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Location : Mt.Madonna County Park, Watsonville, CA Parking : $6 Trail type : Loop Trail Length : 4.6 miles Elevation Gain : 689ft Difficulty : Easy/Moderate Trails traversed : Blackhawk Trail > Rdige Trail > Loop Trail > Upper Miller Trail > Ridge Road > Iron Springs Trail Pets Allowed ? Yes Mt.Madonna County Park, situated off of Highway 152 in the Santa Cruz mountains, is a beautiful redwood forest, close enough to drive from anywhere in the Bay Area, and also close enough to the beaches for some sun and relaxation after the hike. The Park contains many trails for all levels with some of the trails at higher elevation (1500ft being the highest) offering views of Santa Clara valley and Monterey peninsula. The trails are very well marked and fully shaded, no matter which one you choose to traverse. It is a great place to camp during the summer months and also to try out your archery skills at the range nestled within the park. The most popular trail in the park is the Ridge, Blackhawk and Sprigs loop, which is what we first ventured to complete. But somewhere along the way, we missed a turn and ended up curating our own loop, as listed in the "Trails Traversed" above. Start by driving through the main entrance where you pay $6 vehicle fee at the kiosk. Pick up a map at the entrance and drive to the Blackhawk trailhead which is off of Pole Line Road. We found ample parking at the trailhead on a weekday morning. But you can park anywhere along the side of Pole Line Road, as long as you display the parking permit. Blackhawk and Ridge Trails are the best way to get a feel of the park and the enormity of the redwoods. This is a great hike for a hot summers day or for a cool foggy fall day. The enormity of the Redwoods always astounds me no matter how many times I hike through them. I am forever thankful to be living so close to so much beauty. After your hike visit Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple close by for some spiritual healing or for a delicious vegetarian lunch. Not far from it is another spiritual place of worship, the Kim Son Buddhist monastery with giant sized Buddhist sculptures and peacocks roaming the grounds.

Location : Fairfax, Marin County, CA Parking : Free at trailhead Trail type : Out and Back Trail Length : 4 miles Elevation Gain : 935 ft Difficulty : Moderate Trails traversed : Pine Mountain Fire Road > Oat Hill Fire Road > Carson Falls Trail Post-hike Grub Stop : Insalata's Restaurant, Marin County. Rainy season in the Bay Area also brings with it a very short-lived waterfall season. People flock to the popular Almaera Falls or the falls at Yosemite, or even endure the strenuous hike to see Cataract Falls, but not many know about a hidden gem in Marin County called Carson Falls. This falls is located in the Mt.Tamalpais watershed with rewarding views of Marin County and Mt.Tam enroute. The falls is multi-tiered and can be viewed at different levels before it becomes Little Carson Creek. A tropical paradise in Marin County. The trailhead is located on Bolinas-Fairfax Road, at the Azalea Hill parking lot. Pine Mountain Fire Road starts off at the iron gate, by the interpretive signs, and slowly winds uphill. On a clear day, you will be rewarded by views of Alpine Lake and Mt.Tam immediately behind you, and a birds eye view of Kent Lake on the right. View of Alpine Lake and Mt.Tamalpais range The trail, although a fire road, starts off gradually, then gets rocky and steep as the elevation increases. Muddy and rocky terrain after the rains. Finally, at around 1 mile, the gradient flattens out as the trail meets Oat Hill Fire Road. Turn left on Oat Hill Fire Road. The trail proceeds downhill before meeting Carson Falls Trail at 1.4 miles. Turn right on Carson Falls Trail. This soon turns into switchbacks winding its way down a wooded area of California oak. This is the only part of the entire trail that is shaded. Wooded portion of the trail You soon start to hear the gurgling of water in the distance and realize the falls is not too far off. As you reach the first of two or three bridges on the trail, you will see the top of the falls. Walk over to the rock formations to the left to get a top view of Carson Falls. Dont be disappointed by the view. This is only the top tier of the multi-tiered falls. Top tier of Carson Falls Continue on the trail and down a few steep steps to see the middle tier of the falls. The view here is even better as you see the water plummeting towards you on one side with a view of Mt.Tam on the other. Middle tier of the falls. If you are feeling adventurous, continue further down on Carson Falls Trail to the end of the trail where another lower tier of the falls can be seen through the thick brush. The entire setting at this point, with green moss, fall colored leaves and the beautiful falls begins to feel surreal and whimsical. We couldnt get enough of this beautiful falls and forged our way downhill until we reached the bottom of the falls where it turned into a gushing creek and made its way towards Cataract Falls, a few miles away. Lower tier of the falls. With a happy heart, we retraced our steps back to the trailhead, enjoying the views of Mt.Tam and Alpine Lake as we walked to Azalea Hill parking lot. Another view of Alpine Lake on our way back as the sun tried to make its way through the clouds. We hiked on a Saturday, just after it had rained heavily earlier in the week. Parking was easily available at 10am and there werent too many people on the trail, other than a few bicyclists. This stunning falls seems to be overshadowed by its lofty neighbor, Cataract Falls. So check out this place after the next rainfall and before it becomes yet another Bay Area tourist magnet.

