While Davis itself may be flat, it is quite close to some killer backpacking areas. A surprising number of UC Davis students live in Davis due to its proximity to excellent outdoor areas. Newcomers to the area should be aware that poison oak is common in areas below 5,000 feet elevation and hikers can easily contract dermatitis even when the shrubs are leafless.
Also see Camping and Climbing.
Resources
Listed here are some great free resources for hiking and backpacking in Northern California.
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Berryessa Trails - nice website with unusual area hikes and paddles
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Shields Library - sections F859.3, F868 and GV199 contain an amazing array of hiking guides to the Sierra, the coast and beyond
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Davis Branch Library - has a large selection of recent trail guides
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YoloHiker.org - maps and information of all Yolo County destinations
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Kevin Gong's Hiking Page - trip reports of many local backpacking destinations
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Thousand Peaks Homepage - trip reports from most of Northern California's peaks
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Waterfalls West - good hiking directions to local (and not local) waterfalls
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Sierra Nevada Wild - current information and recent news about the 28 designated Wilderness areas in the Sierra Nevada
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HighSierraTopix.com - excellent internet community for everything Sierra Nevada
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Gordie's Ramblings in the High Sierra - contains a good set of links to follow for more information
Maps
One really doesn't need to buy maps with these available, however, common sense dictates that you should bring a printed copy of the map of your hiking destination with you on the hike.
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Mapsurfer - Hosted by our very own UC Davis, this map tool is truly awesome for the hiker.
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TopoZone - Lets you search by location names which is very helpful.
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Shields Library Map Room - Located in the basement is a complete set of California topographic maps to look at and photocopy. You don't even have to put them away once you are done looking at them!
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Google Earth - Satellite imagery of the entire planet.
Places to go
Desolation Wilderness can be a beautiful nearby escape once you lose the crowds that belie its name. Fido can help haul people trash down for you once his water's gone, too!
Within two hours one can be at many excellent backpacking and hiking areas. If you're willing to drive a little more the wilderness opportunities are endless. It's a little impossible to list all of the "local" destinations but here are a couple of ideas. See the Adventures Outside of Davis, Camping, or Climbing page for more places. Dog owners should visit our Dogs page for pet-friendly hikes.
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Auburn State Recreational Area is northeast of Sacramento, about 50 mins. drive from Davis
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Davis Wetlands - At the site of the Waste Water Treatment facility, the wetlands provide a scenic, if somewhat flat, opportunity to view local wildlife.
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Mount Saint Helena is a nearby location with some good hiking.
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Blue Ridge and Rocky Ridge have many options for hiking.
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Long Canyon is a nice place north of Lake Berryessa.
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Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve, a UC Nature Reserve about 30 mins. drive, is one of the most popular local hiking destinations.
Places to rent gear
Places to buy gear
It's important for everybody to be properly equipped so they can carry their own load.
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REI in Sacramento, Roseville, Folsom or Berkeley
Clubs and Organizations
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Sierra Club has many organized outdoor activities.
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Marie Huynh and Chad Van Schoelandt went on the weekend OA backpacking trip to the Sierra over the summer of 2004. They thought it was awesome.
Photos
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Outdoor Adventures also offers an orienteering course, which can be very helpful for the navigationally impaired hiker
Comments:
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2008-04-13 13:59:14 Can anyone recommend a good backpacking location near Davis (an hour or two away) that has some sort of water nearby to frolic in? —Ash
