Welcome to the New Weekend Sherpa

Set on the coast between Oxnard and Malibu, Point Mugu State Park is dressed to impress. Make a date with its namesake peak on a 5-mile (round-trip) summit-bagging hike.

 

Joshua Tree National Park is wild in more ways than its gnarly trees. Hike the park's west side for a big-picture vantage of the desertscape. The 6.7-mile Lost Horse Mine loop is both eerie and beautiful.

 

Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County is prized for its glistening beaches, but there's also 2,400 acres of backcountry, including a 9-mile hike (or mountain bike) to a high point that rewards with gorgeous coastal scenery.

 

Urban hiking has a wild side, and the proof is just northeast of downtown LA. This 4-mile loop traverses Mount Washington and includes a cardio climb up a mountain with stunning views.

 

From afar, Stoney Point Park in Simi Valley looks like a real-life drip sandcastle. Get right into it though and find a park filled with hidden caves and alcoves only nature could design.

 

Sometimes the skyline's the limit, and that's a good thing if you're visiting Ascot Hills Park, an 83-acre LA respite that offers a winter sunset to remember.

 

Mojave National Preserve's got more than a few ways to get your adrenaline pumping, so go with the flow—or rather, go where the lava once flowed.

Week: 02.25.2016
Regions: Southern CA

Mugu Magic

Set on the coast between Oxnard and Malibu, Point Mugu State Park is dressed to impress. Make a date with its namesake peak on a 5-mile (round-trip) summit-bagging hike.

point_mugu41-image-jpeg

 

Joshua's Wild Side

Joshua Tree National Park is wild in more ways than its gnarly trees. Hike the park's west side for a big-picture vantage of the desertscape. The 6.7-mile Lost Horse Mine loop is both eerie and beautiful.

losthorsemineorig_lrg-image-jpeg

 

Crystal Ball

Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County is prized for its glistening beaches, but there's also 2,400 acres of backcountry, including a 9-mile hike (or mountain bike) to a high point that rewards with gorgeous coastal scenery.

Crystal Cove hike

 

LA Stairway

Urban hiking has a wild side, and the proof is just northeast of downtown LA. This 4-mile loop traverses Mount Washington and includes a cardio climb up a mountain with stunning views.

img_4478-image-jpeg

 

Bigger and Boulder

From afar, Stoney Point Park in Simi Valley looks like a real-life drip sandcastle. Get right into it though and find a park filled with hidden caves and alcoves only nature could design.

stoneypoint4-image-jpeg

 

The Great Ascot!

Sometimes the skyline's the limit, and that's a good thing if you're visiting Ascot Hills Park, an 83-acre LA respite that offers a winter sunset to remember.

los-angeles-sunset-hikes-image-jpeg

 

Lava & Java

Mojave National Preserve's got more than a few ways to get your adrenaline pumping, so go with the flow—or rather, go where the lava once flowed.

mojave-national-preserve-hike-image-jpeg

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Perles Beach Angel Island San Francisco Bay

    Secret Beach

    A hidden beach and a killer view? Those are hard to come by, but that’s exactly what you’ll get at Perles Beach on Angel Island. Bike or hike to this beautiful pocket cove.

    View

  2. Cinematic Sonoma

    Longer days. Golden light. Wildflowers in bloom. It’s the perfect moment to plan your spring escape to Sonoma for the Sonoma International Film Festival, March 25–29. No fuss. No sprawl. Just films, friends, fresh air, and that unmistakable Sonoma glow.

    View
  3. Hike Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve

    Mellow in the Marsh

    Beach, birds, ice plant popping purple flowers: That’s a hiking slam dunk! Hike about 2 miles at Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve using their easy to navigate (well-signed) Sequoia Audubon Trail.

    View
  4. A man is looking through his binoculars at sunrise at the Bayland Nature Preserve in Palo Alto

    Baylands Bird & Art Loop

    Combine an outdoor art walk and wildlife sightings at the Baylands Nature Preserve in Palo Alto. This 5-mile loop through Byxbee Park and the Emily Renzel Wetlands features striking installations by artists Peter Richards and Michael Oppenheimer—where the landscape itself becomes part of the canvas.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Tree Town

    Home to an estimated 21,000 trees and 100 acres of parkland, South Pasadena has earned its nickname: the City of Trees. This 2.5-mile neighborhood walk lets you experience its leafy canopy up close, winding through charming streets and three of the city’s beloved parks.

    View

  2. A Better Way to Baldwin

    The Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook in Culver City is one of West L.A.’s most popular hiking spots, but most visitors miss the bigger picture. This 3.5-mile out-and-back along a section of the Park to Playa Trail offers a fuller experience of this gorgeous nature park with sweeping urban views and a few artistic surprises along the way.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    Warm Up to Winter in Reno Tahoe

    2026 is just getting started, but there’s one place already rising to the top as the best for adventure and relaxation: Reno Tahoe. The awe—and ahhhs—begin as soon as you arrive. G

    View
  4. A woman standing at the pond's edge at Ernest B Debs Regional Park in Los Angeles. Trees are making reflections on the pond.

    Urban Oasis Loop

    Home to the city’s Audubon Center, Ernest E. Debs' 282-acre park features a robust network of hiking trails and surprising wildlife diversity. More than 140 bird species have been spotted here. Birdwatcher or not, this 2.5-mile route makes for a gorgeous outing.

    View