Location : San Ramon, CA Parking : Street parking along Longleaf Circle in San Ramon Trail type : Out and Back Trail Length : 4 miles Elevation Gain : 984 ft Difficulty : Moderate Trails traversed : Tassajara Ridge Trail Dogs Allowed? Yes Post Hike Grub Stop : Oyo, Pleasanton CA. During springtime, purple lupines grow in abundance along many hiking trails in the Bay Area. But it is not often that one sees a carpet of yellow lupines, as is evident along the Tassajara Ridge Trail in San Ramon. In March - April, the park is covered with many wildflower varieties, including blue and yellow lupines, poppies and purple owl clover. Where To Park : The closest location to park to view the lupines is along Longleaf Circle ("X" marked in the map below) . The lupines can be seen from the street, with purple lupines behind the fence on the northern side of the road (highlighted in yellow) and yellow lupines on the eastern side (highlighted in yellow). The Trail : Tassajara Ridge Trail is fully unshaded and is best hiked when the temperature is mild. The AllTrails map for Tassajara Ridge Loop takes you through neighborhood street on an 8 mile loop. Do not follow it if you want to do the hike to see the lupines. The trail I have described in this blog is an out and back route with good elevation gain and provides a decent workout. Park at the location mentioned above. The gate to the trailhead starts at the northern corner of Longleaf Circle. You will see a carpet of yellow lupines to your right. Where the trail offshoot from the gate joins the main Tassajara Ridge Trail, turn right to walk through the yellow lupines. This is the most beautiful portion of the entire trail. The yellow lupines with red roofed homes in the background on one side and green hills on the other provide ammunition for some stunning photographs. The trail soon starts climbing gradually. At each intersection, you are given a choice to either take an easy, gradual inclination route, or a steep climb. All options meet somewhere on the main trail further ahead. So you cant go wrong with your choice. After the first climb, the trail flattens out and heads to the other end of the park towards the Tassajara Ridge Staging Area on Windemere Parkway, which is about a mile away from where you started. Along the way, you witness various other varieties of wildflowers, including poppies, purple owl clover and Indian paintbrush. The almost flat trail with San Ramon and Dublin covered in fog in the distance Poppies blooming along the side of the trail. A carpet of purple owl clovers When you reach the end of the trail, turn back and retrace your steps back, past the various wildflowers, over the hill and past the yellow lupines. That yellow is from the yellow lupines, not yellow mustards! Continue past the intersection where you started and in the opposite direction of the yellow lupines. After this point, there are no more wildflowers, other than the invasive yellow mustards. The trail climbs sharply uphill once again. In about a mile it reaches the highest point along the ridge line with panoramic views of San Ramon. Here, you can turn back and return the way you came, back down the hill, or continue on to add a few more miles to your hike. At the bottom of the hill, turn right, and instead of heading back to your car, find a small trail that will take you for a short distance through a carpet of purple lupines, growing behind some homes of the Windemere community. After you have clicked pictures to your hearts content, turn back and return to your parked car.

