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1. 
   Southern CA

   Cool Hikes for Autumn

   Harvest Happening: Make a day of it by visiting the Oak Glen Preserve, a sprawling nature reserve in the San Bernardino Mountains where you can hike through an idyllic landscape and pick your own pumpkins and chestnuts afterwards. Stick to the preserve's main loop for a 2-mile hike, or meander onto the spur trails to lengthen your jaunt.** Smuggle It In:** Next year America's national parks celebrate the centennial—so crowds are practically guaranteed to be thicker. Hit the trails before the hordes on one of the best hikes in Channel Islands National Park. The 7.5-mile (round-trip) hike to Smuggler's Cove traverses Santa Cruz Island, offers panoramic vistas, and leads to a secluded cove. Do Deukmejian: Nestled in the San Gabriel foothills, Deukmejian Wilderness Park is a gem. Explore it on a 4.2-mile (round-trip) foothills hike in the park's Dunsmore and Cook's canyons. Stepping Stonewall: Adventure up … to San Diego County's 5,737-foot Stonewall Peak! This 4-mile (round-trip) hike leads to a brilliant panorama, and the carved stone stairs near the apex make for a great photo opp. Two Thumbs Up for Towsley: Get in a workout hike featuring outstanding panoramas, meaty switchbacks, bizarre rock formations, and miniature tar pits. The 5.1-mile (round-trip) Towsley Canyon Loop in Santa Clarita's Ed Davis Park awaits!

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2. 
   Northern CA

   Shhh ... Sierra

   Where Plumas National Forest meets Tahoe National Forest, you'll find the quiet town of Sierraville, basecamp for a spectacular private fire lookout to spend the night, a nearby hot springs to soak your bones, and great trails for hiking or snowshoeing … you never know which, with our wild weather forecast!

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3. 
   Southern CA

   Haunted Hikes

   It's Halloween weekend, so get after it on any of these three hikes that'll take you from searching for ghosts to finding a hidden grotto. Boo-yeah!

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4. 
   Sponsored

   2025-10-01

   Fall Coastal Hikes Guide

   Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) is ready to fill your fall with bluffside trails, tranquil beaches, whale watching, a haunted distillery, and seasonal sweet treats.

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5. 
   Northern CA

   Spooktacular Hikes

   This Halloween weekend there's no shortage of ways to celebrate in the great outdoors. From a guided night hike in Marin to spelunking in a national park cave, to discovering the cryptic nature of San Francisco's oldest park, here are three fantastic ways to scare up a good time. Boo-yeah!

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6. 
   Northern CA

   ColorFall Confidential

   From green to gold to red, the colors of autumn are totally findable in the Bay Area! Here are three lesser-traveled hikes in the East Bay sure to 'leaf' you satisfied.

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7. 
   Southern CA

   Giant Escape

   Fires devastated large areas of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks this past summer, but things are clearing up for their 125th anniversary and there's still plenty to see and do. From spooky spelunking and stargazing beneath giant sequoias to hikes less traveled and lovely lodges, here's a day-and-night itinerary.

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8. 
   Northern CA

   Oh My Monterey!

   Autumn on the Monterey Coast can’t be beat. From hiking in Big Sur to wine tasting in Carmel, with beach strolls, bike rolls, and oceanview fire-pit patios in between, here are some excellent ways to spend your days (and nights) in Monterey.

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9. 
   Southern CA

   Harvest and Hike Combos

   Farm fresh to you: Combining a hike with a u-pick farm, a farmer’s market, and a farm sanctuary for animals.

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10. 
    Northern CA

    Adventures That Cut the Cheese

    Okay, seriously, who cut the cheese? Lucky for us, it's some of the North Bay's most fabulous small cheese boutiques, dotting the bucolic autumn landscape from Marin County to Sonoma County. Pair these cheeses with a nearby hike, bike ride, and winery.

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11. 
    Southern CA

    Wild Hikes

    The San Bernardino National Forest is an 800,000-acre playground of deep canyons, soaring peaks, and five separate wilderness areas. Here are three day-hikes worth going wild for!

