Destinations

The Stunning Drive Through Northern California’s Avenue of the Giants

Sitting in in the middle of the Humboldt Redwoods State Park is the Avenue of the Giants, a 31-mile two…

Read More »

NorCal Mountain Biking Trail Rated One of the Most Popular in the U.S.

Photo: Yuba Expeditions Singletracks, a popular mountain biking website, recently named the most popular mountain biking trails in the U.S.…

Read More »

We Stayed in a Railroad Caboose in Northern California

We were in Dunsmuir, California and decided to stay at the Railroad Park Resort nestled right under the majestic Castle…

Read More »

Hiking the Seven Summits of Siskiyou County

Siskiyou County has proven to be one of the most beautiful outdoor destinations in the United States. With the mighty…

Read More »

Gold Fever: Catching Big Fish on the Remote American River Middle Fork

“To find the goods, you have to be willing to go to places where no one else is willing to…

Read More »

17 Breathtaking Waterfalls Just Outside of Redding, California

Photo by Matthias Rossini It’s springtime in California, which means it’s waterfall chasing season for any outdoor adventurer. Finding great…

Read More »

A Day at The Eighth Wonder of the World – Burney Falls

Brought to you by Visit Redding We drove an hour northeast of Redding, California to see what President Theodore Roosevelt…

Read More »

The 12 Most Instagrammable Destinations in Northern California

There are just so many beautiful destinations in Northern California that everyone should see once in their lifetime, and what…

Read More »

A Weekend in Redding, California – The Gateway to Northern California’s Outdoor Mecca

The Sundial Bridge, Burney Falls, Shasta Dam and Lassen Peak are all located within a short drive from Redding, California…

Read More »

To Glamp or Not to Glamp? Luxury Airstream Campsite Opens in Yosemite

Camping is great but if you prefer the comfort of glamping, you can stay in an iconic silver bullet Airstream…

Read More »

Hiking Lassen’s Cinder Cone is Hard but the Views are Incredible

My first attempt to hike Cinder Cone this summer did not go as planned, as I ended up getting stuck…

Read More »

Where the Wildflowers Are: See NorCal’s Super Bloom at Table Mountain

Flickr/Sathish J Spring has arrived and that means wildflowers have begun to embellish many of our favorite trails. Strolling through…

Read More »

Hiking to the Isolated Toad and Porcupine Lakes

“The trail has got to be around here somewhere….” was our refrain for the day. After the long, windy, and…

Read More »

Explore the Diverse Wildlife of Tule Lake in the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge

Tule Lake Refuge, established in 1928, rests in the fertile and intensely farmed Tule Lake Basin in Modoc County. The almost 40-thousand-acre refuge…

Read More »

10 Destinations To Mark Off Your Shasta Cascade Bucket List

The Shasta Cascade region is one of a kind. The collection of waterfalls, trails, mountains, caves, rivers, museums and other…

Read More »

Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove to Reopen Soon with Winter Conditions

Photo: National Park Service The Mariposa Grove Road will reopen to automobiles on Friday, Apr. 12, officials in Yosemite National…

Read More »

Find a Biking Utopia in Siskiyou County

Northern California’s Siskiyou County is one of the most popular biking destinations in the world. From relaxed rides with stellar…

Read More »

Finding Mossbrae Falls – Northern California’s Forbidden Waterfall

Flickr/Michael Moore By Zach O’Brien Northern California is full of incredible waterfalls, many of which sit in the Shasta-Cascade region.…

Read More »

Discover a Captivating Underground World at Lake Shasta Caverns

BIt was a foregone conclusion that I would love the Shasta Caverns tour. First, you find it off the O’Brien…

Read More »

Crystal Ice Cave Tours at Lava Beds National Monument

Crystal Ice Cave contains some of the most spectacular ice formations among Lava Beds’ many caves. Because of the sensitive…

Read More »

The Frozen Lake of Mt. Shasta – Ice Skating Castle Lake

Castle Lake is one of those destinations in Northern California that the visitors will rave about. In the summer, it’s…

Read More »

Eat the Burger That Wears A Skirt at Napa’s Squeeze Inn

Their popular "Squeezeburger w/Cheese" comes with it's own unique "Cheese Skirt" that always astonishes and satisfy's guests...