Location : Felton, CA Parking : $8 fee. Trail type : Loop Trail Length : 6.5 miles Elevation Gain : 1021 ft Difficulty : Moderate Trails traversed : Loch Loop Trail Dogs Allowed? Yes If you are Tintin comics fan, and Loch Lomond sounds familiar to you, it is because Loch Lomond whiskey was Captain Haddocks favorite drink. Trivia aside, Loch Lomond is a beautiful lake hidden, no, not in Scotland, but in the Santa Cruz mountains, popular for fishing, hiking and boating. The Recreation Area, just off of Hwy 17, is pretty isolated and is open only between March and October. They also have boat rentals and numerous picnic spots to reserve around the lake. This place is a haven for fishermen trying their luck to catch a bass or bluegill fish. When To Go : The Loch loop trail is completely shaded and is perfect during hot weather or any other time during the year. I went early morning, at 7.30am. The fog was slowly lifting over the lake, and provided some great pictures. Parking : Entry fee is $8. There is ample parking available in the designated parking lots near the lake and trailhead. The hike : Although the Loch Loop Trail is 4.3 miles, we added additional mileage by hiking the McLaren Trail and the Loch Sloy trail, making it a 6.5 mile loop with 1021 ft elevation gain. The Loch Loop trail starts right across the Park Store. I highly recommend hiking in the clockwise direction to avoid some very steep inclines if you go anti-clockwise. In the clockwise direction, the trail runs along the eastern side of the lake from South to North. The trail is pretty flat at this point and offers picturesque views of the pristine lake and its surroundings. The water of the lake in the mornings, free from any boats, is so calm that it provides a perfect mirror reflection of the pine covered hills surrounding the lake. There are a number of buoys and boat ramps all along the trail, as well as numerous picnic benches offering stunning views of the lake. As the trail reaches the northern tip of the lake, it makes a sharp right turn and starts traversing uphill. There are a few steep inclines along the loop which will give you a good leg workout. The trail is lined by tall oak and redwood trees, in its entirety, offering much needed shade during hot summer days. The entire route is carpeted with dried leaves from the pine and oak trees, cushioning your feet at every step. As you reach the top of the hill, at around 1000ft, a vista point offers magnificent views of the lake below. After this viewpoint, the trail starts going downhill, past a few porta-potties and picnic areas, before taking you back to the parking lot at the bottom of the hill. Final Verdict : This is a great place to spend the day, hiking, fishing, boating and picnicking with family and friends. This hidden gem is truly what California is all about - the beauty of the Great Outdoors!

Location : Dublin, CA Parking : Along Bay Laurel St (free) Trail type : Out and Back Trail Length : 2.9 miles Elevation Gain : 554 ft Difficulty : Moderate Trails traversed : Martin Canyon Creek Trail Dogs Allowed? Yes Post Hike Grub Stop : Burma-Burma, Dublin Having lived in the East Bay for almost 3 decades, I never knew this fully wooded hiking trail existed in Dublin, especially in the midst of a quiet neighborhood. Martin Canyon Creek Trail is great for a quick workout and is especially perfect during summer, as it is fully shaded. The trail runs through a forest of oaks, ferns and bay trees Parking is available at the trailhead on neighborhood streets along Bay Laurel Street and Silver Gate Dr. The trail follows Martin Canyon Creek for most of the way, until it starts climbing uphill. In February of 2022, the Creek was dry for the most part. The trail starts off pretty flat, but is so narrow that only one person can pass at a time. All along the trail, large oak and bay trees provide much needed shade. The hike is pretty easy until the city trail boundary gate. Past this gate, the trail starts climbing uphill. There are quite a few areas of steep incline and provide a great leg workout. We found a good luck charm along the trail! A fallen tree provide some good photo ops At 1.5 miles, the trail opens up to green pastures with amazing views of the Tri-valley. There is an outcrop of rock which is fun to climb on or have a picnic at. Out of the forest, and into the meadow. It was fun climbing the rocks At this point, you can continue to explore more trails in this park, or turn back on the route you came on and return to the trailhead. A network of trails provide options to explore further Martin Canyon Creek Trail is truly a hidden gem of Dublin, offering the best views during springtime, worthy of the sweat. Great views of the Tri-valley

