The roars of giant elephant seals against a backdrop of crashing ocean waves. Splashes from a sublime waterfall cooling hikers at the headwaters of Sonoma Creek. Armies of glistening banana slugs advancing under an ancient redwoods canopy.
California’s state parks hold a bounty of natural treasures to delight even the most-veteran of explorers. And on Jan. 1, visitors can explore them in depth, thanks to the America’s State Parks First Day Hikes program.
This year, more than 60 California state parks are offering 70-plus guided First Day Hikes, including a jaunt around Angel Island with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, a snowshoe trip under giant sequoias in the Sierra Nevada, a visit to a historic Pacific coast lighthouse and so much more.
The program originated in 1992, when Patrick Flynn, a supervisor at a Massachusetts state park, was looking for a way to entice people to get out into nature despite the colder, darker weather of winter. Flynn thought special interpretive tours and free hot soup might draw people out — and he was right. By 2012, parks in all 50 states were hosting First Day Hikes. (Nowadays, the hot soup is no longer guaranteed, but there is one place in Sonoma doing a hot-cocoa service.)
In California, the timing could not be better for getting outdoors. Gone are the beige, dry hills of summer. In their place are rolling ranges of vivid-green grass, swollen rivulets, new waterfalls and plenty of wildlife. For those who love the cold, there’s still plenty of snow in the mountains to stamp through, before it melts into runoff destined for the Bay Area’s springtime reservoirs.
With nearly 20 Bay Area state parks participating in First Hikes this year, there really is something for everyone. Here are a few outings to consider.
Note: Some require advance registration, which you can find more information about here. Some are weather dependent. And state parks often charge parking fees – typically around $10 for the day – but local libraries offer free state parks passes that you can check out to skip the fee. For a full listing of what activities California state parks are offering on Jan. 1, head to parks.ca.gov/FirstDayHikes2024.
Angel Island State Park, Tiburon
Make a day trip of it and take the ferry to Angel Island from Tiburon. The park’s guided 5-mile hike takes visitors to the top of Angel Island and the summit of Mount Caroline Livermore. Trails include stairs, switchbacks and hills, so prepare for some climbing. The panoramic views of the Bay from the unique vantage point of Angel Island are spectacular – if Karl the Fog isn’t out.
Details: The hike begins at 10:30 a.m. from the island’s Ayala Cove (the ferry landing), so catch the 10 a.m. Angel Island ferry ($6-$18 round trip, advance tickets recommended) from Tiburon; https://angelislandferry.com/.
Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, Guerneville
A visitor embraces a giant tree at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve in Guerneville. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
One of the gems of Sonoma County is this dark, mysterious forest of old redwoods. As you enter, the sound-dampening properties of these giant organisms quickly becomes apparent. In the hush, the little sounds of nature that emerge – creatures scurrying in the canopy, streams burbling over smooth rocks – wash away the pesky concerns of modern life. For this hike, guides will lead a 1.5-mile, 2-hour walk through an ancient grove of coastal redwoods, exploring things like the tallest, smallest, oldest and oddest Coast Redwood tree. The hike is ADA-accessible and mostly flat and level.
Details: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with hikes starting every hour from the Armstrong Redwoods Visitor Center at 17000 Armstrong Woods Road, Guerneville. Parking is $10.
Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Boulder Creek
Fire-devastated Big Basin Redwoods State Park has begun the process of recovery and regrowth. (Shmuel Thaler/Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Head to Big Basin Redwoods State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains to learn about how the park’s giant redwoods are bouncing back after the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex wildfires. Docent and plant enthusiast Kathy Willott leads this 4.2-mile hike — which includes a steady climb to the summit — teaching visitors about native plants and how they recover after fire.
Details: Meet at 9:30 a.m. at the temporary visitor center by the day-use parking lot ($10).
Burleigh H. Murray Ranch State Park, Half Moon Bay
Looking for a flatter hike where you can learn some history along the way? Head to Burleigh H. Murray State Park, an under-visited and little-known state park in Half Moon Bay that’s home to an abandoned dairy farm. This hike will be about 2.5-miles round trip, fairly flat and full of information about the pioneers and farming families that settled in the area in the 1800s.
