San Francisco Crosstown Trail: 17 mi, 2,043 ft elevation gain, point-to-point
A Long-Distance Nature Trail Through San Francisco
January 6, 2020 •
Trails
The Stories Rocks Tell
January 6, 2020 •
Every rock has a story to tell, and geologists know the language.
An Experienced Park Visitor’s View of Point Reyes
October 3, 2019 •
For those who are unaware of Point Reyes Station, it is a small town adjacent to Point Reyes National Seashore and the quaint town of Inverness. It’s the type of town that tourists flock to on the weekends and most … Read more
Behind the Name at the East Bay Parks
September 16, 2019 •
How often have you encountered a trail, campsite—or even an entire park—with an odd or mysterious name? Eighty-five years ago, visionary academics, public officials, and hikers, living mostly in Oakland and Berkeley, convinced public agencies to convert hilltop watershed lands … Read more
Healing the Body, Mind, and Cultural Divide: It’s More than a Walk in the Park
September 16, 2019 •
One Saturday morning late last spring, I pulled into Garin Regional Park in the hills above Hayward. I didn’t have the $5 for parking, but intuiting why I was there, the ranger let me pass anyway. A crowd was amassing. … Read more
Walking the Entire Bay
June 23, 2019 •
Thirty years after the project officially began, the idea for the San Francisco Bay Trail seems both delightfully obvious and considerably difficult. To link Bay Area communities across nine counties and 47 cities with one multiuse, 500-mile trail is an … Read more
A 21st Century Gateway to Castle Rock State Park
June 23, 2019 •
Driving south along Skyline Boulevard (Route 35), the forest thick with Douglas fir and a green canopy of madrones casting shadows on the road, I find myself saying out loud, “I can’t believe I’m here.” Less than an hour ago … Read more
Six Parks, One Campsite, and 32 Miles
March 25, 2019 •
East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail: 32.9 mi, 5,725 ft elevation gain, point-to-point
How to Become a Curious Pilgrim in Nature
February 28, 2019 •
Walking attentively in a natural landscape appears to be trending now as a form of pilgrimage, folded into the inquiry called spiritual ecology. I’ve become quite curious about the particulars of this practice, so I’ve set out to learn about … Read more
The East Bay By Horseback
December 28, 2018 •
The East Bay Hills have a long equestrian tradition.