One of the lesser known tourist attractions in San Francisco is Fort Point, a Civil War era fortress situated right under the Golden Gate Bridge. This fort was built in 1794 by the Spanish to initially defend San Francisco Bay against hostile warships. But later, its vantage point was helpful in guarding the Bay during the Gold Rush and all the way through World War II, after which the fort was decommissioned. Recreation.gov offers an interesting after-dark tour of Fort Point that allows visitors to view the fort in candlelight! These docent led tours are offered only at 6.30pm and 7pm on Saturdays. Prior reservation is required to participate in this candlelight tour. For any given date, reservations open at 7am, 2 Saturdays prior. There are only 30 available slots per tour, and they get filled up fast. Here is the site to book your ticket, which costs $20 for adults and $12 for children (10-17). Kids under 10 not allowed on this tour. The tour lasts 90 minutes. Parking is free, and is available at the entrance of Fort Point. Our well-informed guide/Park Ranger At the start of the tour, each person is given a lantern to illuminate their way, while the docent guides visitors through the dark passages and stairways of the now-desolate Fort. The decorative lantern given to each visitor. Making my way around the building with lantern in hand As he takes you from room to room, he narrates the history of the Fort, starting from the Natives and how the Spanish took over the land from them, through the Mexican-American War, then Civil War, Gold Rush of 1849 and all the way through World War II and ends the history lesson with the building of the Golden Gate Bridge above the Fort. Golden Gate Bridge was built right above Fort Point The tour takes you through 4 levels of the brick walled fortress, including the Officers quarters and the armory. The twinkling lights of the city from the windows of the fort are magnificent. View of the Bridge from one of the windows. The best is saved till the very end of the tour when the guide takes you to the roof of the fort to observe the Bridge from below, with the sounds of vehicles overhead and the breathtaking panoramic view of San Francisco Bay Area. View of the city in the distance I highly recommend this super cool tour! I have lived in the Bay Area for almost 3 decades and didnt know about this unique tour until recently. Walking around with a pretty lantern adds the additional "wow" effect to the entire experience.

Location : Pinnacles National Park, Hollister, CA Parking : Free with National Park entry fee of $30 (or with National Parks Annual Pass) Pets Allowed? : No Pro Tip : Hiking boots and headlamps a must. Reach the park by 8.30am if visiting on a weekend during winter and spring. Caves are closed late spring through summer. Pinnacles - A geologist and rock climbers delight Pinnacles National Park is the newest National Park in California and the most underrated. Just a 2 hour drive from the Bay Area, it is a relatively small park, but covered with dramatic cylindrical stone mountains which also provide underground exploration opportunities. It is a geologist and a rock climbers delight. The interesting rock structures in the park today were created over 23 million years ago by lava flow from the Neenach volcano (now near Los Angeles) and the movement of the North American tectonic plates which created the Pinnacles volcanic field. One of the most interesting geological formation in the park are the two talus caves - the Bear Gulch Cave and the Balconies Cave. These caves are home to 14 species of bats. The caves are closed during bats breeding season in the spring and summer. The best time to visit the park and the caves is during the winter when the temperatures are mild and the caves are open to the public. We planned our trip in the first weekend of February 2022, after confirming with the park over the phone that the caves would be open during our visit. Here's my Instagram Reel about the caves. Below is the description of the two hikes we embarked on to see both the caves. Hike #1 to see Balconies Cave : Trails traversed : Old Pinnacles Trail > Balconies Caves Trail > Balconies Cliffs Trail > Old Pinnacles Trail Trail type : Lollipop loop Trail Length : 5.1 mile Elevation Gain : 495 ft Difficulty : Easy Parking : Old Pinnacles Trailhead parking lot There are only 10-15 parking spots at the trailhead. So plan to come early, if visiting during the weekend. On a Sunday morning, there were 3-4 spots available when we reached at 8.30am. By 9am, they were all taken. Porta-potty is available at the trailhead. Old Pinnacles Trail starts at the parking lot and runs along an almost dried up stream for the most part of the hike. The route is flat and unremarkable for the first 2 miles of the trail. It crosses the West Fork Chalone Creek at multiple points requiring hikers to skip over rocks and stones in order to stay on the trail. At 1.8 miles, the trail becomes Balconies Caves Trail and splits in two direction. The trail straight ahead leads to the bottom of Balconies cave and the trail on the right that goes uphill takes you to the top of the cave. We found it easier to traverse the cave from bottom to top, instead of vice versa. Continue straight on Balconies Caves Trail where you will have to scramble over boulders till you reach the entrance to the cave. The entrance is marked by a large iron gate (which will remain closed during bat breeding season in spring and summer). Balconies Cave entrance Your fun adventure begins as soon as you enter the cave. Make sure