These Boots are Made for Hiking...

4.9•2163 ratings

About us

Hey all! This is a new group here dedicated to hiking of ALL levels. Boots are not just for hiking, so we'll talk snow sports when the mountain's turn white again.

So as many of you probably know Shannon is shutting down Hikers and Company. She feels that it's run it's course, and I totally get. So in the shadow of a giant (insert nervous smiley face here) I hope this group will come close to replacing it. Shannon approves so far.

Obviously this is about hiking, but I may change the name to include other things. I'd like organizers to feel free to post what they want.

If you are already an organizer (or would like to be one) please let me know.

It's not free to run a Meetup group. I have no desire to require membership dues (which is an option in setting up a group I found out). So anything you can do to keep this site up would be appreciated.

Thank you Arthur for being a Co-Organizer on this.

Andrew
916-343-3408

Upcoming events

259

See all

7 seats left
Halloween at Death Valley
Sat, Oct 31 · 12:00 AM PDT
Location not specified yet
- 6:00pm Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: Searching for scorpions with blacklight.
- 9-10:00pm Arrive at Dante's View for stargazing and moonlight rising over Badwater Basin.
- Saturday, Halloween
- 9:00am Mosaic Canyon: 3.5 mile out and back. Bring lunch. 45 mins to next destination.
- 1:00pm Darwin Falls: 7 miles out and back. 40 mins to next destination.
- 5:30pm Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: (Sunset Vista 5:52 Sunset) Bring flashlight and black light (optional).
- Sunday, Nov 1
- 5:40am Zabriskie Point (Sunrise Vista, 6:10 Sunrise) 10 minutes to next destination.
- 8:00am Golden Canyon 2-3 mile out and back. Or a 2.7 mile hike down to Golden Canyon from Zabriskie Point. 10 minute drive to next destination.
- 10:00am Devil's Golf Course 20 minutes to next destination.
- 12:00 Badwater Basin Lunch
- This is a long day so I have a few options in this gap of time. Hanging around at the visitors center to another hike.
- 4:00 Artist's Palette (Sunset Vista, Sunset at 4:50)
Trek or Treat: A Halloween Adventure in Death Valley

Trek: Involves a hike over a few miles long.
Treat: Scenic drive or park and a short walk to a viewpoint.

This late-autumn weekend getaway to Death Valley National Park offers a hauntingly beautiful escape into a world of dramatic contrasts, stark salt flats, and sculpted canyon walls. Landing precisely on October 31st and November 1st (DST ends on Nov 1 so we get 1 extra hour), this two-day journey embraces the park during its most dynamic seasonal transition. As the grip of summer breaks, the shifting angle of the autumn sun stretches long, eerie shadows across the landscape, accentuating the alien textures and surreal geology that make this desert legendary.
Because Death Valley’s late-October weather can pivot from perfect, breezy autumn afternoons to sudden, lingering desert heatwaves, this trip is designed around absolute geographic flexibility. Rather than adhering to a rigid itinerary and hoping the weather cooperates, this adventure splits the park into distinct environmental zones for maximum comfort. Whether the weekend calls for winding through shaded labyrinthine canyons or escaping to high-altitude peaks, the open schedule ensures we can follow the best weather each day, capturing the full, mysterious spirit of the desert at our own pace. In simpler terms, if it's hot we go out in the morning/evening or head to elevation.

Lastly, there will be stargazing and possibly a short moonlight hike after. Catching the moonrise after stargazing depends on several variables. Mainly, elevation and where the moon comes over the horizon. I'll see if I can optimize variables but moonrise might be too late for a moonlight hike. Stargazing should be excellent if it's clear!

I did a bit more research and if the sky is clear we can make this work on Sunday evening for stargazing and moon rise:

Standing on the sheer edge of Dante’s View, you are suspended between a sprawling sea of stars and a pitch-black abyss where the desert floor completely vanishes into the night. Above, the ancient, obsidian sky glimmers like spilled diamonds, free of any earthly glow, until the moon breaks past the jagged eastern peaks behind your shoulder and instantly changes the world. Its silver beam strikes the towering Panamint Range across the valley first, igniting the mountain crests into an ethereal, metallic glow that gradually bleeds down the dark canyon walls. Like a slow-moving tide of liquid mercury, the line of light marches across the alluvial fans and sweeps out onto the vast expanse of Badwater Basin below, transforming the ink-black void into a glowing, luminescent mirror of pristine white salt that ripples brilliantly beneath the midnight sky. [NOTE] I had AI make my stargazing/moonrise description "flowery" and it definitely delivered. 😂

