Fern Canyon—a short but exquisite passage between fern-strewn walls—is an otherworldly hike in California’s Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, a subset of Redwood National Park. Enveloped by overwhelming greenery, it’s no wonder that this jungle-like canyon was a shooting location in Jurassic Park: The Lost World. Pack your sandals or water shoes, as the hike …
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Plunging 129 feet over a moss-laden cliff, Burney Falls is arguably California’s most impressive waterfall north of Yosemite—so beautiful and picturesque that President Teddy Roosevelt reportedly dubbed it the “eighth wonder of the world.” The falls are now the centerpiece of 910-acre McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park—11 miles north of Burney, California—and can be accessed …
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The alluring McCloud Falls is a must-see destination along northern California’s Route 89, also known as the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway. Situated 20 miles east of the town of Mount Shasta, McCloud Falls includes three tumbles along the McCloud River, each separated by a short hike or drive. Lower Falls, a short walk from a …
Hedge Creek Falls is a popular destination in northern California’s Trinity Range, situated just off Interstate 5 between Redding and Mount Shasta. A short, well-worn trail in Dunsmuir, California offers access to this 35-foot waterfall, one of many in the region but definitely one of the most easily accessible. Beyond the falls, the trail continues …
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Situated just off Interstate 5 in northern California, Castle Crags State Park covers a scenic pocket of the Trinity Divide—a small but alluring mountain range that separates the Sacramento River and Trinity River watersheds. The star feature is a large outcrop of granite formations, technically situated outside the park, but visible from many of the …
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Northern California’s Castle Crags State Park hugs the eastern slopes of a cluster of dramatic granite formations that is reminiscent of Yosemite National Park. While the actual crags lie outside the park boundary, several trails run close to their base, including the family-friendly Root Creek Trail. Wheelchair-accessible for the first mile, this path offers an …
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California Route 89—also known as the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway or Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway—spends nearly 30 miles weaving through Lassen Volcanic National Park. In addition to circling the park’s namesake (Lassen Peak, 10, 457’), this scenic drive connects low-lying lakes with high-altitude meadows and geothermal features and provides access to more than a …
At 75 feet, Mill Creek Falls is the highest waterfall in northern California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park. Situated just 1.7 miles from the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center, the Mill Creek Falls Trail is a popular half-day hike on the park’s southern side. Hugging the slopes of a broad valley, the trail winds up and down …
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Manzanita Lake in California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park brings together visitors of all stripes: photographers, casual hikers, anglers, and kayakers. Around the water, the 1.9-mile Manzanita Lake Trail offers a relatively easy stroll through pine forests and along lakeside beaches, while offering picturesque views of snow-capped Lassen Peak, the park’s volcanic centerpiece. The hike There …
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Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California is most famous for its hellish and tormented volcanic landscape—but you would never know it on the park’s beautiful and green Paradise Meadows Trail. This 2.8-mile out-and-back follows a cascading tributary of Hat Creek as it tumbles through verdant hillsides and lush conifer forests and then culminates at …
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Live and Let Hike 