your headlamp is on! You cross through a series of volcanic rock formations and journey through the dark, twisted passage of the cave. The cave ceiling is created by huge boulders which tumbled into a gorge after earthquakes and landslides thousands of years ago. As you climb down and over the boulders, you will notice how precariously the giant size rocks are balancing over each other. There are white arrows painted on the rocks to direct you towards the exit of the cave. If you are short, you may require some core and arm strength to pull yourself up and over the rocks. If you are tall, you will need to crawl on your hands and knees to duck under the gaps between the rocks. Some of the passageways require crawling on all fours. Once in a while, the rocks get bathed in sunlight from cracks above. Climb your way out of the cave to another gate at the end of the Balconies cave. The trip through Balconies Cave will leave you wanting more, and you may actually venture back through the cave a second time before deciding what to do next. As you exit the cave, you will see a trail leading uphill. This is the Balconies Cliffs Trail. Continue on this trail which goes up the side of the mountain and provides a great view of the High Peaks. The high peaks are shards of the rock that extend straight out of the landscape. Fairy chimney rock formations After a small climb, the trail goes downhill and intersects the fork where the Balconies Cave Trail started. Hang a left at the fork and retrace your steps back to the Old Pinnacles Trail parking lot. Hike #2 to see Bear Gulch Cave : Trails Traversed : High Peaks Trail > Moses Spring Trail > Rim Trail > High Peaks Trail Trail type : Loop Trail Length : 2.4 miles Elevation Gain : 550 ft Difficulty : Easy Parking : Bear Gulch Visitor Center or High Peaks Trailhead parking lot Parking for this hike is much easier than that for Balconies cave. The Bear Gulch Visitor Center/Nature Center parking lot has atleast 50-75 parking spots. If no spot is available, wait for someone to return from their hike. The High Peaks parking lot, which is a quarter of a mile up the road, and right next to the trailhead has about 10 parking spots. At 12:45pm on a Sunday, I decided to try my luck at the High Peaks parking lot. It was full. I waiting for about 10 minutes, hoping that someone would pull out their car, but in vain. I drove back down to Bear Gulch Visitor center lot, where there were multiple free spots, and walked back up to the trailhead. There are numerous picnic tables at the Bear Gulch parking lot. I also noticed a park shuttle that was picking and dropping off people at this Visitors Center. Clean, flush restrooms are available at both parking lots. The High Peaks Trail slowly climbs above the shallow creek bed at the bottom of Bear Gulch. It is fully shaded all the way. As you make your way, you may see climbers trying to ascend the cliff walls in the canyon across from the trail. Can you spot the rock climber? At the 0.2 mile marker post, the trail branches off to Moses Spring Trail, which will take you to the Bear Gulch Cave. I personally found the Bear Gulch Cave more exciting than the Balconies Cave as it is geologically more interesting and the cliff walls feel like they are closing in on you with their angular forms. Tunnel entrance to Bear Gulch cave The temperature within the cave is atleast 20 degrees lower than outside, probably due to the fact that there is a stream running inside, resulting in a small cascading waterfall inside the cave. There are stairways and tunnels within the cave which are reinforced with handrails. Once again, headlamps are a must as you need your hands to hold on to the rails. Staircase with handrails There are tight spaces you will need to squeeze through or crawl through, similar to the Balconies cave. Another similarity is that this is also a talus cave, formed by huge boulders falling into a canyon. Superwoman ?? A long flight of stairs cut in stone leads you to the outside of the cave. A few more steps uphill and you come to what I call the cherry on the cake, which is the beautiful Bear Gulch reservoir. The blue water and the stony but picturesque surroundings make this a perfect spot for a picnic lunch and even a quick dip on a hot day. Beautiful and serene Bear Gulch Reservoir On the return, you have the option to trace your steps back through the caves to the High Peaks Trail and back to the parking lot, or try a slightly circuitous route on Rim Trail. If the latter is your preference, continue on Bear Gulch Trail, past the reservoir where the trail becomes Rim Trail. This route will give you some incredible views of the Gulch you were just crawling around in. After a couple of downhill switchback, the trail connects to High Peaks Trail that, in turn, will lead you back to the parking lot. In summary, Pinnacles has some of the most amazing rock formations in California, and the above two hikes will take you through forest, cliffs, two caves, and a man-made lake. Both are great hikes for all ages and most hiking abilities, and they highlight some of the more interesting areas of this hidden gem of a National Park.

