All Wrightwood!

Fall Getaway to Wrightwood

10.28.2015

Fall is a beautiful time to be in the mountains, and one of the best places to go that's still close to home? Wrightwood. Called the "best kept secret in Southern California," Wrightwood sits at 6,000 feet in the San Gabriels, surrounded by dramatic peaks and those famous Jeffrey pines towering to 100 feet. It's fall of fun outdoor adventures:

Hike the Icons: Surprise—many of Southern California's bucket-list hikes are around Wrightwood! Lace up and do a section of the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs through the Wrightwood area and offers sweeping alpine scenery. Or get to huge views on a more easygoing trek. Wrightwood has a variety of hiking trails, including the challenging Mount Baden Powell Trail and the more moderate Big Horn Mine Trail (both options lead to epic panoramas!). Check out the best hikes to do in the area.

Zippity Do! 14 ziplines, 3 sky bridges, and speeds of up to 55 miles per hour: oh hell yeahhhhhhh! Big Pines Zipline Tours unleashes your inner Indy as you fly through pine-scented forests at an elevation of 7,000 feet, rappel down trees, take big leaps, and do a side-by-side race to the finish! The spectacular eco-friendly course lets you take in views of the San Gabriels, and on a clear day, the Mojave Desert. Check out all of the zipline packages (including one with two freefalls!)

Find other outdoor adventures in Wrightwood, located just 76 miles northeast of LA. Make it an overnighter by reserving lodging or a campsite.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View

  4. Roaring Good Time

    There’s nothing quite like the majestic beauty of California’s redwood forests. Now, imagine experiencing those towering giants aboard a historic 19th-century steam train. Roaring Camp Railroads in Felton is home to some of the oldest and most authentically preserved narrow-gauge steam engines in America.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  2. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

    View
  3. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View