Full Moon Hikes in Southern California

Full Moon Hikes for Lunatics

Bright lunar light makes some folks a little wiggy—hence the word “lunatic.” Our feeling: You’d have to be crazy NOT to get out and hike under a big full moon from time to time! Here are three trails where silvery light will guide you to some magical mountain views.

Week: 10.10.2019
Regions: Southern CA

Full Moon, 90049

Full Moon Hike Up Westridge Trail in Brentwood

Dog friendly full moon hike Westridge Trail Brentwood
City lights and ocean views: Brentwood’s dog-friendly, 7.4-mile (round-trip) Westridge Fire Road trail offers both, no headlamp required. The full moon is bright enough to light up this exposed trail on your return trip.
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Famous Potato

Full Moon Hike Up Potato Mountain in Claremont

Hike to Potato Mountain in Claremont
On Potato Mountain, you get panoramic views, a great workout, and ... potatoes! The 4.4-mile trail through the foothills of the San Gabriels climbs gradually to the summit of Potato Mountain.
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Ahhh-tumn Yosemite

Fall Getaway to Yosemite's Tenaya Lodge

Tenaya Lodge Explorer Cabin
Fall colors and fewer people are just a couple of reasons autumn is one of Yosemite’s most beautiful seasons.
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OC Astronomy 101

Full Moon Hike in Black Star Canyon Wilderness

Full Moon Hike Black Star Canyon Wilderness
A guided full-moon hike of the Mesa Trail loop in Black Star Canyon Wilderness offers access to an area only open to guided tours, safety in numbers, a nifty leg workout, and ... astronomy lessons!
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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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  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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