Location : Del Valle Regional Park, Livermore, CA Parking : Del Valle Arroyo Road Staging Area (free) Trail type : Lollipop Trail Length : 8.1 miles Elevation Gain : 1430 ft Difficulty : Easy - Moderate Trails traversed : East Shore Trail > Heron Bay Trail > East Shore Trail Pets Allowed? : Yes Post Hike Grub Stop : Petra Middle Eastern Cuisine, Livermore. Del Valle Regional Park in the East Bay is a popular recreation spot all through the year. During the summer months, folks flock to the park to picnic and camp, to enjoy the many water activities the park as to offer, such as kayaking, swimming, fishing and boating. During the winter months, the park is abuzz with hikers exploring the numerous trails which run through lush green rolling hills, all around the pristine lake. East Shore Trail is one such trail currently trending on social media for the beautiful, vivid green scenery it offers at every turn. The trail is fully exposed, with little to no shade, which can be brutal in the summer months. I hiked this trail during the first week of February, 2022. Due to an almost dry winter and unseasonably warm temperatures, spring seemed to have started early in the park, with wildflowers starting to make an appearance at the higher elevations. Parking was a challenge at the Arroyo Road Staging Area, and I was lucky enough to nab the last parking spot when I arrived at 8:20am on a Saturday. If the parking lot is full, you have three options : 1) wait patiently until someone returns from their hike 2) park about a mile down on Arroyo Road on the side of the road near Wente. There are no "No Parking" signs at this point. 3) park in Sycamore Grove Park across from Wente. ($6 fee) DO NOT PARK anywhere else along Arroyo Road, as you are sure to get ticketed (someone in our party got a $40 parking violation ticket). Porta-potty restrooms are available at the parking lot. I would advice against using it, as people in my group reported that they were extremely filthy. The trail starts from the gate at the parking lot and is almost flat for the first 0.3 miles. Once you cross a bridge over a beautiful creek with mirror like reflections, the trail starts going steeply uphill. The creek with mirror reflections Within the next 0.5 miles you gain more than 500ft in elevation. Once you reach the top of the steep hill, at 0.9 miles, you are rewarded for all your effort with the stunning view of Del Valle lake and the rolling hills surrounding it. This is a great stop for a photo op and a snack break. First view of Del Valle Lake From this point on, the trail mostly meanders over rolling hills providing great views of the lake all along. You may see fishing boats and platoons out in the water. A lone fisherman patiently waits for his catch. Continue on East Shore Trail for another 2 miles, passing hills covered with wildflowers and yellow mustards. Wildflowers on either side of the trail At the two mile mark, there is a small hill with a steep trail that takes you to the top. If you are feeling adventurous, climb the steep hill for beautiful views of the surrounding hills. If not, turn right at the mile marker post to start the lollipop loop along Heron Bay Trail. Steep hill offshoot from East Shore Trail Heron Bay Trail runs close to the water and through some lush green forests. Unlike East Shore Trail, this one does not see much foot traffic, and hence is very quiet and serene. You can even hear the twigs crack under your feet as you walk through the forest. Life seems so peaceful along Heron Bay Trail View of the pristine lake along Heron Bay Trail Heron Bay Trail soon joins East Shore Trail at 4.7 miles. You will encounter a few stretches of steep inclines as you retrace your steps on East Shore Trail. Enjoy the last few minutes of the fantastic scenery, as you turn right at the top of the hill at mile 7, and make you steep downhill climb all the way down to the bridge across the creek and then back to the parking lot. View of the meandering trails as you back track your way to the trailhead. This hike is best done during winter and spring when the temperatures are mild and the scenery green. Summer hikes may not be as pleasant. So plan your hikes before the hills start turning brown!

