Josiah RoeExplorer

Looking for a cool, under-the-radar spot that’s perfect for picnics, chilling out, and chasing the sunset? Look no further than Tank Hill. This little gem of a mini-park is 650 feet high and tucked away in Cole Valley. It’s so small that many maps of San Francisco don’t even include it. To get there, drive to Belgrave Avenue and park on the street. Walk to the eastern end of Belgrave and you...

If you're leaving from SF, head over the bridge and exit onto Alexander Ave. Make the immediate left under the overpass and you'll be on the road to Hawk Hill. There's a parking area just below the gate leading up to Hawk Hill. From the parking lot you can walk west about ten yards along the outside of the guard rail to take a well-worn use trail out to a spur overlooking Point Diablo. The view...

Although the Headlands can be crowded, particularly at the parking-lot chaos of the Vista Point and pull-offs along Conzelman Road, the three routes leading to the summit of Slacker Hill remain relatively quiet, even during busy weekends. Each can be tied into larger loops throughout the Headlands (like the Ninja Loop), and the Slacker Hill detour makes for a great addition to any long run or h...

This campground is the closest you can get to staying overnight on Pt. Reyes coastline if you're backpacking in. Once you get there, enjoy the view! The easiest way to get to the camp is from the slightly uphill hike along the Laguna Trail and the Firelane Trail. The trailhead for the Laguna Trail is just past the hostel. Keep in mind that the Coast Trail does have issues during the rainy mon...

This has to one of the coolest spots to surf in the world. The break itself is a left point that requires a healthy swell to wrap into the bay, and only gets good on occasion. But when it's good, it can be an experience you'll never forget.It's important to note, that when it's good, this is not a wave for beginners. There is a local crew that has this spot on lock and they do a great job of re...

The Ramblin' Trail, part of the Navajo Rocks trail system, is a beginner to intermediate mountain biking trail with a great mix of slickrock, dirt trails, and some sand that features excellent views of hoodoos, Navajo Sandstone, and the general Colorado River watershed redrock. Located off Utah Highway 313 at the Navajo Rocks Trailhead parking lot, 19 miles from downtown Moab, and 7.5 miles fro...

In the 17th century Port Royal on the far eastern end of Roatan was home to over 2000 pirates, 500 homes, and untold barrels of rum (and treasure). All that remains now is some rubble and ruins on Fort Morgan Cay, and a idyllic series of cays and coves surrounded by beautiful protected reefs and wrecks perfect for diving, snorkeling, and exploring. Getting there is the trickiest part as there i...

The Boston Hill Open Space is a collection of trails on what is actually three hills overlooking the town of Silver City. There are numerous vista and also several now-abandoned mines at various elevation cutting deep gorges and ravines into the hill. The primary trail is the Loop Trail which begins at the intersection of Highway 180 and W. Market Street just southwest of downtown. There is a l...

Surfer's Point aka Ventura Point is a well-known kite boarding/surfing (and surfing) spot due to its (when conditions are right) great wave quality, favorable wind direction (sideshore with occasional side-off), friendly locals, rider capacity, and a nearby point break with. When conditions are excellent, most often in the late afternoon, there are a lot of excellent waves. The best wind direct...

The numerous kelp forests, sea caves, and coves of the Channel Island National Park, coupled with its unbelievable sealife makes for some of the best diving in the world.  East Fish Camp off Anacapa Island is an excellent introduction to diving on the Channel Islands, with an average depth of 35' and a great array of wildlife and underwater nooks and crannies to explore. Like any coldwater, Cal...

Peep Sight Peak in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness off Highway 4 provides solitude and wonderful views of the surrounding Sierra Nevada including the Mokelumnee and Emigrant Wildernesses. Even on summer weekends you'll likely have the peak and surrounding area all to yourself. Peep Sight Peak can be done as a straightforward day hike, often times in conjunction with the nearby Lookout, Henry, and...

The Whiskey Run mountain bike trail system features 9 interconnected trails of varying degrees and difficulty that can be added together to create at least an 11 mile loop. There are 6, 9, and 11 mile loops for beginner, intermediate and advanced riders. There are two main parking areas for the trail network about a half mile apart, and to get there take Highway 101 north out of Bandon for 14 m...

