Wild Hikes

So close, yet so far away. These cities in SoCal offer fantastic nearby hiking destinations where you can go wild without having to go to the wilds!

Week: 09.29.2021
Regions: Southern CA

Sublime in Sycamore

Hike Sycamore Canyon Loop near Riverside Inland Empre

The 3.5-mile round-trip Sycamore Canyon loop is just minutes from bustling Riverside yet feels like a journey through the wilderness of an Old West movie.
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Clarity in Claremont

Hike the rugged Claremont Hills Wilderness Park in Los Angeles County

Mountainous view in Claremont Hills Wilderness Park in Los Angeles County
The majority of Claremont Hills Wilderness Park is inaccessible, rugged terrain but there’s a 4.9-mile moderate loop that’s well-maintained and feels gloriously far away, despite being close to the city.
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Bommer Beauty

Hike Bommer Canyon Trail in Irvine

Hiker crossing over a bridge on the trail at Bommer Canyon Open Space Preserve in Orange County
Hiker starting on the Bommer Canyon Trail in its namesake preserved in Orange County
Bright green cacti in the foreground scenery of Bommer Canyon Open Space Preserved
Hiker on a wide open trail at Bommer Canyon Open Space Preserve in Orange County
This 4.6-mile out-and-back hike in Orange County's Bommer Canyon Open Space Preserve has beautiful vistas and a Mediterranean-type ecosystem.
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Weekend Sherpa Podcast: Take it Outside

Weekend Sherpa Podcast: Take it Outside

Weekend Sherpa Podcast
A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.
Adventure for your earbuds. What's new in the world of the outdoors? Listen to Weekend Sherpa co-founders discuss local hikes, beaches, bike rides, camping spots and all kinds of travel and adventure in California and beyond!
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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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Trending Stories SoCal

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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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