Hiking in Hulda

Hike at Hulda Crooks Regional Park in Loma Linda

10.11.2023

Hiking the 2.5-mile Beaumont Ridge Trail loop is the perfect introduction to Hulda Crooks Regional Park in Loma Linda. It’s an easy lollipop loop that gains 354 feet in elevation over its course as it showcases everything the park has to offer.

Though Hulda Crooks is just moments from the freeway and on the edge of suburbia, the trail quickly enters the canyon and civilization fades away. The beginning of the trail is a bit of a labyrinth— meaning, there are multiple paths and nothing is marked. Just stay on the wide, well-trodden path and you’ll be on the right course (the map posted at the trailhead is a helpful reference that's also color-coded according to difficulty).

After meandering uphill for about a mile, you’ll reach a 4-way trail junction, all clearly labeled, so from here on out the trail is easy to follow. Take a sharp left onto the Beaumont Ridge Trail—this is where you see the elevation gain come into play. It’s steep but the higher you climb, the more the views start to open up.

Panoramic views of the Inland Empire surround you with the towering San Bernardino Mountains off in the distance (there’s a perfect view of San Gorgonio, southern California’s tallest peak!). As tempting as it might be to just stare at the mountains all the way up, be sure to glance down below now and then to see orange groves in perfect rows—a remnant of California’s citrus industry of the 1800s.

As the Beaumont Ridge Trail tops out, take the spur trail on the left heading back down to complete the loop, eventually meeting up with the main trail again about a quarter mile before returning to the trailhead.

BEER BONUS: After working up a sweat on the hike, head over to Hangar 24 Brewery in Redlands. There are lots of beers to choose from on tap, including the seasonal Oktoberfest traditional Märzen lager. There might even be live music.

Hulda Crooks Regional Park/South Hills Preserve is located in Loma Linda off the I-10 freeway and the Mountain View Ave. exit. The park is open till 7 p.m. in the winter and 10 p.m. in the summer. There is a dog park at Hulda Crooks Park. The Hangar 24 tasting room is located at 1710 Sessums Dr. in Redlands, open 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, and 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Story and photos by Natalie Bates, @wanderwithnatalie

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  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.

    View
  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.

    View

  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.

    View
  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.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  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.

    View
  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.

    View
  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.

    View
  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.

    View