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. Hidden Botanical Garden

    Forget a dozen roses. Give your love a botanical garden. Hidden on the western slope of Sonoma Valley’s Mayacamas Mountains, Sonoma Botanical Garden has one of the Bay Area’s best displays of Asian flora—and it’s a brilliant place for a quiet picnic and some calming contemplations.

    View

  2. Sunnyvale and Salty

    For up-close bird watching, it’s hard to beat a walk along the San Francisco Bay. This 5-mile loop on the Sunnyvale coast is a favorite of local wildlife photographers.

    View
  3. A man takes a break at a temple spot on a hike at Dragon Mountain in Milptas

    Dragon Quest

    The newly reopened, 4-mile out-and-back hike at Dragon Mountain in Milpitas mixes the physical with the spiritual for a serene hiking experience.

    View
  4. woman hiking Buck Gulch Falls Novato

    Buck Wild!

    Tucked back beyond the residential ranch-style homes and golf courses of Novato in the North Bay is a wild and wondrous 30-foot waterfall that springs to life in the rainy season. Buck Gulch Falls in Novato’s Ignacio Valley Preserve is in peak flow right now, and it’s a short and Middle-earthy hike to reach it.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. Right now there's a banner and bonus view of a rare lake formation that appears only after big rains.

    View
  2. Keough's Hot Springs

    Soaking Up History

    When you slide into the soothing water of Keough’s Hot Springs, you’re bathing in a piece of Owens Valley history.

    View

  3. It's a Waterfall Life

    Tahquitz Canyon’s crystalline stream and lush stands of desert lavender, honey mesquite, and leafy sycamores is home to an easy day hike with a big bonus: a 60-foot waterfall that runs with remarkable gusto after winter rains.

    View
  4. Grover Hot Springs

    State Park Soaker

    Set in an alpine meadow at 6,000 feet and surrounded by the 10,000-foot granite peaks of the Sierra, Grover Hot Springs State Park—just outside the town of Markleeville—has its very own hot springs.

    View