The Reservoir Ridge and Foothills trail system around Horsetooth Reservoir and Fort Collins is excellent for mountain biking, trail running, and hiking. During the winter it is particularly great for fat tire mountain biking, and the Foothills Trail is one of the best. The trail itself is roughly a 8.5 mile point to point from the parking area at N. Overland Drive and Headwater Drive up and alo...

Foxen Canyon Road from Santa Maria to Los Olivos runs through some of the most beautiful wine country in Santa Barbara county so much so that it was centerpiece of the film Sideways. The road itself begins at the intersection of Betteravia and Philbric roads just east of Santa Maria and proceeds for roughly 30 miles southeast through Santa Maria Valley before turning south into Foxen Canyon its...

Called the "Berg Trail" by Silver City locals in honor of Gary Berg who pioneered the extensive trail system around Gomez Peak, the Picnic Loop beginning at the Little Walnut Creek picnic area is a great way to be introduced to the incredible mountain biking trails to be found in the area. Beginning at the picnic area, you can follow the trail in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise manner, ...

Located on the Meso-American reef in the Roatan Marine Park, Bears Den begins with a 120 foot long “chimney chute” swim-through 15 meters below the surface, leading to an opening that gives way to a honeycombed coral wall. At the top of the wall is the entrance to Bear's Den, a gorgeous, enormous cavern 10 meters below.At the entrance, Spotted Drum, small Lettuce Leaf Sea Slugs and other types ...

The "El Aguila", meaning "The Eagle" in Spanish, is one of the three primary shipwreck dives off the coast of Roatan and the most accessible, being only a couple hundred yards off the coast at a depth of 110' feet in the heart of the Meso-American reef system. Purchased and sunk by Anthony's Key Resort though accessible and usably by anyone, the El Aguila is 230' long and was broken into three ...

Laguna Beach is both the birthplace *and* and the capital of skimboarding, and for good reason: it boasts an impressive array of beaches where (if you know where to look) you can find one where the conditions are right for one of the most difficult but rewarding of water sports. Table Rock is one such beach, with the narrow channel between Table Rock and the rocky reef to the south often creati...

King's Peak is the tallest peak in the King Range, the home of the famous and spectacular "Lost Coast". At an elevation of 4,000' and less than 3 miles from the ocean, King's Peak provides stunning views in all directions: of canyons, beaches, foggy valleys, and the many greenhouses that dot the Humboldt County backcountry. King's Peak is perhaps the only coastal peak that can be compared to B...

The unique nature of the proximity of the reef to the shore of Roatan makes for some of the finest tropical fly fishing to be found in the Caribbean, particularly along the northwest shore at Sandy Bay aka the "Money Flats". These narrow turtle grass flats, averaging 1' - 8' in depth, allow for permit, bonefish, and barracuda to come up off of the reef to hunt. Like all fly fishing it is a good...

Cathedral Canyon is located just south of Page, Arizona and west of Coppermine Road and is entirely on Navajo Land, so access is possible only by permission from a local or with a permit from one of the licensed tour companies, of which Chief Tsosi is currently the only one permitted to give permits. The Canyon itself is accessible by numerous 4WD and high-clearance 2WD roads off Coppermine Roa...

The Santa Ana to Lake Casitas via Foster Park segment of Santa Ana Road is a gorgeous, 6.5 mile road that cuts through the heart of Ventura Canyon. Santa Ana Road eventually ends at Casitas Road and the Lake Casitas Recreation Area. From there you can go west over over the pass and down to the Rincon Trail, or you can head east to Ojai and the numerous segments there. To get to Foster Park, tak...

Located at the state's westernmost tip and perched over the Pacific Ocean, the Cape Blanco Lighthouse was built and 1870 and features views up and down the rugged Oregon Coast. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management, tours cost $2 for adults (free for youth 15 and younger). Tours: April-Oct. 31, Wednesday - Monday, 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Last tour ticket sold at 3:15 p.m. Gates close at 3:30 p.m...

Mussel rock, a three-story, 50 million year old rock that has been carried some 500 miles northwest from Southern California, is where the San Andreas fault meets the Pacific Ocean. It's also an excellent spot to drink some wine and catch a sunset. From San Francisco, take Highway 1 south towards Pacifica and exit at the Monterrey Road / Palmetto Avenue exit. Go right on Monterrey and take an...