Green Hikes & Guinness

There’s something about a verdant landscape that lightens hearts and makes Irish eyes smile. We salute St. Patrick’s Day and the spirit of Éire with three hikes in this greenest of seasons—plus a suggestion for a post-hike beer (or two!) to cap off the end of each outing. Sláinte!

Week: 03.16.2017
Regions: Southern CA

The Irish Hills Are Smiling

Hiking the Irish Hills in San Luis Obispo

Everyone loves San Luis Obispo, and the Irish Hills rank high among reasons why. Inches from civilization, you enter a world laced with oak-shaded creeks, green grassy hillsides, and rugged chaparral-cloaked slopes that lift you to views stretching clear to Morro Bay and the sout
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Verdant Victory

Hiking Upper Las Virgenes Canyon in Los Angeles County

Browns and beiges are out of season in lush Woodland Hills, where Victory Trailhead launches you into a sea of rolling green on a spectacular 3.6-mile loop hike in the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve.
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Plateau Ho!

Hiking Santa Rosa Plateau Reserve in Riverside County

In the heart of the Inland Empire is a portal to California’s past, where colossal Englemann oaks spread their gnarled branches, and rare native grasses still flourish on verdant hillsides. A hike through the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve near Murrieta is a visit to Calif
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. 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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  2. Waterfalls and Wine Pours

    Cooler temps, green hills, and the return of our magnificent waterfalls! This family-friendly 2-mile hike at Uvas Canyon County Park in Morgan Hill is a great way to get the most out of a short hike post-rain.

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  3. 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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  4. Mile-Long Cataract Club

    In winter after heavy rains, the north flank of Mount Tam glows with flows. The nearly mile-long series of waterfalls—Cataract Falls—transforms into a supercharged spectacle. Starting at Alpine Dam, a 1.6 mile (one-way) narrow trails threads through redwoods and ferns along Cataract Creek.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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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. Weekend Sherpa Podcast: Take It Outside

    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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  3. 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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  4. People gathered around a tree at an LA Park as part of the Tree Tour led by Stephanie Carrie

    LA's Tree Tour

    Los Angeles is famous for its iconic palm trees but did you know that LA is home to one of the most diverse urban forests in the world? With over 1,000 different tree species lining its streets, LA offers a unique urban canopy waiting to be explored. One of the best ways to discover it is by joining a Tree Tour

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