Read More »

Northern California Waterfalls are FLOWING HEAVILY Following Winter Storm

Winter season is alive and well in Northern California, as three straight weeks of winter storms increased snowpack in the…

Read More »

Find Hundreds of Northern California Campsites with this Interactive Map

Camping is one of NorCal’s favorite pastimes. Who can deny the appeal of sitting around the campfire surrounded by family…

Read More »

NorCal’s Frozen Gem – The Siskiyou Ice Rink is a Unique Winter Experience

Whether it’s a sunny day under the shadow of Mt. Shasta or a cold night under bright, illuminating stars, the…

Read More »

Now You Can Rent This Backcountry Cabin Above Mt. Shasta Ski Park

Every once in a while, the true enthusiasts of skiing and snowboarding have to venture outside the boundaries to go…

Read More »

Exploring the Rich History of Rough and Ready, California

The only way you’ve probably heard of Rough and Ready, California is if you’ve driven on Highway 20 between Yuba…

Read More »

Chaos, Lava and Snow – A Winter Trip to Lassen’s Crags Lake

By Ryan Loughrey For an area replete with unattractive names, the trail to Crags Lake is filled with beauty. Last…

Read More »

Phantom of the Falls: A Great Winter Spectacle

Photo: Flickr/Lisa Ouellette A flowing phantom haunts Table Mountain near Oroville. It disappears during the summer, and remains well hidden in…

Read More »

Beautiful New Trail System Coming to the Grove of Titans in Jedediah Smith Redwoods

The Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, located in the northwest corner of California near Crescent City, is one of the most…

Read More »

This Northern California Town is Responsible for America’s First Bike Lane

The ever-popular bike lanes you see all around the country are a pretty new phenomenon. San Francisco received its first…

Read More »

A Snowshoeing Adventure Around Lassen’s Manzanita Lake

Photo by Darlene M. Koontz By Ryan Loughrey Despite the current sunny weather, this most recent storm imbued Northern California with…

Read More »

See the Waterfalls of Whiskeytown Following the Carr Fire

The Carr Fire impacted so many people when it broke out in July and eventually burned 230,000 acres in Shasta County,…

Read More »

A Winter Exploration of Lassen’s Subway Cave

By Ryan Loughrey It is one of the locations that is close enough to make a day trip, and one…

Read More »

A Winter Expedition to Heart Lake

By Ryan Loughrey Covered in a thick blanket of snow, Heart Lake virtually disappears in the winter. Familiar summer landmarks…

Read More »

These 7 Northern California Waterfalls Look Incredible During the Winter

It may go against all your instincts to go chasing waterfalls during the winter months. After all, many of the best…

Read More »

New Plan in Motion to Build Trail to Mossbrae Falls

Mossbrae Falls is the most unique and possibly the most beautiful waterfall in Northern California. Located in Dunsmuir, the waterfall…

Read More »

A Picturesque Stroll Through the Cypress Tree Tunnel

There are so many beautiful places in Northern California that are prime destinations for photographers – Mount Shasta, Burney Falls,…

Read More »

Brand-New Adventure Park Opens in Northern California

Following months of delays, Quarry Park Adventures, a brand-new “adventure park” in Rocklin, has opened to the public. The park…

Read More »

Finding Burstarse Falls – Castle Crag’s Fickle Waterfall

By Ryan Loughrey Burstarse Falls has been on my radar for a long time, but I have never had the…

Read More »

Hiking the Lush Meadows of Mount Shasta’s South Gate

One of the best hikes available on Mt. Shasta, the South Gate Meadow Trail combines nearly all the elements that…

