All Stories from Southern CA

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  Old Towne Orange

  Tour the county’s namesake city via a 2.5-mile hike in El Modena Open Space, followed by a stroll through the charming Old Towne district.

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  Fountain to the Falls

  There are three ways to reach the lovely Monrovia Canyon Falls, but only one of them is worthy of being named a good challenge!

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  Fill Up on Fallbrook

  This small town in northern San Diego County has more than 10 nature preserves. Explore two less-visited hiking havens: Hellers Bend and Dinwiddie Preserve

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  Trio of Trails

  Get into Joshua Tree National Park Park early and hit the classic circuit of short trails before the crowds arrive. We also have some food and overnight recos.

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  The Ryan King

  At 5,456 feet, the summit of Ryan Mountain has the best view in the park. Its brilliant panoramic expanse, spanning desert to mountains, and—bonus—late afternoons can feature a sky tinged with lavender thanks to the low-sitting sun.

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  Split Decision

  Joshua Tree is famous for its namesake trees but it's also got some big-ass boulders! We're talking size-of-a-building boulders. See them on an off-the-beaten-path hike along the Split Rock Trail.

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  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

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  Hollywood Ending

  Is the Hollywood Sign ready for its close-up? See it up close on the 3-mile round-trip hike up Aileen B. Getty Ridge Trail, which crosses the 1,820-foot summit of Cahuenga Peak.

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  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.

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  Old Tower, New Home

  Castro Peak Lookout can be viewed via a 5.6-mile gut-bustin’, heart-thumpin’ out-and-back hike that delivers panoramic vistas of the San Gabriel Valley

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  High Rise

  It’s a tall order to hike 3.3 miles up a series of steady switchbacks to the 3,375-foot summit of Jones Peak, but this trek rewards with views that get better the higher you go.

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  Sitton Pretty

  Sitton Peak is a 3,273-foot summit in the Santa Ana Mountains. All in, a 10-mile hike gets you to a panoramic summit filled with hills galloping toward the Pacific.

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  Skate Date

  Ice skating in the land of palm trees? That's so LA, and we love it!

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  Cave Culture

  Cave Landing, a craggy headland between Avila Beach and Pismo Beach, is a storied stretch of the Central Coast that stirs potent reveries in the beholder.

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  Small Craft Morning

  San Luis Obispo Bay is a lovely place to kayak. The highlands backing the bay and a jetty at its western end protect the harbor from tough paddling.

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  Old SLO Hills

  Hike Johnson Ranch, a sprawling 242-acre open space south of San Luis Obispo and north of Avila Beach where vistas seem to ever unfold in new directions. 

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  Planet of the Oaks

  Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

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  Arrowhead Ahead

  Deciduous black oaks and Fremont cottonwoods line the Sawmill Road Loop Trail near Lake Arrowhead, making it one of the best places in SoCal for a seasonal kaleidoscope of changing leaves.

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  Rocky Picture Show

  Suicide Rock near Idyllwild is a SoCal hot spot for changing colors in the fall, and a great workout as well. The 6.3-mile out-and-back hike rewards with autumn yellows and sweeping views.

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