Peaks and Valleys

A panoramic peak, a scenic gorge, a camping hideaway … and hardly anyone else on the trails! This fall set your sights on hidden adventures in Cleveland National Forest.

Week: 10.13.2016
Regions: Southern CA

Bag Los Pinos

Hiking to Los Pinos Peak in Cleveland National Forest Southern California

Bag Los Pinos! This 4,500-foot peak in southeastern Orange County’s Cleveland National Forest can be pleasantly private. Reaching it on a 5-mile (round-trip) hike is a grind, with grand rewards.
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Autumn-tastic Adventures

Autumn Adventures and Waterfalls in Redding

Waterfalls year round, hiking and biking trails filled with fall colors, famously sunny days—are you Redding for autumn? You should be! Redding is the trails capital of California, as in 225+ miles of trails located within 15 miles. Surrounded by Mount Lassen and Mount Shasta, an
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Fisherman's Friend!

Hiking and Camping in San Mateo Canyon in Cleveland National Forest Southern California

Finding a secret hike and hidden campsite in one outing? Get outta here! No seriously, get outta here. Head to the southern part of Orange County’s Cleveland National Forest, where you’ll find San Mateo Canyon, remote home to a vast gorge and an absolutely gorge-ous hiking trail.
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A Little Birdie Told You

Hiking El Cariso Nature Trail in Orange County section of the Cleveland National Forest in Southern California

Bordering Orange and Riverside counties, the El Cariso Nature Trail  in Cleveland National Forest is like the Twitter of hikes: It packs a lot within its limits. The trail gains 150 feet in elevation within a condensed 1.6-mile loop. For better and worse, the trailhead is right o
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. A man takes a break at a temple spot on a hike at Dragon Mountain in Milptas

    Dragon Quest

    The newly reopened, 4-mile out-and-back hike at Dragon Mountain in Milpitas mixes the physical with the spiritual for a serene hiking experience.

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  2. Keough's Hot Springs

    Soaking Up History

    When you slide into the soothing water of Keough’s Hot Springs, you’re bathing in a piece of Owens Valley history.

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  3. woman hiking Buck Gulch Falls Novato

    Buck Wild!

    Tucked back beyond the residential ranch-style homes and golf courses of Novato in the North Bay is a wild and wondrous 30-foot waterfall that springs to life in the rainy season. Buck Gulch Falls in Novato’s Ignacio Valley Preserve is in peak flow right now, and it’s a short and Middle-earthy hike to reach it.

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  4. Grover Hot Springs

    State Park Soaker

    Set in an alpine meadow at 6,000 feet and surrounded by the 10,000-foot granite peaks of the Sierra, Grover Hot Springs State Park—just outside the town of Markleeville—has its very own hot springs.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. Right now there's a banner and bonus view of a rare lake formation that appears only after big rains.

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  2. Hot, Wet, and Wild!

    At Wild Willy’s Hot Springs, you can soak up a primeval landscape that’s amazingly close to Mammoth Lakes and Highway 395—it just feels a few geological epochs away.

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  3. It's a Waterfall Life

    Tahquitz Canyon’s crystalline stream and lush stands of desert lavender, honey mesquite, and leafy sycamores is home to an easy day hike with a big bonus: a 60-foot waterfall that runs with remarkable gusto after winter rains.

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  4. Oh Snow Nice

    Live in California long enough, and you’ll come to know the rite of passage called “going to the snow”–when we ditch our fair-weather cities and towns in search of winter weather. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks deliver a winter wonderland worth a visit if there’s been a good dose of snow.

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