Hike, bike, or snowshoe this 3.1-mile loop to pioneer ruins and a relaxing waterfall in Patapsco State Park, a short drive from downtown.

This beautiful 4.3-mile loop adjacent to the Illinois River adds welcome relief--waterfalls, sculpted sandstone canyons, and impressive overlooks--to the usually pancake-flat landscape.

Paddle the Buffalo National River into a narrow valley pinched by steep rock walls, then hike up to the largest waterfall in the Midwest on this 9.9-mile trip.

A stiff 2,300-foot climb rewards you with monster views and a waterfall swim on this 8.8-mile out-and-back in the Santa Monica Mountains.

BURNEY FALLS to GRIZZLY PEAK: Scope a raging 129-foot waterfall to start this tough-and-dry 37.5-mile leg through rolling fir-forest basins to an isolated peak that rewards with views of Mount Shasta.

Hike this rolling 5.8-mile loop on a weekday for quiet trails and frequent sightings of wild turkeys and deer.

Find subtle beauty in the suntanned hills of Garin Regional Park as you hike this 5.9-mile loop past creeks to breezy overlooks.

Enjoy stellar views of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz and the Angel Island on this 6-mile loop through Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Before Napa Valley got its grapevine rep, the landscape likely resembled 2,000-acre Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, where redwoods shade this mellow 4.6-mile trail.

This 5-mile loop wanders through huge redwood stands along the western slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Extend the trip with an overnight at a Sierra Club hut.