Summer Sensations

Whoa, summer—slow down already! Get outside to savor the best of the season with some peak hikes, cave explorations, canoe paddles, and ... don't forget some beer tasting!

Week: 08.08.2019
Regions: Southern CA

Kicking Butler

Hiking Butler Peak in the San Bernardino Mountains

When you reach the fire lookout tower that crowns 8,535-foot Butler Peak, you reach a 360-degree panoramic view that captures the grandeur of SoCal’s most epic mountain ranges—the towering ridges of the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the daunting peaks of the San Gabrie
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Grin and Big Bear It!

Canoeing Big Bear Lake

Summer in Big Bear means only one thing: Get out on the lake! The best way, of course, is to rent a canoe, so you can paddle, sightsee, and rekindle summer camp memories all at the same time. If you pick up your canoe at Captain John’s Marina in Grout Bay, you’re near Stanfield M
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Swimming Holes and Natural Waterslides!

Redding Swimming Holes and Natural Waterslides

Little Backbone Creek Little Backbone Creek is known as nature’s waterpark for good reason. It’s a 20-minute hike up a creek in a canyon, passing boulders and ponds before arriving to the marquee attraction: a smooth rock waterfall that plunges you into the creek. Potem Falls Pot
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Rob A Peak!

Hike Robber's Peak in Orange County

It’s a guilty pleasure to bag a peak via a short hike. Steal some spectacular views in Orange County’s Santiago Oaks Regional Park. A 3.5-mile loop climbs to 1,152-foot Robbers Peak (a.k.a. Robber’s Roost) and earns you gorgeous vistas of Orange County, iconic mountains, and the
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Bolsa and a Nano Brewery

Hike Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach

Whether you’re a bird nerd or just like beautiful views, the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach is a must-do in these parts. Its 1,341 acres of coastal estuary are home to over 200 avian species. Wander the 3.3-mile lollipop loop trail to explore the varying habit
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A Frame for the Sky

Hiking to Vanalden Cave in the Santa Monica Mountains

Hiker going through Vanalden Cave in the Santa Monica Mountains
It’s just a 1.5-mile (round-trip) hike on an out-and-back trail to reach Vanalden Cave in the Santa Monica Mountains, an impressively large sandstone chamber.
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  1. Sheep looking at camera in Hidden Villa Farm

    It Takes a Hidden Villa

    Adorable farm animals and peaceful hiking trails: Visit Hidden Villa in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, hike to South Bay vistas and see animal cuteness.

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  2. Woman hiker is climbing up the ladder in the Steep Ravine section of the Dipsea Loop Trail on Mount Tam

    Misty on Mount Tam

    Mount Tam’s 3.9-mile round-trip Steep Ravine and Dipsea Trail Loop weathers the wets and wilds with some confidence, sheltered in parts by redwoods, and wowing with a waterfall.

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  3. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

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  4. Up and Umunhum

    Early risers can experience one of the Bay Area’s best morning glory hikes on this 7.4-mile out-and-back up beautiful Mount Umunhum. In early spring if you arrive at the parking area right before sunrise, you’ll get a beautiful eastern view of the sun coming up between Bald Mountain and the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains. On days when fog settles into the valley, the colorful view is nothing short of magical.

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  1. Peace Labyrinth

    Hidden in LA’s historic West Adams district, the Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens is a welcome respite from the norms of urban noise.

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  2. Hikers sitting on a large rock slab next to Three Sisters Falls in Cleveland National Forest Southern California near Julian

    Three Sisters

    Good things come in threes at this hike to a lovely trio-tiered waterfall in Cleveland National Forest. The 4.25-mile out-and-back hike rambles among rolling hills, with rocky mountain views as switchbacks take you down to a lush canyon and the falls.

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  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

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  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

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