In a place like California, a walk outside, where you can get some fresh air and exercise, might be the best way to keep your spirits up. If you live in California, you can easily take some fun day trips and walk around. Each hike will let you see some of the most beautiful parts of the Golden State. Just make sure to check each park's website before you go to find out about the weather and any possible closures.
Here are 5 amazing hikes in California that will take your breath away
1. Lands End, San Francisco
One of the most popular hikes in the state is right in the city of San Francisco. When the fog doesn't roll in, it gives postcard-perfect views of the Golden Gate Bridge. The almost three-and-a-half-mile loop slowly winds along clifftops through shady cypress stands and breezy grasslands. The only problem is that there may be a lot of other hikers with the same thought. But with plenty of acres to explore, you can probably find one or two quiet spots.
2. Cataract Falls Trail, Mount Tamalpais State Park
The entrance for Cataract Falls in Mount Tamalpais State Park is easy to find after you pass Alpine Lake on Bolinas-Fairfax Road, which is just an hour's drive from San Francisco. Along this out-and-back trail, hikers can follow Cataract Creek as it flows through a forest of redwoods, live oaks, and Douglas firs. They can also see a number of small waterfalls along the way. Spring is the best time to see blooms and see the chutes at full flow. The trail isn't too long, but there are some steep hills, so bring a good pair of hiking boots.
3. Rubicon Trail, Lake Tahoe
Some of the most beautiful views of Lake Tahoe are along the 13-mile Rubicon Trail, which runs along the lake's southwest shore from Emerald Bay State Park to D.L. Bliss State Park. Along the way, hikers can walk along rocks, into coves, and under waterfalls to cool off. They can also look at the many wildflowers, which smell like Sierra juniper, cedar, ponderosa pine, and fir trees.
4. Gray Butte Trail, Mount Shasta
The highest point of this difficult walk, which is one of the best in California, is an amazing 8,100 feet. However, if you start the three-and-a-half-mile journey from the Panther Meadows Campground, you will only climb a total of 750 feet. The path goes up through groups of mountain hemlocks and red firs and alpine fields that are full of wildflowers in the spring and summer. The trail ends at the top of Gray Butte, where you can see Mount Shasta and the Cascades.
5. Pomo Canyon Trail, Sonoma
Pomo Canyon runs from the middle of Sonoma Coast State Park all the way down to Shell Beach. The Russian River borders it on one side, and the Pacific Ocean borders it on the other. The six-and-a-half-mile walk is pretty hard and can get crowded. However, there are many places to look out over Jenner and the beach to get away from other hikers and see views that stretch for miles up and down the coast. Along Willow Creek, there are big plants and tall redwoods that give it a real Northern California feel. Depending on how well you handle hills, the whole trip should take just under four hours.