Tromp Blog

Rancho San Antonio’s Catholic History

Maryknoll Residence, built in 1924 to house seminary students preparing for missionary work around the world, is now a retirement home for priests. Credit: Alejandro Yeguez

Discover the religious history of the Rancho San Antonio County Park & Open Space Preserve area, including Maryknoll and St. Joseph’s College.

Seeking a Family Adventure? Geocaching in the Santa Cruz Mountains

You can use a GPS like this or a cell phone app to go geocaching. Credit: Bernabe Colohua, Pixabay

A comprehensive guide for families to explore, bond, and discover treasures hidden in Santa Cruz, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties.

Camp at Rancho del Oso and Explore Santa Cruz’s North Coast

Camping at Rancho del Oso, Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Credit: Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks

Just south of the San Mateo County line along Highway 1 lies Big Basin's Rancho del Oso that offers camping, hiking, and access to beautiful Waddell Beach. 

Trail will Retrace Spanish Explorers’ ‘Discovery’ of SF Bay

View of San Andreas Lake and San Francisco Bay from the Portolá "Discovery" site on Sweeney Ridge, GGNRA. Credit: Samuel Herzberg

The Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail will run the length of San Mateo County and include Indigenous representation, which some tribal leaders feel is an afterthought.

Day Trips and Sips: Explore Big Basin as it Rebuilds

Big Basin Redwoods State Park welcomes visitors after the CZU Lightning Complex Fires in 2020. Credit: Naomi Friedland

Big Basin and the surrounding Santa Cruz Mountains area have a lot to offer, from hikes showcasing the resiliency of redwoods after the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire to rustic wineries and well-loved dining establishments.

Meet Mayra Pelagio-Muñoz, Latine Environmental Advocate

East San Jose Environmental Activist, Mayra Pelagio-Muñoz at Capitol Reef National Park

Sep 15 to Oct 15 marks National Hispanic Heritage Month. Meet one of many Silicon Valley Latine leaders who are changing the outdoor community.

Outdoor Fun and Cool Rewards: Two Bay Area Trail Challenges

Take a Hike Challenge participants at Wunderlich. Photo courtesy San Mateo County Parks

San Mateo County’s Take a Hike Challenge and Bay Area-wide Ridge Trail Challenge offer locals a taste of what their nearby parks have to offer–and prizes!

New Trails to Explore in Santa Cruz at San Vicente Redwoods

Vista Point at San Vicente Redwoods, photo copyright Mike Kahn.

Discover new hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding trails on the coastal side of the Santa Cruz Mountains at the new San Vicente Redwoods.

Day Trips and Sips: Wine Tasting, Hiking and Food in Portola Valley

Sunrise from Windy Hill overlooking San Francisco Bay, copyright Eleanor Raab.

Enjoy a great Portola Valley day trip adventure drinking coffee at Konditorei Cafe, hiking or mountain biking at Windy Hill Open Space Preserve, wine tasting at Neely Winery, and grabbing a bite or a beer at Alpine Inn. Ooh, game on!

Finding Pomponio's Cave

In Search of the Man Who Rebuked the Mission System

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