramento River has a hiking trail around the campground perimeter, and you can hike the west river bank in either direction to great swimming holes. There's also good fishing! Sims Flat makes a great place to … [Continue reading]
The Darlingtonia Trail in the Smith River National Recreation Area of Six Rivers National Forest is on the north side of Highway 199. You've likely seen the sign for "Botanical Trail" when traveling Highway 199 to and from Jedediah Smith Redwoods … [Continue reading]
The Sugar Lake Trail takes you into the beautiful glacial granite of the Russian Wilderness. It's a great option for day hikers and backpackers who want solitude along with stunning scenery. Sugar Lake "Miracle Mile" Conifer Diversity The … [Continue reading]
Autumn is a great season for hiking the mountain trails of Northern California, especially at the peak of fall color. Here are the pros and cons of autumn hiking, along with some advice. (Some of this advice also applies to spring backpacking in … [Continue reading]
Take a moderate hike on the Klamath section of the Coastal Trail to Hidden Beach, with the option to explore the Yurok Loop Trail. Get world-class views of redwood-clad slopes, the vast Pacific Ocean, and the mouth of the Klamath River, plus enjoy … [Continue reading]
Nestled under Lassen Volcanic National Park's Chaos Crags, Crags Lake is reached by a moderate hiking trail that sees relatively few visitors, but is located near Manzanita Lake Campground. But the hike is worth the effort to enjoy the stark … [Continue reading]
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 … [Continue reading]
The Manzanita Creek Trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park offers hikers meadows, wildflowers, vistas of Lassen Peak, Chaos Crags, and Loomis Peak -- and a fair amount of solitude. Manzanita Creek Trail: Key Information Length: 6.6 miles round … [Continue reading]
The Carr Fire near Redding in Northern California and other recent wildfires like the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa demonstrate the danger of wildfire to property and human lives. But what practical approaches can we adopt individually and … [Continue reading]
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 … [Continue reading]
Surviving a wildfire you encounter while day hiking or backpacking is definitely possible. This post gives key wildfire-survival hiker safety tips to decrease the chance you'll be caught in a wildfire -- and to increase your chance of survival if you … [Continue reading]
Check out the new fourth edition of 100 Classic Hikes in Northern California. Completely updated!
