As a Los Angeles resident who spends most of my time at or near sea level, it’s always special when I can get up to higher elevations. I’d had a hankering to stretch my legs in the mountains for the past few weeks and finally embarked on a hike to Granite Mountain and Roundtop to… Read more »
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Sisar Canyon Road to White Ledge Camp
Cradled between the Topatopa and Sulphur mountains sits the town of Ojai. This tourist destination is known for its boutique shops and hotels, thriving arts scene, pink moment, and of course, superb hiking. Having rarely explored this part of Southern California myself, I wanted to find a trail that gave me a sampler of the… Read more »
9 Wildlife-Watching Hikes in the Bay Area
The Bay Area’s richly diverse habitats, from tidal mudflats to ocean edges, chaparral-covered hills to redwood streamsides, are home to an incredible variety of wildlife. And it is so fun to spot them on a hike! Peeking over mixed landscapes and waterways, we have the chance to see whales and sea lions along the coast, condors… Read more »
Scholl Canyon Trail
Diving along the 134 by Eagle Rock, you’ll notice a section of undeveloped green space just north of the freeway. And if you’re like me, then I’m sure you’ve asked yourself more than once if it was open to the public. Well, I finally decided to look into this and learned about the Scholl Canyon… Read more »
Glacier Basin Trail
The Glacier Basin Trail takes you from the White River Campground in Mount Rainier National Park to the backcountry Glacier Basin Camp. You’ll hike up a moderately steep, forested trail with stunning views of Mount Rainier and the Emmons Glacier–the largest in the Lower 48–as well as enjoy some alpine meadows and wetlands along the… Read more »
13 Trails for Bay Area Fall Foliage
There is beautiful fall foliage within the Bay Area. The trick of it is to think beyond forests and even trees to salt marshes (yes, salt marshes!), vineyards, and gardens. Pickleweeds in marshes turn a beautiful, vibrant red in fall, and you can find swaths of them along bayside trails. Grapevines light up Napa Valley… Read more »
Nancy Hoover Pohl Overlook Loop
Located in the Hollywood Hills and nestled between multi-million-dollar mansions, you’ll find a large plot of undeveloped land – it’s surprising that it didn’t become another piece of prized Los Angeles real estate. We can all thank Nancy Hoover Pohl that didn’t happen. A resident of Studio City, she advocated for the preservation and protection… Read more »
Sahale and Umbrella Falls
This moderate loop trail on the slopes of Mount Hood visits picturesque Umbrella and Sahale Falls on its meander through ski runs, forest, and alpine meadows with wildflowers in late summer. Other than a few small sections of trail, the route is fairly moderate and should be approachable for most hikers — though it is… Read more »
Natural Bridges Wildlife Loop
Natural Bridges is a family-favorite state beach in western Santa Cruz with a sheltered pocket beach, a wave-shaped mudstone arch, and astonishing wildlife. This easy, 2-mile hike visits the Monarch Butterfly Natural Preserve inside the park and tide pools with anemones, crabs, and sea stars. Fall and winter are excellent times to visit: The monarchs… Read more »
Twin Lakes Loop
The Twin Lakes Loop is an easy loop hike to two lakes on the slope of Mount Hood. Upper Twin Lake is a quiet, peaceful pond with a nice view of the mountain peak, while Lower Twin Lake features a rustic hike-in campground that’s popular in the summer months. The route is well-signed and well-maintained,… Read more »