Hike options:
[These are the more popular options but suggestions are welcomed... Actual itinerary is weather dependent and will be posted the week of the trip]
- Zabriskie Point (Treat - Sunrise Viewpoint)
- Golden Canyon (Trek - 3 to 6 mile hike)
- Mosaic Canyon (Trek - 4 mile hike)
- Darwin Falls (Trek - 7 mile hike)
- Dante's View (Treat - overlooks Badwater Basin)
- Artist's Pallette (Treat - 9mi drive on a one way paved road)
- Badwater Basin (Treat - lowest point in North America)
- Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes (Trek and Treat - no official trails but you can wander wherever you want)
Getting there, where to stay and carpool options:
- Get to Death Valley anytime on Friday the 30th or anytime before. Leave whenever.
- There are two areas with camping, hotels and a general store nearby. Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek. Ideally we all stay in the same area but it's not mandatory.
- Carpool if you can, leave a comment if you're willing to drive. Entrance fee is $30 per car (or a NP pass) and they DO NOT take cash. You must have a credit card.
More info to come. I just wanted to get this out there so you have time to plan.
Feel free to ask any questions.
8 attendees
Mon Wed & Fri River Walkers Rancho Cordova
Mon, Nov 2 · 8:00 AM PST
Rossmoor Bar River Access, 1949 Rossmoor Drive, Rancho Cordova, CA, US
We'll meet at Rossmoor and Ambassador Drives at the Rossmoor Bar park entrance sign by the yellow gate, parking is free. We'll be walking on a mix of asphalt and dirt trails for 1.5 hours (3.25-4 mi). Meet for summer hours at 7am (June thru September), the rest of the year 8am. We depart promptly at 7:05 or 8:05 am all year round, rain or shine. It's mainly flat, we go the pace of the group. We alternate the route each time between heading toward El Manto or River Bend Park just to spice it up a bit. We see wildlife, go along the river (and sometimes in it) and enjoy conversation. Many don't sign up so expect 3-7 attendees most days. Dogs are welcomed, we have 2 regular fuzz faces. It is recommended you wear long sleeves and pants as we sometimes go thru stickers, shoe gaiters are helpful. There is always a bathroom stop if needed. Bring water, a hat, rain gear, sunscreen, hand sanitizer and a snack if needed.
3 attendees
5 seats left
Monday Morning Walk 8:30am!! Miner's Ravine, Roseville.
Mon, Nov 2 · 8:30 AM PST
Olympus Pointe Sculpture Park, 350 N Sunrise Avenue, Roseville, CA, US
We start on time!! Meet at the parking lot by Sculpture Park, Miner' s Ravine Trail, Roseville. Sculpture Park is across the street from the Roseville Auto Mall. Drive to the parking lot of the 24-Hour Fitness Center. Meet at the smaller parking lot to the south of the fitness center.

We walk toward the east end of Miner's Ravine Trail near Sierra College Blvd. We stop for a brief time and walk back. We walk about 3 miles an hour, and the entire walk takes about 2 hours, almost 6 miles total.

Please be considerate and change your RSVP if you cannot make the walk.

No dogs. Thank you.
15 attendees
Rucking Wednesday!
Wed, Nov 4 · 7:30 AM PST
609 Leidesdorff St, Folsom, CA, US
When:

every Wednesday morning 7am, weather permitting

Where:

We will meet in the parking lot behind/below Sutter street steakhouse on Reily st, park close to Reily st.

Parking is free and address is:

609 Leidesdorff St Folsom CA 95630.

What to bring:

Any good/sturdy/comfortable backpack with some weight in it

Good walking/hiking shoes

Hydration

And that's really it!

How long:
Goal is to keep it to 1.5 hours because I need to get back to work, you can go longer if you have the time. We will cross the pedestrian bridge and go up the bike trail to almost Folsom dam then turn around. Total distant should be a little over 3 miles with about 400ft of elevation gain. Also optional is taking the dirt trail parallel to the bike path on the way up.
What is Rucking?
In simplest form, Rucking is just walking/hiking with a weighted backpack. No special equipment and super easy to do! How much weight depends on your fitness/strength, generally it's good to start with around 10% of your body weight or just some extra water in your backpack. If you are into backpacking then bring out your full load equivalent and get some weekday training in!
Here are links to fancier descriptions of Rucking:
https://www.goruck.com/pages/what-is-rucking
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-rucking
https://www.verywellfit.com/what-is-rucking-8619172
Benefits of Rucking:
Full body workout to develop muscle, especially at shoulders, core and legs
Burn 3x calories as just walking with less impact than running
Improve bone density with load/mechanical stress on skeletal structure
Improve fitness/endurance with less time
Improve balance
The list of benefits is very long!

Notes: If you have not tried Rucking before PLEASE start light and add as you progresses. Please make sure your back can handle the weight, last thing anyone needs is to get injured.
Feel free to message me with any questions.
2 attendees