Read More »

The Waterfall of Fire – Horsetail Fall is a Rare Natural Phenomenon

Horsetail Fall is typically not that unique in Yosemite, where waterfalls are vast and beautiful. It is a somewhat low-flow waterfall…

Read More »

Trinity Alps Wilderness Highlighted in Outside Magazine’s “Favorite Fall Backpacking Trips”

The Trinity Alps Wilderness, located just northwest of Redding, is a gorgeous mountain range providing backpackers with stunning views, pristine…

Read More »

Mount Shasta Named “Most Charming Ski Town” by TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website, conducted a survey in order to name the “Most Charming Ski Town in America,” and…

Read More »

Video Previews the Sunken Ships of Tahoe’s First Underwater Trail

The California State Parks streamed a live video on Facebook last week, previewing the sunken ships of the brand-new Emerald…

Read More »

Visit North America’s Tallest Waterfall in Northern California

Everyone knows that Northern California is home to hundreds of beautiful waterfalls, some of them world-renown. But did you know…

Read More »

The Phantom Falls Experience: 164-Feet of Pure Waterfall Bliss

By Ryan Loughrey From the directions I had read online, I anticipated pulling off the side of the road in…

Read More »

NorCal’s Redwood Coast Named the Top Place to Visit in 2018 by Lonely Planet

Northern California locals know the Redwood National Forest as one of the great beauties on this planet. The tallest trees…

Read More »

Visit National Parks for Free on September 22 for National Public Lands Day

On September 22 you can celebrate National Public Lands Day by visiting any of the National Parks in Northern California…

Read More »

Lake Tahoe Opening its First-Ever Underwater Trail

The area surrounding Lake Tahoe is world-renown for its beautiful scenery and amazing trail systems in the mountain above the…

Read More »

A Beacon Of Northern California History: The Battery Point Lighthouse

A D.C. socialite, the Gold Rush, shipping lines, San Francisco, Crescent City and Battery Point Lighthouse intertwine in history to…

Read More »

A Harrowing Journey into the Haunted Caribou Wilderness

“AAAAAAUUUUAAAACK… AAAAAAUUUUAAAACK…” My eyes opened the size of softballs and the sleeping bag I’d been dozing in nearly lifted off…

Read More »

See What It Takes To Hike Humboldt’s Lost Coast Trail

A mention of the Lost Coast should never be omitted from any comprehensive discussion of California’s best outdoor attractions. The misplaced…

Read More »

Explore the Circle of Discovery: The 7 National Parks Surrounding Far Northern California

Did you know that Northern California and Southern Oregon are home to seven National Park sites? This circle of parks…

Read More »

Areas of Whiskeytown NRA to Remain Open Indefinitely

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area was closed for 5 weeks following the devastating Carr Fire that burned 39,000 acres within the 43,000-acre…

Read More »

The Historic Hike To Faery Falls

Combining history and nature, the Ney Springs Canyon Trail near Siskiyou Lake in Mount Shasta City is an easy hike…

Read More »

The Ultimate Northern California Brewery-Camping Road Trip

By Zach O’Brien This journey began a few months ago, when I was lounging in my back yard, sipping on…

Read More »

This Northern California Destination Made World’s 100 Greatest Places in 2018 from Time Magazine

Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove is famous for being one of the largest collection of mature trees in the world. The grove’s sequoias…

Read More »

A Kayaking Adventure to Mossbrae Falls

Mossbrae Falls is probably NorCal’s most unique waterfall. Instead of your typical water falling off a cliff (although very beautiful…

Read More »

New Photos of the Sacramento River Trail Show Carr Fire Devastation

When the Carr Fire blazed through west Redding on July 26th, the biggest concern on everyone’s mind was making sure…

Read More »

Q&A with Michelle Titus – the Owner of Northern California’s Premiere Fishing Lodge

