The 25 Best Instagram Accounts to Follow for the Ultimate Northern California Experience

We live in such a beautiful area and sometimes the best way to appreciate Northern California is through the photos. Instagram is the one of the best places to find great photography, and NorCal is chock full of amazing photographers.

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From waterfall enthusiasts and hikers, to extreme athletes and “yoga queens,” we’ve compiled the best 25 Instagram accounts to help you get the full NorCal experience:

25. @Halfway_there_outdoors

Just a couple of outdoor enthusiast sharing our adventures and inspiring more people to go outside. Halfway Outdoors has stunning photos from all over NorCal, including Yosemite, Mt. Shasta, Lassen and San Francisco:

Check out there full account

24. @tara_huff_

We’ve dubbed Tara Huff the “Yoga Queen of NorCal” as she will find some of the coolest destinations in NorCal and do some yoga. She finds ways to capture the essence of NorCal while also displaying some sweet yoga poses:

I took a 20 minute walk without my cellphone today. It was a nice reprieve from the 24 hour news coverage and Facebook updates of the Carr Fire in Northern California. Based on fire maps, we believe our house and my stepmothers house have been spared. However, these areas are still under evacuation and there is no way to confirm. The fireline came within a city block and a quarter mile of our properties. This is really unsettling, but I’m very hopeful. The fire is now threatening Trinity County and we have been dealing with power outages and evacuations in nearby towns. I’m humbled by the kindness and generosity of our community. Both Redding & Trinity County. Thank you firefighters and law enforcement. Thank you local news & radio stations for providing 24 hour coverage. Thank you (my followers) for all of the kind messages. Some of you have expressed interest in helping. I’ll provide links for donations, and ways to help as soon as they become available. #carrfire

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Happy Friday! I hope you have at least one good adventure this weekend. 😘

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Check out her full account




23. @joeymaclennan

Joey MacLennan is know to his followers as a deeply talented Northern California landscape photographer. He uses dark colors to show some of the area’s most popular destinations:

Taking a moment to enjoy sunrise.

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Easy going mornings in the valley.

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See his full account here

22. @_lucasriley

We’ve been following Lucas Riley for a while as he consistently puts out awesome outdoor photography of Northern California. He spends a lot of time in the Shasta region, with some really cool photography of Castle Crags:

Hey friends! After days of staring at my computer screen until my eyes burn, I am pleased to announce that my website is now live. Something I’ve worked on for quite sometime, and am very proud to be able to share with you all! I would truly appreciate if you took a few minutes to head over and let me know what you think! Link is in my bio. I appreciate all of your continuous support! @salomon #timetoplay #salomonsquad #vsco #natgeoadventure #theoutbound #beautifuldestinations#exploremore #roamtheplanet #livefolk #suunto #visualsoflife #borninthemountains #travel #adventureon #choosemountains #picoftheday #neverstopexploring #wildernessculture #adventureculture #goatworthy #travelstoke #discoverearth #optoutside #lifeofadventure #workhardplayhard #bestvacations #getoutstayout #exploremore #huffpostgram

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Focus on what fuels you & drives you. What wakes you up in the morning without an alarm clock. The thing(s) you can’t get off your mind. Do more of what makes you happy. Sacrifice for it. Work for it. Try, fail, try fail. Life is about growth, and if you’re not growing, are you even living? @salomon #timetoplay #salomonsquad #vsco #natgeoadventure #theoutbound #beautifuldestinations#exploremore #roamtheplanet #livefolk #suunto #visualsoflife #borninthemountains #travel #adventureon #choosemountains #picoftheday #neverstopexploring #wildernessculture #adventureculture #goatworthy #travelstoke #discoverearth #optoutside #lifeofadventure #workhardplayhard #bestvacations #getoutstayout #exploremore #huffpostgram

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Check out his full account here




21. @trevorsowderphotography

Trevor Sowder has been hitting us with some awesome landscape photography of NorCal for years. He gets to all of the best destinations around while offering a diverse finished photography, keeping his photos unique compared to his counterparts:

Gumboot Lake.

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A cold and starry night at Lake Helen with Mt. Lassen in the distance.

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Mossbrae Falls.

