All Stories from Southern CA
Hugging the Coast in San Clemente
San Clemente is always a treat, but never more so than on this 4.6-mile (round-trip) stroll on the town’s lovely Beach Trail, with a stairway to beautiful coastal views.
ViewSerene Scene
Peace, reflection, and rejuvenation are gifts that any mother will love, and all are in abundance at the Self-Realization Fellowship Temple in Encinitas, where serene gardens overl
ViewTunnel Vision
Don’t expect logic from oddball desert hermits! At Burro Schmidt Tunnel, that’s to our great benefit. It took 32 years for William “Burro” Schmidt to dig through a mountain in a re
ViewRed, White, and Hoodoos
“Don’t stay on the trail” sounds like an odd suggestion, but it’s the best way to explore the crimson sandstone cliffs and hoodoos that crosscut Red Rock Canyon State Park in the n
ViewThe Tortoise In Its Lair
The Mojave Desert’s most extraordinary creatures are rarely seen, but at the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area, you’ll have your best chance. Tortoises live in higher density i
ViewTake the Plunge!
Who knew that sleepy Ramona is home to an 80-foot waterfall complete with a deep, frigid pool in the midst of a lush oasis? Reach Cedar Creek Falls in Cleveland National Forest by
ViewBite-Size Torrey Pines
Sometimes bite-size hikes deliver gourmet-size rewards! These coastal trails in Torrey Pines deliver astounding scenery in a park that is home to the rarest pine species in the cou
ViewAt Play in Kate’s Place
Come for the trails, stay for the view! Kate O. Sessions Memorial Park is a dog-friendly urban park with 79 acres of open space where you can hike, picnic, toss a Frisbee, fire up
ViewPine City Blooms
Where do you find the most condensed and diverse display of wildflowers of any hike in Joshua Tree National Park? Plus pine trees and a powerful sense of solitude? Why, in Pine City—which isn't a city at all. It's a 4-mile out-and-back trek.
ViewWillow Hole in Wonderland
All of Joshua Tree National Park might seem like a rocky wonderland, but this hike takes you into the Wonderland—the Wonderland of Rocks—home to a secluded watering hole. Lace up!
ViewUnoccupied Wall Street
Going wild on Wall Street doesn’t have to mean buying and selling stocks. It can be about hiking and exploring a quiet trail in Joshua Tree National Park. One that leads to the int
ViewLace Up for Lacy
Lacy Park in San Marino is a hidden gem that may very well be the most pristine green space in greater Los Angeles, and a concealed pair of nearby stairways makes it all the more appealing.
ViewCastles in the Air
This staircase hike takes you on a journey into classic old Hollywood charm and reveals gorgeous views, but you have to work for it! Your fantasy-world journey begins on Beachwood
ViewA Thousand Steps to Paradise
A picture is worth a thousand words, but is a gorgeous beach in Laguna worth a thousand steps? The answer is yes, though the question is moot, because it’s only 223 steep steps dow
ViewDiamond in the Rough
March Madness may be over, but the wildflower rush has just begun! This spring, in the Southern California regional bracket, Hemet’s Diamond Valley Lake is our surprise pick for the Fab Flowers Finals. Take a 2-mile round-trip hike in botanical bliss.
ViewPoint Dume Bloom!
On this 2-mile loop hike in Mailibu's Point Dume Natural Preserve, you can find yourself walking through fields of brilliant yellow specimens—some of them chest high and taller—but also dip down to pristine beaches and tide pools, possibly crowning your visit with a gray-whale sighting.
ViewState Park Stunner
Stunning blankets of wildflowers are blooming in Chino Hills State Park, adding brilliant splashes of color to the most vividly green rolling hills in Southern California. You’ll h
ViewBlack Star Canyon
A hike to the roaring Black Star Canyon Falls in the heart of the Santa Ana Mountains is not for the faint of heart nor the weak of ankle. This waterfall in the Santa Ana River is
ViewBig Sycamore Canyon
After a five-year drought, winter rains have reawakened a waterfall hidden deep within Big Sycamore Canyon and turned it into a spring fantasy. See for yourself on a 4.7-mile loop
ViewLa Jolla Canyon
Hiking La Jolla Canyon in Point Mugu State Park after winter rains is like entering a lost world. That usually bone-dry creek bed? It’s a flowing river. Those brown hillsides? They
View
Weekend in Reno Tahoe
Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.
Reno Tahoe's Unique Spring Fun
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