Three Versions of Winter in SoCal State Parks

What’s your winter pleasure? Snowshoeing in the crisp mountain air? Scanning for eagles by a mountain lake? Ogling whales from a dramatic shoreline trail? It's all doable, thanks to our nearby state parks!

Week: 02.07.2019

Regions: Southern CA

Whale Watching from Shore

Whale Watching From Shore in Crystal Cove State Park

Gray-whale season is upon us. The best way to see our majestic Baja-bound friends is, of course, by boat, but sharp eyes can spot them from shore too. Get in a good hike while admiring this great migration.

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Winter’s Just a Tram Away

Snoeshoeing Mount San Jacinto Atop the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Snowshoeing in Mount San Jacinto State Park atop the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is one of those quintessential SoCal experiences. One minute you’re basking in desert sunshine; 10 minutes later, you’re at 8,500 feet strapping on platforms that will enable you to walk through a sn

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Bald and Beautiful

Counting Bald Eagles at Silverwood Lake

Who's ready to go bald? Head to Silverwood Lake in the San Bernardinos, one of the best bald-eagle-spotting spots in SoCal, for this breathtaking experience. In the winter months, not only can you see them soar but you can also join in an important count of our once-endangered na

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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