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See his full account here

20. @allytanner

Next to the incredibly bright imagery in her photos, Ally Tanner’s Instagram feed is full of beautiful imagery from around Northern California. Her most amazing photos come from the high alpine lakes of the Desolation Wilderness:

Check out her full account here




19. @alphawanderlust

Donny Barnec is an outdoor addict, and luckily for us, he documents his adventures. Located out of the Bay Area, Donny travels around NorCal to shoot some rare and gorgeous locations:

It was cold, windy, Karl the fog was prominent as @erikmarthaler and I arrived at 5am for sunrise. Sitting in the car with hopes diminished for a good sunrise, we zipped up our jackets and started walking towards the lighthouse. The wind was howling and then the sun peaked over the horizon. A beautiful orange glow covered the landscape and we were ecstatic. Running around snapping away. Then human nature took over and Erik chased the glow beaming through the tree tunnel. This was the last time I saw him as he vanished into the light. Miss you bud 😢🤣 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #bevisuallyinspired #awesomeearth #folkgood #bbconlocation #staywild #beautifuldestinations #visualscollective #adventureanywhere #modernoutdoors #theweekoninstagram #earthfocus #ourcamplife #awesome_photographers #watchthisinstagood #theearthoutdoors #alphacollective #sonyalpha #createexplore #exploreourearth #natgeoyourshot #captureyourcreativity #themoderndayexplorer #voyaged #livetravelchannel #weeklyfstopoutdoors #pointreyes #nationalparkgeek

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Who remembers “Stand By Me” the movie? The scene where the train rounds the corner and the kids have to run off the bridge to safety before the train runs them over… This is that bridge from the movie. Super cool spot that brought back some childhood memories as one of my favorite movies growing up. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #bevisuallyinspired #awesomeearth #folkgood #bbconlocation #staywild #beautifuldestinations #visualscollective #adventureanywhere #modernoutdoors #theweekoninstagram #earthfocus #ourcamplife #awesome_photographers #watchthisinstagood #theearthoutdoors #alphacollective #sonyalpha #createexplore #exploreourearth #natgeoyourshot #captureyourcreativity #themoderndayexplorer #voyaged #livetravelchannel #weeklyfstopoutdoors #visitcalifornia #standbyme #roam

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Spent the weekend chasing waterfalls and swimming holes. @baby_pena sending it like a boss

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Check out his full account here 

18. @aaliceinwonderland

Based in the Bay Area, Alice spends her time traveling around Northern California finding the most beautiful destinations to explore and photograph. Even though she sometimes leaves the comfort of NorCal for grander adventures around the world, her feed is full of great images from Yosemite to the Oregon border:

See her full account here



17. @brandonnbeck

We like to think about him as the craziest guy in Northern California. Skiier, cliff jumper and all around crazy person Brandon Beck has been lighting up Instagram with his death-defying stunts for years:

Here is the first ever double half and first flip period off of 130 ft Burney Falls. My body is still sore and my brain is still in shock at how close I came to the rocks at the bottom!! I’m happy to be alive and can guarantee that I will never jump this high ever again at least into water 😏 🎥 shot by @karinaaabean . . . @tahoenative @spyoptic @volcom @svgebrand @vibramfivefingers @senditofficial @get.sendy @yeww @drdre @cliffjumpingisnotacrime @redbull @redbullcliffdiving @risks @superhumanspower @thechive @sportscenter @barstoolsports @extreme @clarklittle @15cek #tahoenative #happylens #volcom #truetothis #risk #sendit #senditofficial #burneyfalls #8thwonderoftheworld #flying #huge #balls #waterfalls #cliffjumping #cliffdiving #redbull #yeww #drdre

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See all his death-defying stunts here 

This account is run by Jason Luman, but we know him as Waterfall Adventures. To see all things outdoors in NorCal, specifically our stunning waterfalls, this is a great account to follow. Here are a couple of our favorite photos:

Check out his full account




15. @_cliffy_

Combining a stunning mix of people and landscape, Cliffy has a unique ability to capture special moments in Northern California. His specialty lies in putting beautiful people in front of popular destinations. The results are stunning:

Hair whips at burney with @wanderrlex

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Lone walker.

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Still searching for you.