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12. 
    Southern CA

    National Parks: Sand-Seeker

    Some of California's best sandy havens are found in our national parks! Here are three worth an autumn visit.

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13. 
    Southern CA

    Fall Forward

    It's official: Autumn's up! Here are three ways to ease out of summer to enjoy a wander-fall season in LA.

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14. 
    Northern CA

    Time to Coast

    The coast is clear—especially in autumn—and Mendocino County's coast shines this time of year, with hidden beaches, beautiful bluffside rambles, and tranquil respites to make your weekend getaway glorious.

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15. 
    Sponsored

    2025-10-01

    Fall Coastal Hikes Guide

    Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) is ready to fill your fall with bluffside trails, tranquil beaches, whale watching, a haunted distillery, and seasonal sweet treats.

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16. 
    Southern CA

    Lake Expectations

    Summer's not over yet. There's still time to escape to the Eastern Sierra with autumn colors starting to show and plenty of ways to combine adventure and relaxation. From Mono County to Mammoth Lakes, here are ways to have a bounti-fall time!

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17. 
    Northern CA

    Interns Know Best

    This week we're handing the car keys to our interns: Alex, Kyle, and Morgan. They got after it all summer, exploring the Bay Area and beyond, then writing about it. Here are three of their favorite adventures. Thanks, guys—you were outstanding! Now, get us some coffee. (Totally kidding! Unless you have a minute …).

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18. 
    Southern CA

    Eyes Wild Open

    Get off the beaten path to explore San Diego County's wild side, where endangered birds and panoramas bring the full picture into view. Eyes wild open—what will you see?

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19. 
    Northern CA

    Bountiful Hikes

    The low-slung sun, the golden leaves, the distinct scent … making the transition to fall isn’t so bad, after all. Step into autumn on any of these three South Bay hikes.

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20. 
    Northern CA

    Long Weekend Cheat Sheet

    Mile Oh Mile: Solitude in San Francisco? It's a Mile Rock away. This small and secluded cove tucked beneath wild and beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean, the Marin Headlands, and the Golden Gate Bridge is easy to reach if you don't mind lots of steps. (Plus read the latest on the labyrinth.) Open Space, Now Open! Ahhh, that new open space smell! Saved from corporate development, Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve recently opened, and shines with new redwood bridges, picnic areas, and a terrific hiking and mountain biking trail with sweeping ridgetop views. Outstanding in the Vineyards: Remember when wine tasting at all the good spots was free or only a few bucks? Anderson Valley never forgot, and it's got outstanding wines and an amazing state park. Shake Your Trail Feathers: Egrets mingling in a maze of marshes, unobstructed views of Mount Burdell to the north and Mount Diablo to the east. Stroll the new 2.7-mile (one-way) section of the Bay Trail and bring binoculars—this is a birding haven. Buzzworthy: What buzzes and can give you a buzz? Heidrun Meadery in Point Reyes Station. They're masters of "honey wine" (aka mead) and beekeeping!

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21. 
    Southern CA

    Go Long!

    Inside Out: The Cave of Munits is an awe-inspiring cavern of impressive heights. And it's located just outside suburbia. Get to it on a 2.7-mile loop hike through the rolling hills of Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve. Get lost in LA! Right in the heart of the city is the Peace Awareness Labyrinth and Gardens, a relaxing retreat hidden in the historic West Adams district. Wander Wilmington: Most people know the Port of Los Angeles as the place with all the smoky factories and huge barges, but this industrial area added some glitter—and greenspace!—to its grittier side when Wilmington Waterfront Park opened. Do you Deukmejian? Nestled in the San Gabriel foothills, Deukmejian Wilderness Park is a gem. Explore it on a 4.2-mile (round-trip) foothills hike in the park's Dunsmore and Cook's canyons. Mile Oh Mile: Reaching a stunning peak vista in under a mile? If it sounds too good to be true, you haven't been to Camarillo Grove Park where the 1-mile (round-trip) Upper Loop Trail is your peek into a world of chaparral growth, wildlife, and a magnificent bucolic view that sweeps across Ventura County.

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22. 
    Southern CA

    Orange Punch

    Great views go better with sunsets. Here are three LA parks that give you both. Glow for it!

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