Reviews is for the campgrounds, they can accommodate large groups and you still feel integrated…read morewith the forest. It's very popular so you have to book early as soon as they open for reservations. There is a small shop that sells some basic food and camping supplies. Firewood is sold at a shed closer to the campgrounds. It always seems like no matter how much firewood we bring we run out so glad we could get more easily without driving. There are bathrooms and showers on site but you'll have to check the map because some of them are quite far. The showers are also coin operated so bring quarters if you plan on showering. We loved our time here spent bonding with friends and enjoying some of relaxing trails walkable from the campground. If you go at 11am to 12pm the lighting comes down through the trees just right and makes everything more beautiful.

This is my favorite spot to go camping! It definitely gets harder to reserve here each year since…read moreevery available campsite gets booked so fast, but when we're lucky to secure a spot, I always have a great time. My friends and I reserved two campsites next to each other, site 46 and 48, and it was so fun. I love the shade and tranquility that the tall redwood trees provide and how scenic the trails are. Also really enjoyed walking through the Old Tree Trail and loved reading the informative placards along the way. Although I didn't attend them, there are always fun, all-ages-welcomed activities hosted by the park like a Twilight Stroll or Marshmallow Roasting which I appreciated. Definitely a very kid-friendly spot. Beware: super windy roads leading to the park, a lot of mosquitos at the height of summer (wear long sleeves!) and there is no reception which I think is a plus. Really forces you to fully unplug and take a break from screens. I usually bring my dog here since it's a dog-friendly campground though dogs are restricted from most hiking/walking trails here and didn't bring him this time; took advantage of this by finally hiking some of the trails I previously didn't get a chance to explore. Bathrooms are pretty clean and toilet paper is usually stocked. This time, the bathrooms by site 53 ran out of toilet paper around late Saturday night but was restocked the next morning. I also appreciated the camp hosts going to each campsite to check if we needed more wood, which costs $15/bundle. Overall, I'm giving 4/5 stars because site 48 was quite slopey so it definitely made sleeping at night an experience (gradually sliding down each hour). I've camped here about 5 times now at all different sites and a lot of them weren't very flat.

My wife and I have been a few times. The first time she was very nervous because she isn't a…read moreskinny Barbie. She is 5'3", on the thick side with natural 38DDDs....bald all over. But within 10 minutes of our first time there, she felt 100% comfortable. A lot of men were coming up and talking to her/us but they were all respectful and asked first before they came to sit and join us for a chat. For those that don't know, this is a nude beach. It is 100% normal for men to be walking around "at attention." Again, my wife felt totally comfortable.

Amazing place to visit that I wish fewer people visited these days. This has been one of my goto…read morebeaches for about 16 years now and there was never much human traffic here until recent years. These days there is more human traffic due to the pandemic and everyone adventuring locally & finding things to do. This is a great place to relax and enjoy the views/nature. You can hike the trails, climbs the hills or just walk the beach in either direction. I generally come early morning and stay til the clouds and slight fog disappear as the day goes on. People generally come the later in the day it gets...but I wouldn't say this is the sun bathing type of beach, although ppl do lay out and get sun here. I prefer the cooler weather & breeze of this place when the clouds are out. Nothings but cheers for this Gem of a beach.

Visited Skyline on a Saturday in July at 9am! Decided to do the Horseshoe lake, Alpine pond, and…read moreBorel Hill trail counterclockwise and the parking lot was right by the trailhead. Trail was well-maintained and there were markers throughout. Didn't encounter too many other people. Nice views of the Bay Area - the park is high up so it was cool being above the clouds! Took me about 2 hours and 30 min to finish and I would say the hike was easy-moderate! The roads leading up to the park are a bit windy so just be mindful of that. Would recommend to those looking for beginner friendly hikes!

This is a great space for stargazing and panaromic views of the bay area. I wish the drive to get…read morethere wasn't as hard as it is.

Location was in the middle of beautiful big redwood trees about an hour away from home. Rangers at…read morethe park were professional and friendly. Restroom were clean campground was clean. Although the little store on site is closed, you are still able to buy bundles of wood near the entrance of the campgrounds. It was a nice warm day and the water was deep enough for the children to swim. 2 Full size tents are able to fit. Ring fire pit w/ability to BBQ.

We decided to check out this camp ground for group camping after reading all the great reviews. We…read morewound up getting the Huckleberry #3 camp site which fit our needs perfectly, not too far from the bathroom and next to the on-site water supply. While the drive in was rather tortuous, lots of switch backs and hair pin loops, the actual solitude and cleanliness of the site makes the trip worth it. The group site does allow pets and the rangers do come and check. There was a bbq grill stand at our site, as well as a fire pit and a bear resistant food locker. Trashcan were on site with easy access. Showers and bathrooms were very well kept and the water was warm. If you're looking for a quiet internet free nature retreat this is the camp site for you, just be mindful that it is a bit of a challenging drive.

Beautiful fall colors…read more Wonderful little walk through the very quiet forest Different types of mushrooms everywhere! Banana slugs!

Sam McDonald Park was such a pleasant surprise! I loved the variety of trails and the peaceful,…read moreremote feel of the area. Parking was easy, though it's tucked away enough that you could easily pass by if you don't know it's there. Does have restrooms. Overall, a beautiful spot--I really enjoyed my time here!