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See his full account here 

14. @ianchen0

A landscape photographer specializing in astrophotography and based in the Bay Area, Ian has a knack for finding the best side of NorCal. He gets photography in many different locations, but it’s his astrophotography around Northern California that really captures our attention:

Check out his full account here




13. @scenescapery

Based out of Westwood, Jake Edwards has the unique opportunity to capture the east side of Lassen and Lake Almanor. He uses his Instagram to share two stories: incredible landscape photography and the story of his prematurely born daughter, Ivy. Both are inspirational:

This morning. Nuff said.

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In-camera double exposure. #create

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See his full account here 

12. @kanecandrade

A former Marine who used photography to find his way post service, Kane C. Andrade uses a colorful essence to shoot stunning photography around NorCal and the world. His photos are bright, along with his future in photography:

How would your friends describe you?

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See his full account here 




11. @houstonshoots

Based near the Humboldt Coast, Houston Douglass is your go-to Instagram page to see the beauty of the North Coast. Spending his days exploring the Pacific Ocean and Redwood Forests, he shows us why the coast rivals any region in NorCal in its beauty:

This ain’t my first Rodeo 📸 : @calebs.captures

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Wander Often, Wonder Always…

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See his full account here 

10. @josh_wray

Our favorite page out of the Mammoth area, Josh Wray explores Mono County and beyond with a sense of joyous adventure. Exploring lakes during the summer and the snowy mountains in the winter, this page will inspire you to get out into the wilderness and have some fun:

2018 resolution? More sunrise hot springin’

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Check out his full account here




9.@Robert.Wall

Robert Wall is a Northern California local who has used his experience in the outdoors become a world-traveling cliff-jumper. He was even chosen for a worldwide cliff-jumping trip from Volcom. His account gets around the world, but he also has a ton of photos/videos from his native NorCal. Check it out:

Check out his full account 

8. @glennleerobinson

If you like colorful photography, you’ll love Glenn Lee Robinson’s Instagram page. A landscape photographer who has an innate ability to find distinct color in nature, this page shows you the popular NorCal destinations with a look that you’ve probably never seen before:

See his full account here 




7. @ohtombombadil

Patrick Mueller has recently got our attention as one of the best photographers in the area. He continuously has some of the best photos at each outdoor destination in NorCal, and while sometimes he ventures out of the area, his local photos rival anyone in the area:

See his full account here 

6. @croulter

We’ve been following the exploits of NorCal daredevil Nick Coulter for a long time. His cliff-jumping antics, incredible videography (see: Flow State) and all-around sense of adventure has helped him gain popularity on Instagram and YouTube over the past few years:

See all of his adventurous antics here




5. @rynotime

In my opinion, Ryan Thompson is one of the most talented young photographers around. He finds the best vantage points and puts in the time to make his photographs perfect. While he recently moved to Oregon, his account still holds some of the best photography NorCal has to offer:

Hand made • • • #visualsoflife #lifeofadventure #newzealandfinds #fromwhereidrone #modernoutdoorsman #clymblife #vsco #vscocam #canada #liveauthentic #livefolk #thisworldexists #travel #exploremore #artofvisuals #exploretocreate #thevisualscollective #thisisredding #canon_photos #freedomthinkers #Places_wow #Fantastic_earth #beanoutsidercontest #roamtheplanet #OurPlanetDaily #Artofvisuals #awakethesoul #wildernessnation #thisworldexistsambassador • • • • @thisworldexists @timeoutsociety @ironandresin @ig_thisworld @thevisualscollective @rsa_outdoors @theclymb @natgeotravel @vicivisuals @shastarockclub @adventurethatislife @bindebros @pnwdiscovered @theoutbound @thegreat_pnw @droneheroes @folkmagazine @wildernessnation @instagood @fromwhereidrone

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Painted dunes 🎨 • • • #visualsoflife #lifeofadventure #newzealandfinds #modernoutdoorsman #clymblife #vsco #vscocam #canada #liveauthentic #livefolk #thisworldexists #travel #exploremore #artofvisuals #exploretocreate #thevisualscollective #thisisredding #canon_photos #freedomthinkers #Places_wow #Fantastic_earth #soft_vision #roamtheplanet #OurPlanetDaily #Artofvisuals #awakethesoul #MyMavicContest #NatGeoTravel #thisworldexistsambassador • • • • @thisworldexists @timeoutsociety @ironandresin @ig_thisworld @thevisualscollective @rsa_outdoors @theclymb @soft_vision @vicivisuals @shastarockclub @adventurethatislife @bindebros @pnwdiscovered @theoutbound @djiglobal @canon_photos @folkmagazine @canon_photos @instagood @skysupply

