Wild Hikes

The San Bernardino National Forest is an 800,000-acre playground of deep canyons, soaring peaks, and five separate wilderness areas. Here are three day-hikes worth going wild for!

Week: 10.06.2015
Regions: Southern CA

Pines and Panoramas

Hike to Views Over Santa Ana River Valley

Ponderosa pines sighing with mountain breezes set the stage for this 3-mile out-and-back hike that serves up outstanding views of the Santa Ana River Valley. Start at Barton Flats Visitor Center’s east entrance, following the Rio Monte Panorama sign. A squiggly trail parallels Hi
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Coastal Walks of Monterey County

Coastal Walks in Monterey County

Taking a walk has proven health benefits. And taking a walk along the coast of Monterey County—well, that will add years to your life … and life to your years! Here are a few to keep you glowing through the fall. Carmel-by-the-Sea's Moveable Feast: Maybe you've walked the cobbles
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High Low There!

Hike the Santa Ana River Trail

A happy hiker's checklist for a good fall hike: crisp fresh air, a forest mix of hardwood and fragrant conifer, flowing trail with scattered boulders, ridgelines, mountain views, and a babbling brook. Oh yeah, and a post-hike meal at a hometown restaurant with log beam ceilings a
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Home Sweet Mountain Home

Solitude Hike on Mountain Home Flats Trail

Score solitude on a little-used trail in two scenic canyons on the lower flanks of the San Bernardino Mountains south of Angelus Oaks. The 3-mile (round-trip) hike on Mountain Home Flats Trail has a remote vibe, with invigorating bouts of navigational acumen and challenging terra
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Man hiking up a trail at Montara Mountain, with a view of the Pacific and Grey Whale sand beach in the background

    From Beach to Summit

    No need to decide between a beach and a mountaintop—this hike includes both! Explore the stunning coastal scenery on this 6-mile out-and-back up Montara Mountain and into Rancho Corral de Tierra.

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  2. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

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  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

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  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Woman walking in the Venice Canals of Los Angeles County

    Canal Contemplations

    With its incense-scented boardwalk, bohemian shops, skateparks, and abundance of body builders, Venice is happily eccentric, and artistic. Exhibit A: Its network of European-style canals with charming bridges, offering a tranquil tour of the town’s history.

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  2. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

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  3. What's Up, Winthrop!

    It’s not just its location close to Washington State’s spectacular and less visited national park (North Cascades) that makes Winthrop such a winsome mountain town. This lively enclave in the Methow Valley bristles with a whimsical blend of Wild West charms, contemporary culture, and a mosaic of outdoor adventures—from river to lake to waterfalls, and beyond.

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  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    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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