Location : Castle Rock State Park, Los Gatos, CA. Parking : $10 (ample free parking on the side of the road) Trail type : Loop Trail Length : 5.4 miles Elevation Gain : 1000 ft Difficulty : Moderate Trails traversed : Castle Rock Falls Trail > Ridge Trail > Saratoga Gap Trail > Castle Rock What makes Castle Rock State Park unique is the sculpted sandstone formations scattered around the park, making it very popular amongst beginner and experienced rock climbers as well as adventurous hikers. With sweeping vistas, this trail runs along the highest ridge of the Santa Cruz mountains and the rock formations along the route provide opportunities to explore mysterious caverns and dark caves. Castle Rock SP website provides an explanation for the eerie looking formations : "Castle Rock’s famed Vaqueros sandstone originated as submarine fan deposits on the continental shelf about 30 to 40 million years ago. The deposits were elevated and moved north by repeated violent movements along the tectonic plate boundaries now defined by the San Andreas Fault. Over the eons, outcrops have eroded to form pits, pockets, honeycombs, caves, ribs, and ridges. Referred to as tafoni, these erosional patterns have endless variations. " Trail Map There is ample paid parking at the park entrance as well as free parking along Hwy 35. Castle Rock Falls trail starts close to the parking lot where some interesting rock formation replicas are displayed for climbing and photographing opportunities. Continue on Castle Rock Falls trail which runs along a creek, until you reach Castle Rock Falls overlook. When we went in December of 2020, the Falls had dried down to a trickle. You may have better luck during a wet season. Castle Rock Falls Trail soon becomes Ridge Trail with sweeping views of the Santa Cruz mountains and beyond. Ridge Trail turns into an obstacle course for a short distance where you have to squeeze your way between boulders and hang on to iron cables to move ahead. Ridge Trail soon intersects with Saratoga Gap Trail, which slowly starts to climb uphill towards Goat Rock. Goat Rock is very popular amongst seasoned rock climbers but can also be scaled without any rock climbing gear. Thats me atop Goat Rock! Billygoat Rock is the next one on the trail which challenges you to try your climbing skills yet again. Further down the trail is Skull rock which, unlike the previous two, provides ample notches in the rock for hands and feet to hold on to while climbing. As you come towards the end of Saratoga Gap Trail and head towards the parking lot, make a quick 0.7 mile deviation to explore the namesake caves of the park. The Castle Rock caves and rock formations with their alien-like patterns will make you wonder if this is what the surface of Moon or Mars would look like. After having explored the caves, return to Castle Rock trail which will take you all the way back to the parking lot.

