10 Must-See Bay Area Outdoor Spots from SF Gate

Tom Stienstra picks ten of his favorite San Francisco bay-area outdoor locations for travelers who want to experience California’s uncharacteristically lush spring this year. In this case “bay-area” is a metonymy for  “Northern California”.

Stienstra’s list includes:

1. Yosemite Valley waterfalls
2. Shasta Lake
3. Tahoe, Heavenly’s Skyline Trail
4. Santa Cruz Mountains, Silver Falls/Golden Cascade
5. North Sierra foothills, Feather Falls
6. Marin, Sky Trail
7. Fern Canyon, Prairie Creek Redwoods
8. Wildcat hilltop via Tilden in the East Bay Hills
9. San Pedro Ridge
10. Pardee Lake

The article includes photos, descriptions, phone numbers and web links for all locations.

You could also add to the list some closer-to-home Bay-Area locations like Stinson Beach,  Ohlone Wilderness trail, and Robert Louis Stevenson State Park.