Tag Archives: redwoods

Saratoga Gap – Ridge Trail Loop, including Castle Rock Falls (Castle Rock State Park, CA)

Situated in the Santa Cruz Mountains just south of Silicon Valley in the South Bay, Castle Rock State Park is known primarily for its rock climbing—but the 34 miles of hiking trails are worthwhile as well. To avoid the tech … Continue reading

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Lost Coast Trail – Needle Rock to Wheeler Camp (Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, CA)

Traversing one of the few stretches of the California coast without a paved road, the Lost Coast Trail has become an enormously popular backpacking destination known for its striking cliffs, black sand beaches, redwood groves, and frequent wildlife sightings (seals, … Continue reading

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Ridge – Panorama – Bluffs Trail Loop (Andrew Molera State Park, CA)

Traversing a scrubby escarpment above the Pacific Ocean, the Ridge – Panorama – Bluffs Trail is a pleasant 8-mile jaunt in the Big Sur area and one of the best hikes in Andrew Molera State Park. Don’t be fooled by … Continue reading

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Pfeiffer Falls Trail (Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, CA)

More than 12 years after suffering significant damage in the 2008 Basin Complex Fire, the Pfeiffer Falls Trail in California’s Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park reopened for the first time in June 2021. The new and improved route—with its fresh … Continue reading

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Fern Creek – Dipsea – Sun Trail Loop (Muir Woods National Monument, CA)

Sure the towering California redwoods are lovely, but Muir Woods National Monument on the Marin Peninsula has become almost comically crowded, mobbed by throngs of locals and visitors to the San Francisco Bay Area alike. Visitors must now have advance … Continue reading

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Buckeye – Cruikshank – Salmon Creek Trail Loop (Silver Peak Wilderness, CA)

The Silver Peak Wilderness covers 31,555 acres of the Santa Lucia Range along the central coast of California between Monterey and Cambria. Hikers can explore the heart of the wilderness area by combining the Buckeye, Cruikshank, and Salmon Creek Trails … Continue reading

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Miner’s Ridge – James Irvine Trail Loop, including Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon (Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, CA)

If ever there was a premier, unforgettable hike in northern California’s Redwood National Park, this is it. The Miner’s Ridge – James Irvine Trail Loop combines long stretches of spectacular redwood groves with a brief jaunt along the Pacific Ocean … Continue reading

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Boy Scout Tree Trail to Fern Falls (Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, CA)

Together with nearby Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, northern California’s Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park contains arguably the most spectacular groves of coast redwoods in the world. Nearly the entire park, bounded by the Smith River to the north and … Continue reading

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Phleger Estate – Huddart Park Loop (Golden Gate National Recreation Area, CA)

Moderate loop hike through redwood-covered Phleger Estate and Huddart County Park on the San Francisco Peninsula. Continue reading

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Steep Ravine – Matt Davis Trail Loop (Mount Tamalpais State Park, CA)

The Steep Ravine – Matt Davis Trail Loop in California’s Mount Tamalpais State Park is a longer and more popular variant of the Steep Ravine – Dipsea Trail Loop (described in an April 2015 post). Though not as expansive as … Continue reading

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