Super cute playground. Plenty of parking when I went over the weekend and not many people around…read more The kids loved climbing and running around and it's gated too. Has baby swings and the little cabin was fun to play in. The bathroom is right next to it and had a clean changing table

Have long eyed the Castle Rock State Park and glad we finally went! The park charges a nominal…read moreparking fee ($10 at time of writing); the parking fee is waived if you have one of the supported passes. Check their site for more info: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=538# We really enjoyed our hike here. The space is beautiful, and the trails are well-maintained. The trailhead had plenty restrooms as well. We made it up to Goat Rock Lookout, back down, then detour to the waterfall. It took ~1.5 hours in total, which was perfect for a end-of-day hike before the park closes at sunset. The view up at Goat Rock Lookout was breathtaking!

If you're looking for another place that has breathtaking views surrounding the whole Santa Cruz…read moreMountains (but don't want to go all the way to Portola Valley), Castle Rock State Park is the place for you. This place is usually my go to when the weather is just perfect and you want good views of the mountains viewing the Monterey Bay and the Santa Clara Valley. In addition, the park is even open during the cold winter season, where it occasionally will snow (because of how high the elevation is, the main base is situated at about 3,200 feet above sea level). This place has been my go-to park for hiking for a while, because of its terrain. At the same time, it's also been because of how much snow they get when cold fronts come into effect. They are also open year-round, so definitely swing by this state park when you do get the chance to! It's a decision you'll never regret.

Redwoods hike in the rain. We were in a cabin in the area and went out in a short window when the…read morerain wasn't so bad. The good thing about coming in the rain is no one else is around, we were the only ones on the windy roads and the only ones here. We did the bridge trail since the Tarwater trail was closed, wanted the kids to see the natural tar in the water and know why you shouldn't drink too much of the water from this area. The stream is full and alive during the rain and even the drive to here and back was epic. We came for redwoods and water but if you go on certain trails you can see the abandoned cabin and an old industrial water tank. There are amazing views of clouds and trees mixed together during this season. We stopped many times to take pictures of all this. We didn't see any animals because of the rain but the kids enjoyed seeing the different mushrooms, ferns along the creek, and looking for four leaf clovers.

Love this park! So glad San Mateo county parks used Pescadero Creek as part of the 2024 Take a…read morehike challenge. We've been back twice since going for the first time in February or March. Beautiful redwoods throughout the park. We tried the Pomponio trail; unfortunately all bridges over the creek are washed out so we weren't able to complete the loop trail. Regardless, hiking here is wonderful. Lots of banana slugs, a few cool spider webs, but still no elusive newts although I know they're there. We'll try the Pomponio trail again later this year once the creek flow has significantly reduced. Park at Memorial park, use the bathroom before (and after) starting, then walk about 5 minutes to the Old Haul Road trailhead

Another place checked off in my peninsula sightseeing spots. Been wanting to come here for a while…read moreand last week I was able to come out here on a Saturday morning around 8 AM and was able to enjoy this place all to myself. I've been in this area along Skegss point and have never seen it but after hearing about it and do some research it's literally just right off the road. I was actually disappointed I didn't have to walk or hike, but in the end it was a quick simple skip Across the highway and maybe 50 steps and you're there. You have to step down a few stairs but overall that's all it is. This tree is really huge and tall with a beautiful base and a few burls. Some healthy branches and greenery as you look up towards the sky underneath the canopy of other pines. I was able to adore and admire this tree for a good 15-20 minutes without any other people around took a few nice pictures proceeded on my way out to hike the local Corte Madera hike just a mile down the street. Now, many of you have may know there is another Methusalah tree in eastern Sierras at the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White mountains of Inyo County. That one is still on my list to go find which I hope will be one day soon. Whether you're a local or tourist and in the area, this place is recommended to come or a pitstop along your way down towards Santa Cruz on Highway 35.

You have got to see the methuselah tree which is over 1800 years old! I'm in awe of gigantic…read moretrees! It is only 45 to 60 minutes south of San Francisco, right above the skyline just west of Woodside, CA. Methuselah is conveniently located just a short walk off of Highway 35 (Skyline Boulevard) 3.3 miles north of Sky Londa and Alice's Restaurant and 0.5 miles south of the Caltrans' Skeggs Vista Point. The closest parking is across the road at El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve. Be careful crossing the road as cars can come around the corner quickly. Methuselah will be visible from the road. Pass through the gate and follow the trail to the base of the tree. Methuselah is a massive old-growth redwood and it is the oldest and largest living tree in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Take a trip to see the methuselah. You won't be disappointed!

I love this place. This place or the location perplexes me. The reason why is technically it is…read morelocated in Los Altos Hills, but years ago, and probably still is run by Palo Alto/ Now it's a bit more open to people, but it always made me wonder what this is about? With so many places to walk around and hike, take pictures, hang out, play frisbee, or what have you. Years ago, I used to come out here with a good friend, and we played frisbee and hung out numerous times with other friends and family. If you would like a great escape from this world...here you go. :-)

If you enjoy hiking or taking leisurely walks, you must visit this park nestled in the foothill…read morearea of Palo Alto. We discovered it one afternoon when we wanted to take a stroll after lunch, arriving around 2 pm PST. The park has an entrance fee of $6. It offers a variety of activities such as fishing, picnicking with BBQ areas, walking, biking, and even camping. The park is quite expansive, featuring many flat areas and opportunities to spot wildlife. Although there is plenty of parking available in different sections of the park, finding a spot might be challenging during busy times. This park is a good place if you want be in quite place , me time and enjoy nature. You can also drive around the park to explore its different sections. I plan to visit again in the morning, bring lunch, and walk around to fully enjoy all the areas this park has to offer.