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California Hiking
Whether you prefer the leisurely self-guided hiking from winery to winery or rugged backcountry hiking through pristine wilderness, tons of California hiking options await the itinerant hiker like you. But if you want to discover a side of California you have never seen before, then start with the State’s Northern Coast.
California hiking some 20 miles north of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge will reveal to you a California you never knew existed. Following the Pacific Coast Highway (Route 1), meander past pumpkin patches, Christmas tree farms, grazing horses, and towns right out of the 1950s and at the end of it all are ancient redwood forests, rugged coastlines, picturesque vineyards, and charming country inns.
You can take Occidental as your first stop in your long California hiking trip. A love town nestled in a redwood forest near the Russian River, Occidental was once a former lumber and railroad center. Now, the town is famous for its family-style Italian restaurants.
During your stopover, you can spend your time watching whales and sportfish at Bodega Bay or check out the wineries along the Russian River Wine Road. The Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve also offers great California hiking when you get bored with the stationary life.
After Occidental, keep your eyes open because the next town is one of those blink-your-eyes-and-you-miss-it towns. Perched high on a cliff overlooking a mile of picturesque coastline along Route 1, Elk is 20 miles south of Mendocino where migrating whales can be spotted off the coast in December when they head south and in the early spring when they head north with their calves.
California hiking through this town feels like going back in time to almost a century ago when Elk was a bustling port with a thriving lumber industry and a population of 2,000. You can even make some arrangements for horseback rides, whale-watching boat trips or a picnic lunch. And, of course, what is California hiking without a tour through the wineries? You can find fifteen these in Elk within a 30-minute drive.
Next stop: Mendocino. This picturesque bluff-top village is surrounded on three sides by rugged coastline. Mendocino is known for its ultra-unique architecture, reflecting the town’s roots (it’s early settlers were from New England).
Mendocino has the distinction of having the prettiest main streets in America. Every shop in the four block area has an ocean view. Shops? Of special note are the Book Loft with a good selection of books, Mendocino Art Center Showcase Gallery featuring the work of local artists and crafters, Mendocino Chocolate Co. famous for its handmade truffles, and several more.
Feel like in the movies when you go California hiking in Mendocino. The town’s charms haven’t been lost on the movie industry. Beginning in the silent film era, more than 50 films have been shot here, including the six that have received various Academy Awards – Johnny Belinda (1948), East of Eden (1955), and The Summer of ’42 (1971).
And that ends your California hiking trip through the North Coast. If you want to go on, noted parks for California hiking enthusiasts include Point Reyes National Seashore, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park, John Muir National Historic Site, and many more.
California hiking has never been this full of options.
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