Spring for These Hikes

Famous for its sandy beaches and sunny days, San Diego County also has a more mountainous side. From south to north, here are three hikes to get you going.

Week: 05.11.2015
Regions: Southern CA

The Frequent Flyer's Mountain

Hike San Miguel Mountain in San Diego

If you've ever landed at the San Diego International Airport, you've likely circled around San Miguel Mountain before touching down. At 2,559 feet, San Miguel isn't a prominent mountain, but hiking it is a good challenge. The 5-mile round-trip journey is steep all the way until t
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End of the Road, Beginning of Adventure

Tofino BC Hikes and Adventures

Welcome to the end of the road: Your outdoor bliss is just beginning. Located on the farthest reaches of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, the oceanside town of Tofino has rightly been dubbed "the jewel of Canada's west coast." This is the place where rough and tumble meets t
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Volcan Victory

Hike Volcan Mountain

Hike Volcan Mountain
Some days you've just got to head for the hills. Just an hour east of San Diego, Julian is a popular apple pie hub, yet few people venture beyond to nearby Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve at Wynola. They're missing out on a hiker's haven. It's 5 miles (round-trip) to Volcan's
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Palomar's Other Side

Hike the Barker Valley Trail on Palomar Mountain

Palomar Mountain in Northern San Diego County is a popular location for cyclists, thanks to its steep, hairpin road that twists and turns to the observatory up top. But there's a road less traveled on the back side of this mountain range and it leads to beautiful Barker Valley Tr
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Hidden Botanical Garden

    Forget a dozen roses. Give your love a botanical garden. Hidden on the western slope of Sonoma Valley’s Mayacamas Mountains, Sonoma Botanical Garden has one of the Bay Area’s best displays of Asian flora—and it’s a brilliant place for a quiet picnic and some calming contemplations.

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  2. Sunnyvale and Salty

    For up-close bird watching, it’s hard to beat a walk along the San Francisco Bay. This 5-mile loop on the Sunnyvale coast is a favorite of local wildlife photographers.

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  3. A man takes a break at a temple spot on a hike at Dragon Mountain in Milptas

    Dragon Quest

    The newly reopened, 4-mile out-and-back hike at Dragon Mountain in Milpitas mixes the physical with the spiritual for a serene hiking experience.

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  4. woman hiking Buck Gulch Falls Novato

    Buck Wild!

    Tucked back beyond the residential ranch-style homes and golf courses of Novato in the North Bay is a wild and wondrous 30-foot waterfall that springs to life in the rainy season. Buck Gulch Falls in Novato’s Ignacio Valley Preserve is in peak flow right now, and it’s a short and Middle-earthy hike to reach it.

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  1. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike 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. Right now there's a banner and bonus view of a rare lake formation that appears only after big rains.

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  2. Keough's Hot Springs

    Soaking Up History

    When you slide into the soothing water of Keough’s Hot Springs, you’re bathing in a piece of Owens Valley history.

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  3. It's a Waterfall Life

    Tahquitz Canyon’s crystalline stream and lush stands of desert lavender, honey mesquite, and leafy sycamores is home to an easy day hike with a big bonus: a 60-foot waterfall that runs with remarkable gusto after winter rains.

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  4. Grover Hot Springs

    State Park Soaker

    Set in an alpine meadow at 6,000 feet and surrounded by the 10,000-foot granite peaks of the Sierra, Grover Hot Springs State Park—just outside the town of Markleeville—has its very own hot springs.

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