• About
    • About Paulina
    • Why Don’t They Look Like Me? The Diversity Dilemma in Outdoor Media
    • Contact Me
  • Climbing
    • Bouldering at Castle Hill, New Zealand
    • Bouldering at the Jardines, Queenstown, New Zealand
    • The Best Beginner Boulders in the Buttermilks, Bishop, CA
  • Backpacking
  • Hiking
  • Travel
  • Destinations
    • California
    • Iceland
    • Idaho
    • Washington
    • Utah
    • Greece
    • New Zealand
    • Norway
  • Gear Reviews
    • How to Build Out a Subaru Outback Without Any Building
  • Work With Me!
littlegrunts.com
AdventuresHiking

Best Redwood Hikes in the Bay Area

by Paulina Dao May 31, 2018
written by Paulina Dao
Best Redwood Hikes in the Bay Area

Summer in the Bay Area means the tourists and out-of-towners are coming. Muir Woods sits at the top of everyone’s bucket list of San Francisco must dos. With its groves of old growth redwoods, it’s hard not to see why. This NPS unit is family friendly and accessible for all.

However, access these days is getting more tough. Muir Woods now requires shuttle or parking reservations to reduce congestion on this small, impacted area. (Foot or bike traffic is not affected by this change.)

If redwoods are on your list, but reservation systems and crowds and boardwalks are not, I’ve compiled a list of redwood hikes in the Bay Area varying lengths and degrees of difficulty that are equally amazing or better than Muir Woods.

Read on for the full list of best redwood hikes in the Bay Area.

Continue Reading
May 31, 2018 6 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
LG.com

Empowertisement Done Wrong

by Paulina Dao April 26, 2018
written by Paulina Dao

Empowertisement Done Wrong, Flash Foxy Women's Climbing Festival

Photo: Sasha Turrentine

Empowertisement, the act of using female empowerment as advertisement, is roaring hard right now. I’m not going to knock it because let’s face it, we live in a capitalist society. Companies need money to do good and affect change. Where does the money come from? By selling stuff.

Empowertisement, when done well, can be a beautiful thing. It is incredibly powerful to see diverse faces and voices reflected in marketing material because it shows that you belong. REI believes that women are a Force of Nature. The North Face shows us that She Moves Mountains. Outdoor Research empowers with She Adventures.

Mountain Hardwear? As a sponsor of Flash Foxy’s Women’s Climbing Festival, they want you to buy their jeans.

Continue Reading
April 26, 2018 6 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Hiking Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
AdventuresHiking

Hiking Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve

by Paulina Dao April 24, 2018
written by Paulina Dao

Hiking Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve

Earlier this month, I had the chance to check out Bear Creek Open Space Preserve in Los Gatos. Up until recently, I didn’t know that this spot existed right off bustling Highway 17. It’s a chunk of land under the care of Midpeninsula Open Space Trust that’s currently not accessible to the public, except by permit.

Continue Reading
April 24, 2018 1 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Hiking Meteor Trail, Big Basin Redwoods State Park
AdventuresHiking

Hiking the Dool-Middle Ridge-Meteor-Sequoia Loop, Big Basin Redwoods State Park

by Paulina Dao April 23, 2018
written by Paulina Dao

Hiking Meteor Trail, Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Big Basin Redwoods State Park is one of my go to hikes when I’m bumming around the Bay Area on the weekends. I never really venture away from the Berry Creek Falls loop though. It’s such a good one.

When my friend Brie vetoed Berry Creek Falls in favor of the Dool-Middle Ridge-Meteor-Sequoia Loop, I was skeptical.

Continue Reading
April 23, 2018 1 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
AdventuresHiking

My 5 Favorite Bay Area Hikes

by Paulina Dao April 5, 2018
written by Paulina Dao

Favorite Best Bay Area Hikes

The folks at Arc’teryx Stanford Center asked me to share a few of my favorite Bay Area hikes and nonprofits at their spring launch event. There’s nothing I love more than talking about outdoor adventure, so I happily obliged.

For this roundup, I only wanted to include hikes within an hour of the Bay Area. These are all places you can go and get in mileage but still make it back in time for dinner and drinks with friends.

These are the best Bay Area hikes that I return to time and time again.

Continue Reading
April 5, 2018 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts
Paulina Dao Little Grunts

Hi, I’m Paulina! A full time adventurer with a day job, I’m a firm believer in the 5-9, and maximizing every second of being out of office. I didn't grow up outdoorsy. This little corner of the internet chronicles my trials and tribulations of heading outside. Learn more about me or just say hi!

Search

Recent Posts

  • Wild Rye Danner Fleece March 5, 2026
  • Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Camp Stove March 4, 2026
  • Hyperlite Mountain Gear Camera Pod Review February 26, 2026
  • Wild Rye Billie Stash Bibs August 18, 2025
  • Staying at the Little Mt. Hoffman Lookout January 29, 2025
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

@2021 - All Right Reserved. Designed and Developed by PenciDesign


Back To Top
littlegrunts.com
  • About
    • About Paulina
    • Why Don’t They Look Like Me? The Diversity Dilemma in Outdoor Media
    • Contact Me
  • Climbing
    • Bouldering at Castle Hill, New Zealand
    • Bouldering at the Jardines, Queenstown, New Zealand
    • The Best Beginner Boulders in the Buttermilks, Bishop, CA
  • Backpacking
  • Hiking
  • Travel
  • Destinations
    • California
    • Iceland
    • Idaho
    • Washington
    • Utah
    • Greece
    • New Zealand
    • Norway
  • Gear Reviews
    • How to Build Out a Subaru Outback Without Any Building
  • Work With Me!