Whether you prefer the easy going self-guided hiking from winery to winery or rugged backcountry hiking thru pristine wasteland, tons of California hiking options await the itinerant walker like you, and should certainly be included in your backpacking checklist. But if you'd like to discover a side of California you have never witnessed before, then begin with the State's Northwards Coast.
Hiking some 20 miles north of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge will expose to you a California you never knew existed. Following the Pacific Coast Road (Route 1), slink past pumpkin patches, Christmas tree farms, grazing horses, and cities right from the 1950s and at the end of it all are ancient redwood forests, rough shores, quaint vineyards, and beguiling country hotels.
You can take Occidental as your first stop in your long California hiking trip. A love town nestled in a redwood forest close to the Russian Stream, Occidental was once a former lumber and railroad center. Now, the town is renowned for its family-style Italian bistros.
During your layover, you can use your time watching whales and sportfish at Bodega Bay or try the wineries along the Russian Brook Wine Road. The Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve also offers great California hiking when you become bored with the still 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 beautiful shore 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 start of spring when they head north with their calves.
California hiking through this town feels like going back in time to nearly 100 years gone when Elk was a bustling port with a flourishing lumber industry and a population of 2,000. You may also make some arrangements for horseback rides, whale-watching boat trips or a picnic lunch. And, naturally, what's California hiking without a tour thru the wineries? You will find 15 these in Elk inside a 30-minute drive.
Next stop: Mendocino. This pretty bluff-top hamlet is surrounded on 3 sides by rough 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 loveliest main streets in America. Every shop in the 4 block area has a sea view. Shops? Of special note are the Book Loft with a good selection of books, Mendocino Art Center Showcase Studio featuring the work of local artists and crafters, Mendocino Chocolate Company. Famous for its hand-crafted truffles, and a couple more.
Feel a bit like in the movies when you go California hiking in Mendocino. The town?s charms have not been lost on the movie industry. Starting in the silent film era, more than 50 films have been shot here, including the 6 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 need to go on, noted parks for California hiking fans include Point Reyes National Shore, Sequoia and Kings Ravine National Parks, Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Countrywide Park, John Muir National Historical Site, and lots more.
California hiking hasn't ever been this full of options.
Joseph Robertson is an eager supporter of developing a smart backpacking checklist before going on an extended hike. Finding the best hikes is clearly apart of a good backpacker?s hiking essentials.
Source: http://articlesobsessed.com/travel-leisure/outdoors-travel-leisure/hiking-in-california
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