Top 10 Outdoor Adventures for 2021

Backcountry explorations, riverwalks, secret beaches, and adventurous day hikes in national parks ... here's our list of the top 10 adventures of 2021. See you on the trails next year!

Week: 12.29.2021
Regions: Southern CA

Yosemite Magic Trick

Backpack Yosemite's High Sierra from Tuolumne Meadows

camping at Evelyn Lake in Yosemite National Park
Yosemite’s High Country is magical and without crowds. At a lofty 8,700 feet, Tuolumne Meadows is one of the best trailheads for hiking or backpacking a land of smooth granite domes, high alpine meadows, jagged peaks, and sapphire lakes. Here's a 3-night backpacking itinerary...
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Ojai There!

Ride the Ventura to Ojai Bike Path

Woman biking the Ventura to Ojai bike path in Ventura County
If a substantive and super scenic bike ride is right in your wheelhouse, do the 30-mile (round-trip) Ventura-to-Ojai bike path that begins (and ends) near the Ventura shoreline, pit-stopping in delightful Ojai for food and drinks.
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Can You Keep a Secret?

Hike to Secret Beach and Visit Natural Bridges on the Oregon Coast

Two hikers making their way down to Secret Beach on the Southern Oregon Coast
The Southern Oregon Coast's Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor between Gold Beach and Brookings has so many sights to see, it’s hard to know where to spend your time. We like this trio of suggestions because you can do them as a three-in-a-row jackpot of coastal wonders.
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Mighty Among Giants

Hike to Stoddard Peak near Mount Baldy in Los Angeles County

It’s not the tallest summit, but at 4,624 feet Stoddard Peak near Los Angeles is still mighty among nearby giants like Mount Baldy and the popular Potato Mountain. And the reward? Huge views!
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Cataclysmic Galactic

Hike Around Ubehebe Crater in Death Valley National Park

Woman hiking the trail around Ubehebe Crater in Death Valley National Park
Death Valley has a Star Wars vibe going with its desolate landscape. So when you first arrive to hike at the incredible Ubehebe Crater you might expect to see the Millennium Falcon hunkered nearby.
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Lovers Loop

Hike Lovers Loop in Los Olivos and Wine Taste in Santa Ynez Valley

Peaks, canyons, streams, meadows, trees—Lovers Loop in Los Olivos is the hike of your dreams in the Santa Ynez Valley. Explore it on this 4-mile hike where beautiful vistas abound. Then, wine taste!
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Truckee Riverwalk

Refreshing Truckee River Views Along the Reno Riverwalk

Couple walking the Reno Riverwalk along the Truckee River
A city that has nature running right through it? That’s Reno! The Truckee River flows through the heart of downtown, and the popular and well-maintained Reno Riverwalk makes for a delightful downtown stroll.
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Best Overlook + Best in Beer

Hike at O'Melveny Park and Get Beers at San Fernando Valley Brewing Company

Hard climbs should reward with the best views … and the old adage is true at O’Melveny Park in Granada Hills. It's arguably home to the best overlook of the north San Fernando Valley. Enjoy seasonal beers afterwards at a stellar brewpub.
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Secret Trail at Torrey Pines

Find a secret hike at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve in San Diego County

Hiker on a trail overlooking the Pacific ocean at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve in San Diego County
Find cliff climbs, sandy strolls, and secret hikes throughout “America’s finest sandy stretch" at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve in San Diego County.
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Barrel of Fun

Hike and Wine Taste in Palmdale in Antelope Valley

Group of four friends enjoying wine at Thief and Barrel in Palmdale Antelope Valley
Put a spring in your step and a barrel in your belly in Antelope Valley's Palmdale. Do a 2.75-mile hike on Barrel Springs Trail and enjoy a local winery that shares part of the nomenclature.
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

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  2. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

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  3. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

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  4. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Locals' Feature: Jim Litchfield, Owner of Reno Fly Shop

    If there's a river, you're likely to find Jim Litchfield there. As the owner of Reno Fly Shop, Nevada's premier fly fishing outfitter and shop, Jim's passion for rivers knows no bounds: he's fished in places near and far, including Alaska, Bolivia and Christmas Island. But home is beautiful Reno, where he has been running Reno Fly Shop and leading tailored river float and fly fishing adventures (including beginner-friendly options) for over a decade.

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  2. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

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  3. Volcanic Activity

    Northern California is home to one of the most unique ecosystems in the country: Lassen Volcanic National Park. The region features geothermal areas, including the largest dome volcano in the world, Lassen Peak. Hike to the top of this active volcano on a 5-mile out-and-back.  

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  4. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

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