How Do You Like Them Pumpkins?

If it weren't for pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks, we Angelenos might never know that fall has arrived. Unless you know about Oak Glen’s good old fashioned u-pick pumpkin and hiking adventure combo.  Nestled in the San Bernardino Mountains just 90 minutes outside of LA, this tiny mile-high community is ideal for a fall outing. Make a day of it by visiting the Oak Glen Preserve, a sprawling nature reserve where you can hike through an idyllic landscape and pick your own pumpkins and chestnuts afterwards. Stick to the preserve’s main loop for a 2-mile loop hike, or meander onto the spur trails to lengthen your jaunt. You'll start with a gentle stroll through the Children's Forest, shaded by towering giant sequoias. Next, it's a walk through the oak knoll, a bucolic picnic area covered with California black oaks. As you follow the path, you'll trace along a bubbling stream, climb a chaparral ridge, walk on a boardwalk through wetlands, and visit a fish-filled duck pond. See pines, cedars, sage, elderberries, sunflowers, and myriad other native California trees and plants along the way. As you reach the end of the hike, you'll see a detour road on your left that takes you across the street to Los Rios Rancho, also part of the preserve and the place for u-pick seasonal offerings—currently pumpkins and chestnuts.

BONUS: On your drive back down the hill, make a pit stop at Snow-Line Orchard. They have a hard apple cider tasting room with wines and ciders pressed on-site. People line up out the door for their made-to-order mini apple cider donuts smothered in cinnamon sugar.

Oak Glen Preserve is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (map) Trail maps are available on-site or on Oak Glen Preserve's website. Los Rios Rancho at the Oak Glen Preserve has u-pick pumpkins and chestnuts daily 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Dog-friendly!