In a short time, Michelle Titus went from a Bay Area city-dweller to a North Valley, horse wrangling “anglet”. When she…

Read More »

Kiss a Giraffe at this Awesome Northern California Park

By Amy Sue Do you have an animal lover in your family?  I’ve got one, and she gets extraordinarily excited…

Read More »

Shasta Lake is Surrounded by Two Large Wildfires, Lake Businesses Remain Open

The Carr Fire has officially moved all the way from Whiskeytown Lake to waterfront of Shasta Lake, blazing through another…

Read More »

The Short Hike To Hedge Creek Falls

Similar to hideout entrances seen in Batman movies and the Legend of Zorro, Hedge Creek Falls cascades in front of the…

Read More »

Road Trippin’ – Southern Oregon’s Toketee Falls and Umpqua Hot Springs

Sure, we are Active NorCal, covering all the cool outdoor stuff in Northern California. But for us to ignore the…

Read More »

3 Bidwell Park Swimming Holes to Beat the Heat

What Chico lacks in terms of manageable summer temperatures, it makes up for with all the swimming hole options at…

Read More »

Almost Climbing Mount Shasta: A Story of Misery and Life Lessons at 14,000 Feet

At four thirty in the morning no one saw the light from my tiny headlamp inching uphill in pitch darkness…

Read More »

9 Family-Friendly Camping Spots in Northern California

The insistent bzzzzzzzz of a mosquito roused me from sleep, but my eyes refused to open in hopes it would…

Read More »

A Tour of 10 Stunning Waterfalls in Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park has countless waterfalls. A tour of the massive park can yield many small waterfalls, but we wanted…

Read More »

See What it’s Like to Summit Mount Shasta via Avalanche Gulch

Climbing Mount Shasta is the ultimate badge of honor in NorCal. It’s a grueling hike up steep terrain with changing…

Read More »

Fly Fishing on the Haunted Upper Sacramento River

Thankfully, no invisible or bony hand ever reached out to touch my shoulder on dark evenings while fishing the October…

Read More »

A Summer Getaway to Lake Aloha in the Desolation Wilderness

By Ryan Loughrey The entrance to the Desolation Wilderness is anything but – neither desolate nor wild. The southern Lake…

Read More »

Road Trippin’ – The Painted Hills of the Oregon Heartlands

By Ryan Loughrey The first leg of our trip took us 323 miles, having left late last Thursday night, spending…

Read More »

Weekend in Lassen – Exploring Cold Boiling Lake and Kings Creek Falls

By Ryan Loughrey Lassen Park offer a bounty of opportunities of exploration. Although I feel I’ve explored a good amount,…

Read More »

This Northern California Ghost Town is Cursed, According to its Visitors

The workers at the Bodie State Historic Park are used to receiving letters in the mail talking about the “Bodie…

Read More »

5 Tips for Hiking Lassen’s Brokeoff Mountain

By Ryan Loughrey Brokeoff Mountain in Lassen National Park is notorious for being one of the most difficult hikes in…

Read More »

Exploring the Car Graveyard of Mt. Shasta

By Ryan Loughrey Walking through the car graveyard felt like walking through an ancient time. Even though the cars couldn’t…

Read More »

A Tale of Summer Backpacking: A Little Sketchy, A Lot Worth It

By Benjamin Goodpasture, Founder and CEO of Shasta Rock Club I’ll never forget the day I first saw Emerald and…

Read More »

The 20 Most Beautiful Waterfalls in Northern California

In 1995, the recording group TLC released their massive hit Waterfalls, in which the chorus reads “don’t go chasing waterfalls,…

Read More »

The Desolate Hike to Lassen’s Mill Creek Falls

By Ryan Loughrey Now that the road through Lassen National Park is open, Kiva and I decided to hike a…

Read More »

