All "Hikes" Stories in Southern CA
Fern Gully
As Jeff Goldblum's Dr. Ian Malcolm character famously said: Life finds a way. He may have been talking about a scary dinosaur takeover, but as California continues to face its wors
ViewJurassic Achievement
The epic Backbone Trail stretches over the peaks and through the canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains for nearly 70 miles, taking multiple days to complete from start to finish. R
ViewHike and Peak
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. The 1-mile (round-trip) Upper Loop Trail in this unassum
ViewSeventh Heaven Hiking
A whopping 15,000 acres of open space have been preserved in the Conejo Valley—that’s almost a third of the total size of Thousand Oaks! Wildwood Park comprises the largest contigu
ViewHike & Camp Hendy
Anderson Valley’s Hendy Woods State Park is an 845-acre beauty butting right up to the bank of the Navarro River. Its star attraction? Ancient redwood trees. And some stellar campsites and cabins.
ViewTake Paws
Runyon Canyon may be Sparky's favorite spot to see and be seen, but the hordes of people (not to mention the lurking pawparazzi), can really put a damper on things. Bark up a diffe
ViewKeep It on the Radar
You won't find your next pair of sneakers at this Nike outlet, but you'll still need a good pair of shoes for this 4-mile (round-trip) hike in the Santa Monica Mountains. The Nike
ViewTop Notch
If you like the depths as well as the heights, set out for Top of the World and Laguna Canyon. This is a 2.5-mile (round-trip) "reverse hike" in the Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderne
ViewPalomar's Other Side
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 r
ViewThe Frequent Flyer's Mountain
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 mou
ViewVolcan Victory
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 Wilderne
ViewSave Some Green
It won't cost a lot of green to sleep at Green Valley Campground. Located halfway between Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake, this campground is right where you need to be for a quie
ViewArrowhead Adjacent
Sometimes a little forest bathing (aka a healthy dose of the outdoors) is all you need to feel right with the world. Breathe in the mountain air from North Shore Campground, locate
ViewSerrano Serenade
Marshmallows, chocolate bars, graham crackers, and ghost stories. Time to gather around the campfire at Serrano Campground. Located on the north shore of Big Bear Lake, this spot i
ViewUp a Creek
Want to go on a camping trip minus the cars and RVs? The three first-come, first-served campgrounds along the Upper North Fork Matilija Creek Trail in Los Padres National Forest ca
ViewDown by the River
Carmel might be one of the best-known enclaves in the Monterey area, but its nearby Carmel River State Beach is much more of a local’s secret—especially the southern end of it. On
ViewNo Ordinary Beach
Want a beach that will really get you away from it all? Fort Ord Dunes State Park is just the ticket. This relative newcomer to the state park system gives an impressive perspectiv
ViewWalk on the Wild Side
Joshua Tree’s California Riding and Hiking Trail traverses 35 miles through the entire park, but you don't have to hike all of it to see the good stuff. Get up close and personal w
ViewTake the High Road
You don't have to rock climb to reach a brilliant panorama of Joshua Tree. A 3-mile (round-trip) hike up Ryan Mountain takes you to one of the highest peaks in the park. The trail
ViewSister Act
Nine sisters makes a big family, and it's even better when they're all good looking! San Luis Obispo is surrounded by nine ancient volcanoes known as morros, and affectionately cal
View
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