Bonelli Park

Social Distance Hikes & Bike Rides

Well, can you get outdoors? From what we understand going on a hike is okay as long as it's not busy and you can maintain six feet of distance from others. And staying local in your community. So we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite easy hikes and bike rides around Southern California. Due to the changing dynamics of the Covid-19 health emergency, please be sure to thoroughly check the official websites of all outdoor places and spaces to learn about and updates in status, such as closures, or parking lot closures. We’ll get through this—be safe, healthy, and kind!

Tucked in the southeast corner of Griffith Park, Beacon Hill is an example of how you don’t have to travel far or aim high to reach one of the best panoramas of LA’s skyline.

When a film location is known as “the most shot-up location in movie history” you know you’re in for an adventure. A 1-mile out-and-back trail in 23-acre Garden of the Gods threads through sandstone boulders that were natural icons of Hollywood’s Golden Age, back when this site was known as the Iverson Movie Ranch.

Biking the 10-mile Newport Beach Back Bay Loop Trail is a great way to see the quiet side of Newport Beach—the side that isn’t beach. Instead you’ll ride through 1,000 acres of coastal wetlands known as the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve.

The 6.3-mileBonelli Park Loop Trail is proof you don’t have to go far to escape the city. In San Dimas, the park's nearly 2,000 acres of rolling hills surround 250-acre Puddingstone Lake with views of the towering San Gabriel Mountains just to the north.

This five-mile fat-tire cruise in the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve is what mountain bikers call a middle-chainring ride—no extremes, nothing technical, but rather a gentle climb into the Simi Hills and a gentle descent on the return through an oak-studded landscape. More about nature than rad biking.

The Sonny Bono National Wildlife Refuge doesn’t get many human visitors, but more than 30,000 birds make it a point to visit this hidden gem every year. It consists of 2,200 acres of wetland, farm fields, and desert across two separate units on the Salton Sea’s sparsely populated south shore.

Week: 03.19.2020
Regions: Southern CA

Well, can you get outdoors? From what we understand going on a hike is okay as long as it's not busy and you can maintain six feet of distance from others. And staying local in your community. So we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite easy hikes and bike rides around Southern California. Due to the changing dynamics of the Covid-19 health emergency, please be sure to thoroughly check the official websites of all outdoor places and spaces to learn about and updates in status, such as closures, or parking lot closures. We’ll get through this—be safe, healthy, and kind!

1) Message from Weekend Sherpa's Founder

2) Glow Up

Tucked in the southeast corner of Griffith Park, Beacon Hill is an example of how you don’t have to travel far or aim high to reach one of the best panoramas of LA’s skyline.

3) Garden of the Gods

When a film location is known as “the most shot-up location in movie history” you know you’re in for an adventure. A 1-mile out-and-back trail in 23-acre Garden of the Gods threads through sandstone boulders that were natural icons of Hollywood’s Golden Age, back when this site was known as the Iverson Movie Ranch.

4) Bike the Back Bay

Biking the 10-mile Newport Beach Back Bay Loop Trail is a great way to see the quiet side of Newport Beach—the side that isn’t beach. Instead you’ll ride through 1,000 acres of coastal wetlands known as the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve.

5) Bounty of Bonelli

The 6.3-mileBonelli Park Loop Trail is proof you don’t have to go far to escape the city. In San Dimas, the park's nearly 2,000 acres of rolling hills surround 250-acre Puddingstone Lake with views of the towering San Gabriel Mountains just to the north.

6) Ride Open Spaces

This five-mile fat-tire cruise in the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve is what mountain bikers call a middle-chainring ride—no extremes, nothing technical, but rather a gentle climb into the Simi Hills and a gentle descent on the return through an oak-studded landscape. More about nature than rad biking.

7) Sonny & Share!

The Sonny Bono National Wildlife Refuge doesn’t get many human visitors, but more than 30,000 birds make it a point to visit this hidden gem every year. It consists of 2,200 acres of wetland, farm fields, and desert across two separate units on the Salton Sea’s sparsely populated south shore.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Muir Woods Night Tour

    Thousands of people flock to Muir Woods every year, yet only a few see it at night, when this beloved park is experienced in a whole new light. The Muir Woods Night Tour happens on the last Friday of every month through October.

    View
  2. Slide Ranch Marin

    Slide On Over

    Marin's Slide Ranch has a popular neighbor in the Muir Beach Overlook. But don’t overlook Slide! This open-to-the-public nonprofit organization sits on 134 acres of coastline and is filled with animals, Pacific scenery, and an adjacent hiking trail.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    Take the Exit to the Best of the San Francisco Peninsula

    The San Francisco Peninsula is proof that some of Northern California’s greatest surprises are hiding just off Highway 101. All you have to do is take the exit.

    View
  4. Hello, Sur!

    Big Sur is home to numerous fantastic beaches and coves, so which one do you choose? Go for the beach that's quintessential Big Sur (and dog-friendly!). Pfeiffer Beach in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Its signature lilac-colored sand is waiting for your feet!

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Waterfall Hunter

    If you ask a local in Reno about one of the best hiking trails in town, odds are high they’ll point you to Hunter Creek Falls. It’s a year-round favorite, but it absolutely shines in spring, when desert peach wildflowers make a splash—and so does the marquee waterfall.

    View
  2. Wapama Wows

    Hetch Hetchy can be overlooked in Yosemite National Park because of its more remote location and limited facilities. But this is where you’ll also find one of the best day hikes in the park: Wapama Falls.

    View
  3. Bike the Coastal Trail to Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay

    Ride and Seek

    Oceanside breezes, beautiful beaches, a car-free pathway for biking, and beer at the end: You’re on a roll! The San Mateo Coast was made for beach hopping and beer tasting … and it all goes down smooth as part of an 8-mile out-and-back bike ride.

    View
  4. Tamtastic Sunset

    Sure, the East Peak of Mount Tam is absolutely spectacular at sunset, but some magic-hour enthusiasts are onto a fresh perspective in getting a little more personal space for their panoramic viewings.

    View