The Flumes and Cable Pools of Paradise

The town of Paradise, California, which is just outside of Chico, is not necessarily known as NorCal’s “paradise,” but it does…

Read More »

An Overnight Trip to Tangle Blue Lake in the Trinity Alps Wilderness

By Ryan Loughrey We had it in our mind that the hike to Tangle Blue Lake was going to be…

Read More »

Hiking Castle Crags – Castle Dome Trail

Castle Crags seems to hide in plain sight. Though clearly visible from I-5, the magnificent geological oddity receives less mention than other North…

Read More »

My Northern California Summer Bucket List

By Ryan Loughrey The sun has inspired me to start thinking more about summer. One of the activities I am…

Read More »

Feather Falls – Hiking to Northern California’s Towering Waterfall

Before being accurately measured, Oroville’s Feather Falls was considered the sixth tallest waterfall in the United States. Though widely reported, the height of the falls…

Read More »

Road Trippin’ – 10 Waterfalls in a Day at Silver Falls State Park

By Ryan Loughrey Sometimes your weekend starts with a long drive. This one in particular ended at a campsite at…

Read More »

Off the Beaten Path – Kosk Hot Springs

By Ryan Loughrey A typical Redding Pre-Summer: glimpses of the searing heat to come, interspersed with rain and wind. While…

Read More »

An Underground Visit to Lava Beds National Monument

This past weekend, Kiva and I visited Lava Beds National Monument for an overnight trip. I’ve been a few times…

Read More »

Mammoth is a Must-See Destination for Outdoor Enthusiasts

U.S. Highway 395 runs from the Canadian border all the way down to Southern California, and approaching the Eastern Sierras…

Read More »

3 World-Renown Day Hikes in Yosemite National Park

Many people like to visit Yosemite National Park for intimidating adventures, like the thrilling hike to the top of Half Dome,…

Read More »

Daytrippin’ in Humboldt – Beach Bouldering and the Lost Coast Brewery

By Ryan Loughrey With the holiday season, traffic and locales around Redding have been busy. Not to mention the heat,…

Read More »

The 10 Best Summer Activities to do in Lassen Volcanic National Park

Summer has officially hit Northern California, which means we ceremoniously trade out our snowshoes and hard-shelled jackets for swim shorts…

Read More »

Yosemite’s Famed Mariposa Grove Reopening to the Public

Following three long years of restoration work on Yosemite’s famed Mariposa Grove, park officials are ready for its grand reopening…

Read More »

Mt. Shasta’s Underground Adventure – Going Deep in Pluto’s Cave

By Ryan Loughrey After exploring Lassen’s Subway Cave, my spelunking desire wasn’t quite satiated. Subway Cave in Lassen was wild,…

Read More »

Discover the Hydrothermal Areas of Lassen Volcanic National Park

It’s been a hundred years since Lassen Peak’s last eruption, but evidence of its violent volcanic potential still pervades Lassen Volcanic National…

Read More »

Lassen’s Jot Dean Ice Cave – A Cool Summer Getaway

By Ryan Loughrey The Jot Dean Cave is easy to get to, although it doesn’t have a set trail or…

Read More »

Into Thin Air – Climbing Mount Shasta

Sometimes the appropriate way to appreciate our beloved Mt. Shasta is to sit down, relax and enjoy its beauty. Sometimes…

Read More »

13 Breathtaking Hikes in the Redwoods National Park

The Redwood National Park in Humboldt can provide some of the most memorable hikes for visitors. There aren’t many places in…

Read More »

“Boys, I Have Been in Hell” The History of Lassen’s Bumpass Hell

Bumpass Hell is a popular destination for people traveling through Lassen Volcanic National Park. Lassen is chock-full of hydrothermal activity,…

Read More »

Road Trippin’ – The Must-See Tamolitch Blue Pool in Oregon

By Ryan Loughrey As long as you don’t mind how discovered the place can be, the Tamolitch Blue Pool is…

Read More »