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Isaac Orloff

Professional artist by day, adventurer by night, but sometimes both at once. Originally from the east coast, but in the Bay to Stay. Avid mountain biker, outdoor enthusiast and lover of all things on wheels. Find me @isaacorloff to follow my illustrated adventures

If you've got a proper set up, arrive the night before and drop into these trails in the early morning after spending the night on the ridge. The morning views are unbeatable, but beware it can be a very windy and foggy evening on the Ridgeline. Shooters is the primary climbing trail but Is a fun decent for intermediate riders....for advanced riders I recommend morning glory and seek and ye shall find more advanced trails in the area. Happy hunting!

The trail to access the arch is very short, the trail can be poorly marked but you will find the arch nestled in between several larger rocks. While not a massive arch, it still provides tons of great photo ops and makes for a really fun adventure in joshua tree. If you plan on shooting night/sunrisephotos, its best to stay in white tank campground, being able to get to the arch from camp in under 5 minutes is great for quick access. Enjoy!

It doesn't get much better than this for coastline exploring. Endless natural bridges, rock pillars and campgrounds make it a haven for adventuring. You can hike the entire coastline or pull off at different locations to explore as you drive up the coast. Some of these trails can be steep and dangerous, as it is clear where photographers have blazed their own trails looking for the perfect shot. Use caution, it is easy to find yourself on precarious slopes with loose footing. Natural bridges viewpoint was my favorite and provided the best views in my experience. Enjoy!

This campground is great! The facilities are amazing, making it an excellent stop for those traveling long distances and looking to freshen up. This campsite is not very secluded, you will still hear cars passing but the proximity to town makes this a great stop over to restock on supplies. Be sure to hike from the campsite down to the beach for sunset or just to explore the coastline from the comfort of your campground. I will definitely be back!

Redwood groves are nothing short of breath taking, and this one is no exception. This trail is quite short so if you're looking for an all day activity, this may not be what your looking for. Great for families and those looking for a quick stroll through some amazing redwoods.

Give yourself plenty of time to explore this beach. Be sure to hike down both side of the beach. When arriving the trail to access the punchbowl is off the right side of the road, the steep stairs to the left will get you down to the beach but you may not be able to access the punchbowl arch. There's endless tide pools and rock formations to explore as well as some amazingly scenic viewpoints . Be careful where you walk, many of the rocks are covered in delicate marine life and it can be tricky to navigate the tide pool areas. Step lightly!

This lake is absolutely stunning! Well worth the short but very steep hike up. I highly recommend riding the toboggan while you're up there. For those expecting a super remote experience, there is a few buildings/restaurants right on the lake. Anytging above the lake is mostly out of reach of tourists. Stay CLEAR of livestock. We had a sheep and a cow challenge us even though we made plenty of noise to warn them of our presence.

Trash everywhere , graffiti everywhere, glass everywhere, noisy boisterous people with no regard to those around them. Rangers need to crack down on the crowds of people (50+ people when we were there) or else this place is doomed forever. Would not return unless its a weekday morning.

It's a very short hike, nestled in the base of a very narrow canyon. The waterfall has a great oasis feel, but you best go before the waterfall is reduced to a trickle . If you rock climb , bring your gear for some excellent rope climbing along side the falls.

The waterfall is surprisingly awesome . Tucked deep in the canyon it's very secluded and bigger than I expected. Sadly there's a lot of litter and graffiti throughout the entire hike. I hiked in at dusk and out at night and it was pretty easy , lots of fun river crossings! Please carry out what you bring in.

This is a fun little hike, the caves are pretty neat but don't be expecting Bat's swirling around your head, for the caves are names after Batman not actual bats. For added fun scramble up some of the steeper foot paths going above the caves for better views.

Nice casual hike for beginners but not especially scenic or challenging . Considering places like Yosemite are 5 stars this has to be rated lower.

Horseshoe bend is breath taking, as are the thousands of photos of it. It's hard to find a unique angle on this spectacular location but the crack is just that. Easy to find and all the tourists are out of ear shot. Definitely worth the short walk over!

Great quick stop for a road trip! Be sure to explore more than just the first toadstools you arrive at, great opportunity to shoot photos. There's multiple intersecting trail options but be sure not to step on anything fragile and don't climb on the toadstools! Have fun!

This lake is amazing. Makes an excellent stopping point on any road trip. The lake is easily accessible, doesn't require a long hike to access. There's pretty few tourists and it's really big! I scrambled around for an hour and a half or so trying to get every sunset photo I could, super fun, great reflections. Comparable to a bigger Sand Harbor in Lake Tahoe. Have fun Boulder hopping!

The arch is amazing, it's a great feature to photograph. The hike there is mostly fire road but the last half mile or so is up very technical steep single track. The fire road may bore you buy the end of the trail is fun. Unfortunately this trail is over run with tourists. Expect to have to wait long periods of time to get a photo of just yourself on the arch. It's a great adventure but if you're looking for solitude this def isn't for you.

This campground is great! Superb amenities without sacrificing scenic views. If you're looking for solitude this may not be for you but this is definitely the spot to be in Zion.

A relatively short hike extremely popular with tourists. Parking can be very difficult so show up early. But the hike is fantastic, you're rarely without a great view. Some sections are steep but trail levels out quickly and staggers climbing. Enjoy!

Honestly you have to do this more than once. This place is a gold mine for photographers and adventure seekers alike. Bring good shoes with traction if you plan on exploring the rocks, which is a never ending maze of narrow spaces and steep boulders. So much fun. So many good photos, you'll be back.

As with many highly trafficked areas this section of highway is over run with tourists . I'd highly recommend going early or late in the day to avoid the ensuing gridlock from people who are stopping for photos. Also watch for cyclists! This section of road is very narrow.

Sutro is great, considering its smack dab in the middle of an urban landscape. Perfect for those who have a busy 9-5 but want to sneak in some outdoor time to bookend their work day. Be sure to watch for cyclists as these are multi use trails. Also a nice bonus is that these woods have very little vagrant presence compared to some other wooded areas of the city.

While not a knife edge hike or a scenic spot to watch the sunset the slides are as good as it gets for hidden gems of the city. Pack a lunch, definitely bring your own cardboard if you're in the mood to feel like a kid again. Makes an excellent destination for a weekend bike ride in the city.

Mammoth is a really unique park. It is unlike any bike park I've ever ridden. It's a massive park with lots of trails, which I found to be graded a bit harder than their actual skill level compared to other parks. The pumice stone is very sloppy and deep and traction is very rarely a guarantee. That being said this makes the riding really fun and an awesome challenge. Plenty of features and a wide variety of trails will keep riders of all skill levels happy. The only reason I gave this a 4 star is because whistler is 5 star and I don't think it's quite on that level.

Skeggs is an awesome place to ride some single track and experience some of the best terrain the Bay Area has to offer. However be sure to follow your route closely because at this location its very easy to bypass trails and end up a lot further down the hill than you expected, with a long climb out. If riding at dusk, you should be sure to pack a light and always keep a trail map handy!