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The mind will continue to dream forever, and when given the tools you can make those dreams a reality. Happy belated 100th birthday to all those epic national parks out there • • • • #visualsoflife #lifeofadventure #awesupply #modernoutdoorsman #clymblife #vsco #vscocam #rei1440project #liveauthentic #livefolk #thisworldexists #travel #exploremore #artofvisuals #exploretocreate #thevisualscollective #thisisredding #canon_photos #freedomthinkers #Places_wow #Fantastic_earth #soft_vision #roamtheplanet #OurPlanetDaily #thisworldexistsambassador • • • • @thisworldexists @modernoutdoorsman @awesupply @untoldvisuals @thevisualscollective @wheniniceland @theclymb @soft_vision @sandmarc @shastarockclub @bewil.d @canon_photos @rootsjuicebar @thebackpackrofficial

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4. @warnerscorner

Kris Warner’s talent and dedication to photography is apparent on his Instagram feed. The best part of this Instagram page is it shows the sheer joy of being able to explore Northern California:

See his full account here 




3. @corypoolephotography

We featured Cory Poole years ago in our print magazine years ago and he has continued to amaze us with his photography around NorCal. His ability to capture rare moments in the outdoors of NorCal makes this one of our favorite NorCal Instagram accounts:

See his full account here 

2. @gettyphotography

With nearly a half a million followers, Bruce Getty has a massive Instagram following, and the uniqueness and professionalism in the photos shows you exactly why. Most of his photos are stunning renderings of Bay Area locations:

Hi every one this was a magnificent blue hour burn at the sunflower fields with @californiafarmsandranches and @misslexy76 and @ig_escaype Available for one on one workshops and group photo tours – Learn how to master your compositions, exposure, ISO, Aperture and Master manual settings,and learn photography techniques to create amazing images. I am sponsored by @leefilters and also instruct in the use of filters for long exposure to achieve motion effects in water or sky.  As a Bay Area resident since 1979,  my workshops & tours specialize in hard to reach locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can see the link in my bio for details. —————————- www.gettyphotography.com —————————- All of my photos are cropped for instagram, if you are interested in the full version contact me. Offering acrylic face Mount and Metal infusion prints, and licensing! —————————– Nikon D850 Nikon 14 to 24 Aperture: f11 Shutter .8 ISO:64 Filter lee soft grad .9 Sw150 system White Balance Auto #californiafarmsandranches

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Here we are with everybody that night @831gaberodriguez @mindz.eye @mr.bwhit @mmeyers76 @shainblumphotography . Available for one on one workshops and group photo tours – Learn how to master your compositions, exposure, ISO, Aperture and Master manual settings,and learn photography techniques to create amazing images. I am sponsored by @leefilters and also instruct in the use of filters for long exposure to achieve motion effects in water or sky.  As a Bay Area resident since 1979,  my workshops & tours specialize in hard to reach locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can see the link in my bio for details. —————————- www.gettyphotography.com —————————- All of my photos are cropped for instagram, if you are interested in the full version contact me. Offering acrylic face Mount and Metal infusion prints, and licensing! —————————– Nikon D850 Nikon 200 to 500 Aperture: f11 Shutter 45 seconds ISO:100 Filter none Sw150 system Tripod: Really Right Stuff TVc34 Ball head bh55 really Right Stuff Panno gimbal White Balance Auto -————————- #beautifuldestinations #sanfrancisco #streetsofsf #earthpix #nowrongwaysf #natgeo #wildbayarea #awesomeearth #onlyinsf #natgeotravel #sf #alwayssf #wildcalifornia #igerssf #ignorcal #mysanfrancisco #bayarea #neverstopexploring #justgoshoot #bestofbayarea #california #westcoast_exposures #discoverearth #agameoftones #artofvisuals #optoutside #VisitCalifornia#abc7now#sfgate#

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See his full account here




1. @the_lost_coast

In our opinion, Felipe consistently puts out the most stunning and diverse photography in Northern California on Instagram. His page features nearly all of the popular NorCal destinations and his range of style and consistent quality makes him our top Instagram page to follow for NorCal enthusiasts:

See his full account here

What’s your favorite NorCal Instagram account? Who did we miss? Let us know in the comments section!

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