March 08, 2007

Plagiarized California Bests

I plagiarized this list from this article. Thanks Tom S.
California bests

Prettiest lakes

1. Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe

2. Donnell Reservoir, Stanislaus National Forest

3. Sardine Lake, Tahoe National Forest

4. Tenaya Lake, Yosemite National Park

5. Lake Sabrina, Inyo National Forest

Prettiest rivers

1. McCloud River, Shasta County

2. Smith River, Del Norte County

3. Rush Creek headwaters, Ansel Adams Wilderness

4. Yuba River, Sierra Nevada

5. Trinity River, Junction City canyon

Hikes to prettiest views

1. Yosemite Point, Yosemite National Park

2. Mitchell Peak, Jennie Lakes Wilderness

3. Glacier Point to Sentinel Dome, Yosemite

4. Lookout Peak, Kings Canyon National Park

5. Mount Whitney Trail, trail crest to summit

Fishing spots

1. Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta

2. San Diego deep sea

3. Barrett Lake, San Diego

4. Independence Lake, Truckee

5. Sacramento River, Redding to Anderson

Houseboating

1. Shasta Lake

2. Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta

3. Lake Don Pedro

4. Lake Oroville

5. Trinity Lake

Family destinations

1. Camp Richardson, Lake Tahoe

2. MacKerricher State Park, Fort Bragg

3. Lake Siskiyou, Mount Shasta

4. Lake Alpine, Stanislaus National Forest

5. Convict Lake, Inyo National Forest

Fly fishing for trout

1. Sacramento River, Redding (by boat)

2. Fall River (by pram)

3. Pit River

4. East Walker River

5. Middle Fork Feather hike-in/PCT

Boat-in camping

1. Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe

2. Lake Sonoma, Sonoma County

3. Bullards Bar Reservoir, Sierra foothills

4. Shasta Lake, Redding

5. Union Valley Reservoir, Eldorado National Forest

Rafting rivers

1. Main stem Tuolumne

2. Salmon River

3. Forks of the Kern

4. Upper Klamath

5. South Fork American

-- Tom Stienstra
Bay Area bests

Hikes

1. Skyline-to-the-Sea, headquarters to Berry Creek Canyon, Big Basin Redwoods State Park

2. Coast Trail, Point Reyes National Seashore

3. Montara Mountain Trail, San Pedro Valley County Park

4. Trail Camp Loop, Castle Rock State Park

5. Steep Ravine Trail, Mount Tamalpais State Park

Bike rides

1. Bay Ridge Trail, Crystal Springs Watershed

2. Skyline-to-the Sea, Rancho del Oso up Waddell Creek

3. Wilder Ridge Loop, Wilder Ranch State Park

4. Golden Gate Promenade to Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

5. Tennessee Valley to ocean, Marin Headlands

Campgrounds

1. Tomales Bay boat-in, Point Reyes National Seashore

2. Sunset hike-in, Big Basin Redwoods

3. Wildcat hike-in, Point Reyes National Seashore

4. Sky Camp, Point Reyes National Seashore.

5. Pantoll walk-in, Mount Tamalpais State Park

Waterfalls

1. Berry Creek/Silver/Golden Falls, Big Basin Redwoods

2. Alamere Falls, Point Reyes National Seashore

3. Cataract Falls, Mount Tamalpais

4. Black Rock Falls & Waterfall Loop, Uvas County Park

5. Carson Falls, Marin Watershed

Dog walks

1. Sunol Regional Preserve, Sunol

2. Point Isabel Regional Shoreline, Berkeley.

3. Fort Funston, San Francisco

4. Kent Pump Trail, Marin

5. Franklin Ridge, Martinez

Wildlife watching

1. Pierce Ranch, Point Reyes National Seashore

2. Grizzly Island Wildlife Area, Fairfield

3. Napa-Sonoma Marsh, Sonoma

4. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Moss Beach

5. Sunol Regional Wilderness

Rocks

1. Goat Rock, Castle Rock State Park

2. Rock City, Mount Diablo State Park

3. Tafoni Monolith, El Corte de Madera Open Space

4. Preserve Wind Caves, Las Trampas Regional Wilderness

5. Vasco Caves, Vasco Regional Preserve

-- Tom Stienstra
State of grace

Some Golden State superlatives :

Best epic backpacking trip: John Muir Trail

Best mountain climb: Mount Shasta

Best deal: $10 bay boat tours at Fisherman's Wharf

Most dramatic easy hike with view: Pohono Trail, Yosemite National Park

Best wildflower bloom (when you hit it right): Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve

Most difficult-to-reach wilderness lake: Little South Fork Lake, Trinity Alps Wilderness

Most dangerous kayak run: Cherry Valley, upper Tuolumne

Best mountain swimming hole: Dorris Lake out of Mono Hot Springs

Most pristine redwoods: Boy Scout Tree Trail, Jedediah Smith Redwoods

Best short backpack trip: Skyline-to-the-Sea, Big Basin headquarters to Sunset Camp

Prettiest ferns: Fern Canyon, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Best chance to see bears: Sequoia National Park

Best bald-eagle viewing: Klamath National Wildlife Refuge

Most difficult long hike: Hat Creek Rim section, Pacific Crest Trail

Best sea-otter viewing: Elkhorn Slough by kayak

Best scuba diving: Point Lobos Marine Reserve

Worst bike expedition: California Aqueduct service road

Best RV sites: Seacliff State Beach, Monterey Bay

Finest luxury lodging: Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur

Most remote family-style ranch: Marble Mountain Ranch, Siskiyou County

Best snowshoe trip: Badger Pass to Dewey Point, Yosemite

Best cross-country ski: Badger Pass to Glacier Point overnight

Posted by troutm8 at March 8, 2007 01:36 PM