All "Hikes" Stories in Southern CA
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Olympic National Park & Forest Lodging Deals!
Washington State’s Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest get the gold medal for spring’s best lodging deal. Historic Lake Quinault Lodge—featured on PBS’s “Great Lodges of the National Parks”—is currently offering two nights for the price of one.
View Kelso Dunes
The hike to the top of Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve is only 3 miles (out and back), but you’ll feel like you’ve hiked much farther by the time you’re done.
ViewSunset Hike (and Manly Lake Vista!) at Dante's View
It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. On clear days you get views of both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous U.S.
ViewRise and Shine Zabriskie Hike
The sunrise at Zabriskie Point makes a grand entrance, with the light ascending slowly and washing over the golden badlands. It’s signature Death Valley. It’s also a great starting point for one of the Valley’s marquee hikes.
ViewStarry Night & Dark Sky Adventures
You don’t have to stay out all that late to experience eminent stargazing at Death Valley National Park. The park's been given the highest ranking of darkness by the International Dark-Sky Association. Here are a trio of amazing ways to witness the mesmerizing night sky at Death Valley:
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Sonoma Valley's 100 Days of Winter Wellness Guide
This winter wellness plan goes to 100! Nurture yourself in 2024 with Sonoma Valley’s 100 Days of Winter Wellness guide. It’s a perfectly curated array of inspiration and ideas.
View Norco Powered
This 2.5-mile out-and-back trail in Norco climbs 643 feet to the summit of Norco Mountain—a small peak overlooking the Inland Empire.
ViewChino Chimes
The 2.5-mile Eucalyptus South Loop in Chino Hills proves you don’t have to go far to find beautiful places to see the beauty of a late day sun.
ViewJurupa Jamboree
If you like a short hike with a side of adventure, try the Jurupa Hills North Trail in Martin Tudor Jurupa Hills Regional Park.
ViewUphill Both Ways
Wren Meacham Trail in Glendora’s Big Dalton Wilderness Area is a 1.9-mile out-and-back trail that’s uphill both ways. It boasts a whopping 744 feet of elevation, and you get to climb it twice, with fabulous views for extra inspiration.
ViewGo Steep
Whether you’re looking for an intense workout or a moderate one, Steep Canyon Trail in Diamond Bar has you covered. This 1.5-mile loop in Summitridge Park can be either a steep climb or a gradual incline up the 416 feet of elevation gain.
ViewCity Looper
Located right in the middle of a city, the La Sierra Trail Loop in Chino Hills still manages to feel like an escape to nature, packing in 395 feet of elevation gain to get your blood flowing and your legs moving.
ViewLake Looper
In summer Jenks Lake in the San Bernardino National Forest is bustling with families enjoying lakeside activities. But in the fall and winter this place is calm and peaceful. A 3.1-mile loop trail explores the lake.
ViewAll the Wrightwood Stuff
The Mountain High area of Wrightwood is known for its skiing, but there’s also a hiking trail there. The Inspiration Point to Snowmaking Pond Trail climbs 610 feet, skirting the edge of the Sheep Mountain Wilderness Area for a roughly 3.5 miles (round-trip).
ViewCamp Quietude
Solitude isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind when hiking in Icehouse Canyon, but the hike to Cedar Glen Campground along the Chapman Trail actually brings some peace and quiet in this otherwise busy hiking destination.
ViewNot Your Garden Variety Botanical Garden
Fort Bragg’s Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens makes a splash in more ways than its fabulous flora. Its 47 acres include a stunning bluff-side hiking trail overlooking the Pacific, where cliffs drop dramatically to the wild waves below.
ViewBluffing Good Time
Accessible right from town, a bluff-side walk at Mendocino Headlands State Park is pretty much mandatory. The marquee trails here overlook not just the charming hamlet of Mendocino, but also the dramatic coastal scenery from the bluffs.
ViewBeach to Town by Hidden Stairway
A hidden stairway makes this adventure as easy and fun as a walk on the beach. Thank Beth’s Stairs, a hidden wooden staircase connecting Big River Beach in Mendocino Headlands State Park to the charming town of Mendocino.
ViewRed Rocks in California
Colorful badlands, towering buttes, and scenic desert cliffs form a hikers paradise. Red Rock Canyon State Park is a lightly visited desert wonderland where the southernmost tip of the Sierra Nevada converges with the El Paso range.
ViewThis Santa
In 1861 the Old Santa Susana Stagecoach Road was used by Wells Fargo & Company as a stagecoach route. These days the stagecoaches are long gone, leaving behind a historic hiking trail. Santa Susana Pass State Park is a fairly small park and most of the trails intersect, offering up lots of opportunities for exploration.
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A Very Bavarian Spring
Ready to change up your spring scenery? Pack your bags for this alpine adventure in Washington State’s Cascade Mountains. The Bavarian-style hamlet of Leavenworth could be a stand-in for a mountain village in Europe.
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