Apr 13, 2006 1:56 pm US/Pacific
Uvas County Park/Samuel P. Taylor State Park
Just because it's raining outside doesn't mean you can't get out and play! Tom offers up two wet-weather destinations for you: the hidden waterfalls of Uvas Canyon in the South Bay, and Stairstep Falls in Marin. Under heavy canopy that turns downpour into drips, you can hike up trails that aren't too long, too steep or too muddy… and the payoff? To watch a clip from this week's show.
Click here.
UVAS CANYON COUNTY PARK
It's small and tucked away, but that's what's made Uvas Canyon such a well-kept outdoors secret. Here, you'll find six miles of hiking trails to vistas and along creekbeds, including the highlight of the park: the one-mile Waterfall Loop, which passes by five terrific waterfalls. A small campsite offers seclusion amid the redwood forests of the southern Santa Cruz Mountains. If you come here on a weekday, don't be surprised if you're the only one in the park!
Santa Clara County Parks Website (select "Find a Park"):
http://www.parkhere.org/
Uvas Canyon Campground Reservations
http://www.gooutsideandplay.org/ SAMUEL P. TAYLOR STATE PARK
A hundred and fifty years ago, this was the site of the West Coast's first paper mill, founded by gold rush era entrepreneur, Samuel P. Taylor. Today, only the foundation ruins are left to tell the story of a once-great enterprise. The forest has overtaken nearly all traces of the turn-of-the-century resort, railroad and industrial center and offers instead a pristine landscape of natural wonders. Camp Taylor, founded in the late nineteenth century as one of America's oldest recreational campsites, still operates today under the canopy of old growth redwoods. When you visit, look for the Devil's Gulch Entrance, on the right of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, just past the visitor center. From this point, you can hike a mile in to the hidden treasure that is Stairstep Falls.
http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=469
Camp Taylor Reservations
http://www.reserveamerica.com/ SPAWN
The Salmon Protection and Watershed Network is dedicated to the preservation of Coho salmon in Lagunitas Creek and its tributaries. For a few special weeks between November and February, you can join this group for tours of the salmon spawn within Samuel P. Taylor State Park. Crystal-clear waters and shallow, flat areas offer terrific views of this annual ritual, which should not be missed! Check in with SPAWN to learn more about the salmon, or how you can volunteer to help protect them.
http://www.spawnusa.org/ SPORTS BASEMENT
This grassroots retail chain is one of the Bay Area outdoors community's insider secrets. Explore any of their three cavernous stores to find vast amounts of brand-name inventory overstock at hugely discounted prices. You'll find the right outdoor gear, whether you camp, bike, ski or race in triathlons. With two locations in San Francisco and one in Sunnyvale (as well as an online store), you can easily find what you need to get outdoors in any weather!
http://www.sportsbasement.com/ EXECUTIVE INN SUITES
For those of you who want to get out in the rain, but not necessarily in a tent, there's no better place than the Executive Inn Suites in Morgan Hill to plan your South Bay wet-weather itinerary. Minutes away from Uvas Canyon, Henry Coe State Park, Coyote Lake, and many other outdoors escapes, Executive Inn Suites offers beautifully-appointed guest rooms and a complimentary breakfast buffet to get you fueled to go in the morning!
http://www.executiveinnmorganhill.com/ You can find additional information on these outdoors locations and others in Tom Stienstra's guidebooks, available from his website.
http://www.tomstienstra.com Email Tom Stienstra at
tstienstra@sfchronicle.com
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