Fall's First Hikes

Saying goodbye to summer can be hard, but autumn brings its own beauty and seasonal fun. Here are three suggestions for that first fall hike.

Week: 09.25.2024
Regions: Southern CA

Apple of Your Eye

Hike and see fall colors at Oak Glen Preserve near Yucaipa

Hiker amid trees at Oak Glen Preserve in Yucaipa Southern California
sunflowers on a trail at Oak Glen Preserve near Yucaipa
HIkers' boots amid fallen apples on the ground at Oak Glen Preserve near Yucaipa
Hiker in a redwood grove at Oak Glen Preserve near Yucaipa in Oak Glen Southern California
That fall feeling is definitely in the air and on display at the Oak Glen Preserve. Apple orchards and colorful leaves are a bonus, as are the apple cider donuts and slushies you can enjoy post-hike.
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Nature & Nurture in Reno Tahoe

Step Outside of Your Comfort Zone in Reno Tahoe

Reno Tahoe doesn’t want you to step outside of your comfort zone this fall. It wants you to leap outside of it! Find your true nature in a place where there are no limits on how you adventure, and how you relax.
Discover Your Reno Tahoe Adventure

Solstice Treasure

A Hike in Solstice Canyon

Solstice Canyon Malibu
Solstice Canyon Malibu
Solstice Canyon is itself a hidden treasure, but the Sostomo and Deer Valley Loop Trail is a treasure within the treasure.
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Big Bear Hug

Hike to Grays Peak in Big Bear and Visit Oktoberfest

Hike on Grays Peak Trail in Big Bear California
Sign for Grays Peak Trail in Big Bear Southern California
Fall colors on Grays Peak Trail in Big Bear Lakes Southern California
Hiker on Grays Peak Trail amid fall foliage in Big Bear Lakes
Grays Peak in Big Bear is fall-loaded with vibrant colors. This 6.8-mile (round-trip) hike in the San Bernardino National Forest provides all the fall feels, with crisp mountain air and beautiful churning leaves.
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

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  2. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

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  3. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

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  4. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Locals' Feature: Jim Litchfield, Owner of Reno Fly Shop

    If there's a river, you're likely to find Jim Litchfield there. As the owner of Reno Fly Shop, Nevada's premier fly fishing outfitter and shop, Jim's passion for rivers knows no bounds: he's fished in places near and far, including Alaska, Bolivia and Christmas Island. But home is beautiful Reno, where he has been running Reno Fly Shop and leading tailored river float and fly fishing adventures (including beginner-friendly options) for over a decade.

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  2. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

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  3. Volcanic Activity

    Northern California is home to one of the most unique ecosystems in the country: Lassen Volcanic National Park. The region features geothermal areas, including the largest dome volcano in the world, Lassen Peak. Hike to the top of this active volcano on a 5-mile out-and-back.  

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  4. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

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