Ancient Wanders

Hiking is a fantastic way to walk in the footsteps of Native Americans who thrived in Southern California long before the Spanish arrived. From Chumash villages in the Santa Monicas to Luiseño rock art in Perris, explore the vestiges of Native American culture on these three beautiful hikes.

Week: 03.14.2019
Regions: Southern CA

Waterfall, Wildflowers, and a Chumash Hike

A Visit to Satwiwa Cultural Center and a Chumash Hike in the Santa Monica Mountains

Under the shadow of majestic Boney Mountain, Satwiwa Native American Indian Cultural Center in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is a fascinating place to explore, with gorgeous hiking paths like the Satwiwa Loop Trail and an optional side-trip into Point Mugu W
Read the full story

How to Visit Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

How to Visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park

Stay in the Park Sleep among giants in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, with plenty of lodging options, from the famous “Honeymoon Cabin” to the amazing stone-and-cedar Wuksachi Lodge set at 7,200 feet and surrounded by Sierra peaks, and the legendary John Muir Lodge. Take
Visit our sponsor Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park

10,000 Years in 1,000 Oaks

Visiting the Chumash Indian Museum in Oakbrook Regional Park

A hike at the Chumash Indian Museum in Oakbrook Regional Park is truly a step back in time. You walk through a garden of native plants and into classic Calfiornia landscape—rolling oak woodlands watered by the gentle flow of Conejo Creek. Built on the site of an old Chumash villa
Read the full story

The Lost Pictographs of Perris, Found!

A Hike to the Pictographs of Lake Perris

Long before there was a Lake Perris there were the Luiseño people, known in their own language as the Payomkawichum (“people of the west”). They lived here for thousands of years, and left behind pictographs that can still be seen today. From the Bernasconi Day Use Area, head eas
Read the full story

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  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.

    View

  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.

    View

  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.

    View

  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. 

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  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.

    View

  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.

    View

  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.

    View
  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.

    View