Category: 05-10 Miles

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Hiking the Historic Orchard at Jack London State Historic Park

The Historic Orchard at Jack London State Historic Park once produced apples, apricots, pears, plums, and prunes.
The Historic Orchard at Jack London State Historic Park once produced apples, apricots, pears, plums, and prunes.

The hike to the Historic Orchard at Jack London State Historic Park is mild. The one-time 100 acre orchard once produced apples, apricots, pears, plums, and prunes. The orchard is a casual hike, but getting there is a hike up and down hills and through forests.

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Hiking the Burma Blast at Mount Diablo State Park

The views from Mount Diablo are far and sweeping.
The views from Mount Diablo are far and sweeping.

This hike up Burma Road, the Burma Blast, at Mount Diablo State Park is a son of a b*tch. So a friend really wanted to this hike because it was labeled the “the toughest hike in the Bay Area.” I don’t know if it’s the toughest, but it was a challenge. And the views over the Bay Area, to the north, east and south were worth it.

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Hiking Mountain Trail to Cowan Meadow Trail

The view from the high point on Mountain Trail at Jack London State Historic Park is spectacular.
The view from the high point on Mountain Trail at Jack London State Historic Park is spectacular.

Jack London State Historic Park is becoming one of my favorite places to hike. It has redwoods, oak forests, foothills, ridges and very scenic views. The hike up Mountain Trail to High Point is worth the effort and is spectacular.

The hike starts off on the Lake Trail to London Lake from the Upper Parking Lot. As you begin, you hike past a picnic area, winery ruins and the distillery and turn and hike past a vineyard. Follow Mountain Trail which is a service road next to the wooded area. We stayed on Mountain Road as we passed an intersection where another trail leads to London Lake.

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Hiking Snow Mountain East Peak

The view from Snow Mountain East Peak into the Sacramento Valley.
The view from Snow Mountain East Peak into the Sacramento Valley.

As when I wrote about my hike to the West Peak of Snow Mountain, the same two words apply: “peaceful desolation,” but the scenery has drastically changed since 2018 when I was there last.

A little less than a month after I hiked to the West Peak, the Ranch Fire broke out, and the area was closed for nearly two years for restoration. Then it was opened it up, but then the August Fire broke out in 2020, and the forest closed back down for a few months.

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River Canyon Trail at Calaveras Big Trees State Park

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River Canyon Trail at Calaveras Big Trees State Park is the poorest maintained trail I’ve ever hiked. Parts of the trail should be closed as a safety hazard due to the poor upkeep of it. If the trail were maintained, this could be a really nice hike through the forest down to the North Fork of the Stanislaus River. Instead, I should have worn my heavier off-trail boots for parts of this trail.

I hate to start the hiking season off with a downer summary, but I want to get the word out before anybody might consider going to this state park.

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Donner Peak, Mount Judah Hike

Donner Lake from Donner Peak.
Donner Lake from Donner Peak.

Hiking to Donner Peak is easy to moderate, and Donner Peak is the high-point of this hike – no question about it. Donner Peak overlooks Donner Lake, and once you make it there, you can take in the views and then head back the way you came. While there’s more, I won’t lie; I’d head back the way I came if I were to do this hike again.

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