Friendship Ridge Trail to Davison Trail Loop via Fern Canyon is an 8.5 mile loop situated in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. This trail features the iconic Fern Canyon, where ferns grow on lush 50 foot walls through which Home Creek runs. What makes this route really special is the diversity of flora and fauna that you'll experience along the way.

The Trinity Alps Wilderness is roughly a five-hour drive from San Francisco, so you may want to save this one for a three-day weekend. Five miles into the trail, you'll arrive at Granite Lake, named for its backdrop of granite peaks. At the end of the designated trail, you'll find the first set of campsites. Note that these don’t have water access. Continue west, and you'll reach the north side of the lake, which has other campsites with access to the lake.

This loop threads its way through the wreckage of a volcano destroyed by the San Andreas Fault millions of years ago. There are awe-inspiring views throughout the hike, and you may even get a chance to see the California condor soaring high overhead. The route can be hiked in either direction, but go counter-clockwise if you like to get your uphill out of the way early in the hike. Bring plenty of water as this hike is exposed, and you'll be tackling over 1,500 feet of elevation.

Tomales Point Trail offers amazing views over Tomales Bay, Bodega Bay, and the Point Reyes peninsula. In addition to stunning coastline views, other highlights are the Historic Pierce Point Ranch, offering a glimpse into the early dairy ranching days of the peninsula, McClures Beach (if you decide to take a short detour), a beautiful cove with strong surf overlooked by rocky cliffs, Tule Elk Reserve, home to a large number of majestic tule elks, and Tomales Point, the very tip of the peninsula.

For a customizable summer weekend backpacking trip, this loop is a solid choice. This loop is challenging in terms of elevation, but it’s a good choice for newer backpackers. With six lakes along the route, you don’t need to decide in advance how far you want to go, just start hiking and see how you feel. The views, the opportunities for swimming, and the ability to spread out away from other campers make this a weekend-worthy trip you will love.

Rainbow Falls via Devils Postpile Trail is a 6 mile out-and-back trail located within Devil’s Postpile National Monument in the Eastern Sierras. At the beginning of the trail, you'll find Devils Postpile, a basalt formation in the shape of hexagonal columns that creates a natural wall that reaches 60 feet in height.

Horsetail Falls is accessed via a short but challenging hike that gets you up close with this spectacular South Lake Tahoe waterfall. Sitting on giant granite slabs with your feet dangling in the water will make this a weekend to remember. The trail up to the falls is only about a mile and a half, but slippery rocks and large boulders will test your footing. For this reason we recommend a good pair of hiking shoes/boots.

Giant Forest Loop Trail is a 7 mile loop located in Sequoia National Park. The trail will take you through the heart of the giant sequoia forest, which is home to about half of the earth’s largest and longest-living trees with over 8,000 of them. At the last half mile, you will be able to admire the majestic General Sherman Tree. Dated to be around 2,100 years old, 100 feet wide, and 275 feet tall, it’s the largest living tree in the world.

Mist Falls is an 8 mile out-and-back trail located in Kings Canyon National Park. After a beautiful drive through the western part of Kings Canyon, you’ll end at Road’s End Trailhead where this hike begins. This route follows along the sandy Cedar Grove trail, parallel to Bubbs Creek. After a couple of miles, you’ll take a left onto the Mist Falls Trail. As you climb into the wilderness, you’ll have some beautiful views of the canyon you were just in.