Fall Classics of Southern California

The orange crush of autumn is here. From stunning sunsets to hikes showcasing the warm hues and pumpkin comforts of harvest, here are some SoCal classics worth falling for.

Week: 09.07.2016
Regions: Southern CA

Hollywood Sunset

Sunset hike to Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles

We know, we know, there are all kinds of ways to hike to the Hollywood sign. But to see this icon in its best light, go closer to sunset and take the short, classic route up Mount Lee in Griffith Park. A late-day start means fewer people, less heat, and more lenient parking regul
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Two Hikes, Trees Company

Hike Hidden Valley and Barker Dam in Joshua Tree

If you have time for only one hike during your visit in Joshua Tree National Park, do two! Located just 5 miles from the park's main entrance—and within 5 minutes of each other—the Hidden Valley and Barker Dam loops combine for a total of 2.5 miles, and make a great way to see th
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Towsley Tramp

Towsley Canyon Loop

Kickstart the season with a workout hike featuring outstanding panoramas, meaty switchbacks, shaded sections for cooling breaks, bizarre rock formations, and miniature tar pits. The 5.1-mile (round-trip) Towsley Canyon Loop in Ed Davis Park starts on a dirt path that passes throu
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LA Story

Watch the Sunset from Barnsdall Art Park

Like a good Hollywood story, the Barnsdall Art Park made a great comeback. Once an overlooked urban space in LA, this 36-acre East Hollywood hillside park is now a burgeoning center of art and local history.
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How Do You Like Them Pumpkins?

Hike Oak Glen Preserve and U Pick Pumpkins

If it weren't for pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks, we Angelenos might never know that fall has arrived. Unless you know about Oak Glen’s good old fashioned u-pick pumpkin and hiking adventure combo.  Nestled in the San Bernardino Mountains just 90 minutes outside of LA, this ti
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Lizard Like

Coastal hike to Lizard's Mouth in Santa Barbara

As a coastal enclave where beaches meet mountains, Santa Barbara County is one of those places that run the risk of having too much of a good thing. But fortunately we know a spot where you get views of both! Up on a ridge off a highway cutting through Goleta and Santa Barbara yo
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Alabama Backdrop

Hiking among rare formations at Alabama Hills in Owens Valley California

Despite being named for a Confederate warship, the CSS Alabama, there’s nothing Southern about the Alabama Hills. This range of rocky hills between the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada and the town of Lone Pine in the Owens Valley is Californian to the core, embodying a mythic
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Stairway to Stonewall

Hike Stonewall Peak in San Diego

The Cuyamaca Mountains east of San Diego are well known as a wildlife haven, and outdoor enthusiasts know it. So how do you escape the crowds? Adventure up! To 5,737-foot Stonewall Peak. This 4-mile (round-trip) hike leads to a brilliant panorama. The trailhead is accessed from t
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  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.

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  2. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

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  3. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

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  4. Sponsored

    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.

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  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

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  2. Two women on e-bikes at Cass Vineyard and Winery near Paso Robles

    Eat, Drink, E-bike!

    No offense to charcuterie but sometimes you want a full meal while tasting world-class wine. And Paso Robles knows this better than perhaps any other wine region in California. Case in point: Cass Vineyard and Winery, where you can eat, drink, and e-bike!

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  3. Diamond 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.

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  4. Jurupa Jamboree

    If you like a short hike with a side of adventure, try the Jurupa Hills North Trail in Martin Tudor Jurupa Hills Regional Park.

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