I’ve assembled my version of the 10 things I need for a happy hike in the Bay Area, where the notable absence of such climate annoyances as blizzards and hurricanes means we don’t have to dwell on the 10 Essentials for Wilderness Survival unless we really, really screw up.
I’m a stay-on-the-main-trail sorta guy, mainly because I think trails through the woods are damage enough, but also because it keeps me out of the poison oak. I hike in parks where maps are available to keep me out of trouble. I should spend more time in the High Sierra, where the scenery is so much prettier and the trails are more challenging, but I cringe at the idea of burning two tanks of gas to get closer to nature.

Finally, there are so many places to hike here that it seems silly to gallivanting off to the mountains when I haven’t seen half the trails within an hour’s drive of the ol’ crib.

Here’s a link to the category page of all 10, in case you want to bookmark it for posterity.