Go Wild West!

Long before palm trees were planted, native grassland, chaparral, and oaks ruled the Southern California landscape. Hike, bike, explore, and journey back in time on three western-style adventures that recall a bygone era.

Week: 08.11.2015
Regions: Southern CA

Bike Bucolic

Road Bike Cornell in Agoura Hills

Horses are still a common mode of transport in Cornell near Agoura Hills, but there's another popular means for getting around this landscape filled with ranches, wineries, and preening peacocks roaming freely. Cyclists prize the area for its golden beauty and tough hill climbs.
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Sorensens in the High Sierra

Summer Cabins at Sorensens in Hope Valley

At the eastern edge of Hope Valley, just 20 minutes south of Lake Tahoe, lies an elegantly rustic resort. One for all seasons. Mountains and cabins, outdoors and fun, good food and fine wine. Sorensen's Resort is the perfect pairing of mountains and cabins, plus great food. This
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Cave In!

Cave of Munits

The Cave of Munits is an awe-inspiring cavern of impressive heights. And it's located just outside suburbia. Starting at El Escorpión Park will get you there quickly, but the cave is best savored after a bit of effort on a 2.7-mile loop hike through the rolling hills of Upper Las
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I'm Your Huckleberry

Hike Paramount Ranch

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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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