Location : Foothills Park, Palo Alto, CA. Parking : $6 Trail type : Loop Trail Length : 7 miles Elevation Gain : 1459 ft Difficulty : Moderate Trails traversed : Los Trancos Trail > Fern Loop Trail Foothill Park, in Palo Alto, opened up to the public in mid December of 2020. Prior to that, only Palo Alto residents had exclusive access to it. Los Trancos trail is the longest one in the park and has something for everyone - beautiful views, long climbs and a flowing brook. The trail is shaded most of the way and is green almost any time of the year. Plan ahead and pack a picnic lunch which you can enjoy by the lake in the park, post-hike. Closest parking to the trailhead is at the Foothill Park Nature Interpretive Center inside the park. From the entrance gate, drive about 1.5 miles, past the small lake, until you see a large meadow on the left and the Interpretive Center on the right. The trail starts right in front of the Interpretive Center, across the meadow. You encounter a number of bridges on this trail, the first of which is at the start of the trailhead. Add some fun to your hike by counting the number of bridges you cross along the route. One of the many bridges on the trail. The first half a mile of the trail is a real butt-kicker as the path climbs uphill with numerous switchbacks. When you reach the top of the hill, the ascent becomes more gradual with gorgeous views of Palo Alto and the Open Reserve surrounding this park. View of Palo Alto and beyond Some of these trees looked really eerie. The trail soon starts climbing uphill once again, and gets your heart pumping before joining Fern Loop Trail and flattening out. Green fern and moss covered many tree trunks Fren Loop Trail will intersect a fire road which will take you back to your car at the Interpretive Center. This is an excellent hike for a hot summer's day. Giant sized mushrooms along the trail

Location : Tomales, Marin County, CA. Parking : Free (roadside) Trail type : Out and back Trail Length : 9.4 miles Elevation Gain : 1177 ft Difficulty : Moderate Trails traversed : Tomales Point Trail Tomales Bay This is one of the top rated hikes in the Bay Area as it offers spectacular views of Tomales Bay, Bodega Bay and the Pacific Ocean, not to mention sightings of numerous Tule Elk herds grazing along the trail. During late spring, the area is abloom with colorful wildflowers making the entire landscape picturesque from end to end. Pink and grey thistles blooming along the trail Parking is ample along Pierce Point Road at the trailhead. The trail starts off at the big historic farmhouse, and although not well marked, is easy to follow. Almost all of the trail is over rolling hills and is uncovered. So plan this hike on a cool day or in the early hours before the midday sun comes bearing down on you. As you walk along the oceans edge, you will encounter herds of Tule Elks grazing away, unaware of the gawking passers by. The tule elks were close to extinction, until in 1978 when the National Park Service designated Tomales Point Wilderness as a tule elk habitat and grew the herd from 10 to more than 300 today. The first mile of the hike is pretty flat and runs along the ridge, providing breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. The trail ascends to its highest point for the second mile after which it falls steeply until you reach a tall tree and fallen logs. At this juncture you can view Bodega Bay in the distance and tule elks grazing around a pond closeby. Soon the trail leads you to a huge sandy dune which will be a challenge to climb if you are not wearing boots and long pants. The trail disappears at this point amongst thick shrubbery, but it is not hard to make your own as you walk in the direction of the ocean. Trail runs through some thick overgrowth and wildflowers The "trail" finally ends at the cliff edge with spectacular views of the ocean in all direction, with the city of Bodega and Bodega Beach to your right. The trail ended at the oceans edge. Worth the long 5 mile hike to this point, trudging uphill and then downhill through so much sand. This is a good place to break for lunch before retracing your way back to your parked car. Once you complete the hike you realize why this has been named one of the best hikes in the Bay Area, year after year - with Tule Elks grazing lazily on the side, and wildflowers blooming every step of the way, and the awe-inspiring scenery of the wide span of blue ocean, this Tomales Point Hike is true poetry for the soul! On your drive back home, stop in Inverness to check out the cypress tree tunnel. Another interesting sight close by is the long forgotten fishing boat, S.S.Point Reyes in the small downtown area in Inverness.

Location : Palo Alto, CA. Parking : Free Trail type : Loop Trail Length : 3.7 miles Elevation Gain : 534 ft Difficulty : Easy Trails traversed : Stanford dish loop trail Post-hike pit stop suggestion : Reposado on Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, CA The Stanford Dish loop trail is popular amongst Stanford students and residents of Palo Alto for a quick workout or an evening run. The trail is named after the large radio telescope placed at the top of the hill. Although the entire trail is paved, it does not provide any shade, thus making it popular during the early morning hours or before sunset. There is no designated parking area for this trail. However, ample parking is available within a couple of blocks, along Stanford Ave. The trail entrance closes at sunset but you can exit the trail after sunset. So plan your visit accordingly. The trail is actually a wide paved road made one-way due to Covid. Although the climb is gradual, it is steep in a few areas. AllTrails has categorized this hike as moderate, but I found it to be on the easy-moderate side. As you reach the top of the hill, the massive and impressive Stanford dish comes into full view. Take your time to admire its enormity before you head down back to the entrance.