All Stories from Southern CA

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  The Tortoise In Its Lair

  The Mojave Desert’s most extraordinary creatures are rarely seen, but at the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area, you’ll have your best chance. Tortoises live in higher density i

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  Take the Plunge!

  Who knew that sleepy Ramona is home to an 80-foot waterfall complete with a deep, frigid pool in the midst of a lush oasis? Reach Cedar Creek Falls in Cleveland National Forest by

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  Bite-Size Torrey Pines

  Sometimes bite-size hikes deliver gourmet-size rewards! These coastal trails in Torrey Pines deliver astounding scenery in a park that is home to the rarest pine species in the cou

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  At Play in Kate’s Place

  Come for the trails, stay for the view! Kate O. Sessions Memorial Park is a dog-friendly urban park with 79 acres of open space where you can hike, picnic, toss a Frisbee, fire up

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  Pine City Blooms

  Where do you find the most condensed and diverse display of wildflowers of any hike in Joshua Tree National Park? Plus pine trees and a powerful sense of solitude? Why, in Pine City—which isn't a city at all. It's a 4-mile out-and-back trek.

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  Willow Hole in Wonderland

  All of Joshua Tree National Park might seem like a rocky wonderland, but this hike takes you into the Wonderland—the Wonderland of Rocks—home to a secluded watering hole. Lace up!

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  Unoccupied Wall Street

  Going wild on Wall Street doesn’t have to mean buying and selling stocks. It can be about hiking and exploring a quiet trail in Joshua Tree National Park. One that leads to the int

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  Lace Up for Lacy

  Lacy Park in San Marino is a hidden gem that may very well be the most pristine green space in greater Los Angeles, and a concealed pair of nearby stairways makes it all the more appealing.

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  Castles in the Air

  This staircase hike takes you on a journey into classic old Hollywood charm and reveals gorgeous views, but you have to work for it! Your fantasy-world journey begins on Beachwood

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  A Thousand Steps to Paradise

  A picture is worth a thousand words, but is a gorgeous beach in Laguna worth a thousand steps? The answer is yes, though the question is moot, because it’s only 223 steep steps dow

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  Point Dume Bloom!

  On this 2-mile loop hike in Mailibu's Point Dume Natural Preserve, you can find yourself walking through fields of brilliant yellow specimens—some of them chest high and taller—but also dip down to pristine beaches and tide pools, possibly crowning your visit with a gray-whale sighting.

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  Diamond in the Rough

  With March Madness under way, wildflower worship is also in full bloom. This spring, in the Southern California regional bracket, Hemet’s Diamond Valley Lake is our surprise pick f

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  State Park Stunner

  Stunning blankets of wildflowers are blooming in Chino Hills State Park, adding brilliant splashes of color to the most vividly green rolling hills in Southern California. You’ll h

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  Black Star Canyon

  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

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  Big Sycamore Canyon

  After a five-year drought, winter rains have reawakened a waterfall hidden deep within Big Sycamore Canyon and turned it into a spring fantasy. See for yourself on a 4.7-mile loop

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  La Jolla Canyon

  Hiking La Jolla Canyon in Point Mugu State Park after winter rains is like entering a lost world. That usually bone-dry creek bed? It’s a flowing river. Those brown hillsides? They

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  Verdant Victory

  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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  The Irish Hills Are Smiling

  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, a

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  Plateau Ho!

  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 h

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  Griffith’s Glow

  Griffith J. Griffith believed that people gained an enlightened perspective on life when looking at the skies. So true! Especially when you gaze upon a glorious LA sunset and moonrise from Griffith Observatory, that generous star buff’s gift to the city he loved.

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