Details: Meet at 10 a.m. at the free parking lot off Higgins Canyon Road.
Castle Rock State Park, Saratoga
Marianggy Gonzalez, 10, and aunt Alexaly Perez, from left, of San Jose, take in the view from along the Saratoga Gap trail at Castle Rock State Park in Los Gatos, Calif., in 2019. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Castle Rock State Park, a go-to destination for local outdoor rock climbers, also has a plethora of trails to explore. This 3-mile hike, led by former ranger Miles Standish, takes visitors on a learning journey about the history of the park, from the Ohlone residents to pioneers to modern times. Participants will have the option of driving to additional trailheads to learn more as the hike progresses through a range of historic and natural areas.
Details: Meet at 10 a.m. at the Saratoga Gap free parking lot.
China Camp State Park, San Rafael
This historic fishing village on San Pablo Bay holds one of the most sublime local traditions: watching the first sun of the New Year rise above the horizon. To witness it, hikers must get up early and be prepared to conquer 500 feet in elevation gain on this 4-mile hike to reach a spectacular vantage point, so be sure to power up with strong coffee and energy bars. There will also be the opportunity to share wishes and poems you have for 2024.
Details: Meet promptly at 6:30 a.m. at the China Camp Ranger Station in order to see the 7:26 a.m. sunrise. Register beforehand, no pets allowed. Parking is $5.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Scotts Valley
With more than 4,500 acres of forest and open land — including 40 acres of old-growth redwoods — Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is a popular destination. This 1-mile hike includes a beginner bird-watching stroll and the chance to learn about the resident and migratory birds in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Details: Hikes at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m. Pre-registration is required. $10 per vehicle day use fee.
Pigeon Point Light Station Historic Park, Pescadero
Hike along the out-and-back Wilbur’s Watch route at the Peninsula Open Space Trusts’s Cloverdale Ranch property and experience a gentle uphill 2-mile hike to a lookout with recycled redwood benches offering panoramic views of the historic Pigeon Point lighthouse, Montara Mountain and Año Nuevo State Park.
A drone view of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse at Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park in Pescadero, Calif., in 2023. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Details: Meet at 10:45 a.m. at the Wilbur’s Watch free parking lot.
Salt Point State Park, Jenner
Quarried sandstone slabs were shipped from Salt Point State Park’s Gerstle Cove to build San Francisco’s streets and buildings in the 1800s. (David Mullally/Herald Correspondent)
Salt Point State Park on the Sonoma coast is offering not just a hike to ring in the New Year, but a prehike hot cocoa. Enjoy ocean views from Gerstle Cove to Stump Beach with this 2.5-mile, easy-to-moderate hike. Bring layers!
Details: Enjoy hot cocoa at 10:30 a.m. The hike begins at 11. Parking fees apply.
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Wilder Ranch State Park, Santa Cruz
With 7,000 acres along the Santa Cruz coastline and more than 35 miles of trails, Wilder Ranch State Park offers some serious — and seriously beautiful — hiking. Explore the backcountry area of Wilder Ranch, crossing forests, coastal prairie and grasslands with more than 1,000 feet of elevation gain over eight miles. Be ready to tackle a range of trail surfaces – gravel, dirt, sand, single track and fire roads — plus some switchbacks.
Details: Meet at 9 a.m. at the visitor center. Pre-registration required. $10 per vehicle day use fee.
Farther afield
If you’re able to travel a bit, the State Parks department is offering even more adventurous and educational outings. Consider joining a free snowshoeing hike at Calaveras Big Trees State Park in Arnold or a free mushroom hike at Van Damme State Park near Mendocino. Asilomar State Beach is offering a trek through restored sand-dune habitat and rocky shorelines that are home to marine mammals and sea birds, and Morro Strand State Beach is having a beach walk to discover what interesting things gets washed up on the sandy shoreline and what briny creatures live there.
Closer to home
California State Parks in Alameda and Contra Costa county are taking a breather from the First Day Hikes action, but you can hit the trails on a DIY tour at, say, Mount Diablo anytime, or head for one of the East Bay Regional Parks. Find more hiking inspiration at www.mercurynews.com/tag/trail-mix/.
