Spring Hikes

Ahhh, sunny spring days! With all of winter's rain, the trails are super-charged. Here's a roundup of some SoCal spring hiking classics.

Week: 02.22.2017
Regions: Southern CA

Black Star Canyon

Hiking to Black Star Canyon Falls in Orange County

A hike to the roaring Black Star Canyon Falls in the heart of the Santa Ana Mountains is not for the faint of heart nor the weak of ankle. This waterfall in the Santa Ana River is flowing stronger than it has in years! And it’s reachable via a challenging and exciting 7-mile out-
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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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Garden of the Gods

Hiking the Garden of the Gods in Los Angeles

A 1-mile out-and-back trail in 23-acre Garden of the Gods threads through sandstone boulders that were natural icons of Hollywood’s Golden Age, back when this site was known as the Iverson Movie Ranch.
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Nevada's Hidden Waterholes

Discovering Nevada's Hidden Water Holes

One of the most famous festivals in the world happens in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert every September (Burning Man), but what you may not know is that in spring the “playa” is a completely different world, especially this year! Aside from no crowds, epic winter rains have led to a
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The Frequent Flyer's Mountain

Hike San Miguel Mountain in San Diego

If you've ever landed at the San Diego International Airport, you've likely circled around San Miguel Mountain before touching down. At 2,559 feet, San Miguel isn't a prominent mountain, but hiking it is a good challenge. The 5-mile round-trip journey is steep all the way until t
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Coachella Kinda Day

Coachella Valley View Hike Palm Springs

The Coachella Valley Preserve protects some 20,000 acres of wild desert, where the San Andreas Fault has worked as chief landscape architect. Seismic action forced freshwater springs to pop up from underground, and the water nourishes groves of California fan palms—thousands of t
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Turnbull, Trekkin', Temple

Hiking in Turnbull Canyon in Los Angeles

Some hikes are like a highlight reel: they feature all of the good stuff quickly. Turnbull Canyon near the town of Whittier in LA County is the centerpiece of the Puente Hills Preserve, and home to a 4.5-mile loop trail that rises to phenomenal views. The hike begins on Turnbull
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Island Traverse

Backpacking and camping on Santa Cruz Island on Channel Islands National Park

Backpackers traversing the seaside mountain range on Santa Cruz Island in Channel Islands National Park
As the largest of the Channel Islands, Santa Cruz also has bragging rights to two mountain ranges. For a grand (and grandly scenic) tour, lace up the boots and go on a 15-mile (one-way) backpacking trek that traverses the eastern side of the island.
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  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

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  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

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  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

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  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

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  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

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  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

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  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

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  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

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