Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
ANO NUEVO STATE NATURAL RESERVE: CALIFORNIA
For a more casual adventure, cruise down Highway 1 from San Francisco to the Año Nuevo State Natural Reserve to meet the world’s largest colony of northern elephant seals. Though these 14-foot, 2-ton behemoths are most prevalent during winter mating season, Año Nuevo’s sun-bleached shores and picturesque beaches make the park a must-see destination year-round.
For more sweet excursions, dive into the thousands of trips already mapped on our Destinations page. Otherwise, sit tight – we’ll satisfy your map cravings with three more four-star hikes next week.
POST YOUR HIKE: Submit your trail reports and photos at backpacker.com/postatrip, and get a chance to see your trip appear in an issue of BACKPACKER magazine.