Hikes in California

Summit Valley Edmund D. Edelman Park preserves 652 acres at the top of Topanga Canyon that were saved from development. Hikers can explore a couple loops through the main area of the park. For a short 1.65-mile hike with 190 feet of elevation change, try Edelman North Loop, which goes along the valley floor before circling back along a wildflower-covered ridge. ...Read more.

Also known as Calabasas Peak Trail, Calabasas Peak Motorway is a 3.8-mile long dirt fire road that passes below the summit of Calabasas Peak. Hikers on the trail can examine interesting sandstone rock formations on and around Calabasas Peak and enjoy broad views over a scenic part of the Santa Monica Mountains between Topanga and Agoura Hills. One way to reach the summit of Calabasas Peak is to hike from the northeast end of Calabasas Peak Motorway where the fire road meets Old Topanga Canyon Road at the top of the valley west of Topanga. ...Read more.

Viewridge Trail doesn't look like much at first glance – a one-mile long single track connecting two roads. However, there is a loop beyond the end of Viewridge Trail that reaches an overlook on sandstone outcroppings with panoramic views over Topanga and the middle of the Santa Monica Mountains. This addition elevates Viewridge Trail, and the trail it reaches called Summer Hill Ranch Road, into a very worthy hike in Summit Valley Edmund D. ...Read more.

Pay a visit to Kwaay Paay Peak for an efficient workout that's rewarded with panoramic views. The 2.5-mile round trip hike to the 1,194-foot summit climbs 885 feet, with steep stretches that will have your heart pumping. The summit is just ten miles from downtown San Diego, within the 6,800 acres of Mission Trails Regional Park, so you'll see beautiful natural landscapes and cityscapes on this fun San Diego hike. ...Read more.

Today the Irish Hills are like a gold mine for hikers, but the small mountain range in San Luis Obispo historically hosted several mines for chromium and mercury. The ruins of one of these mines can be visited on Old Prospector Trail, which opened in 2015 to join the growing group of trails in Irish Hills Natural Reserve. This hikers-only single track starts in Froom Canyon and is 0. ...Read more.

Montaña de Oro State Park has dramatic ocean bluffs and summits with sweeping views. The park covers over 8,000 acres and has 7 miles of undeveloped coastline, making it a rare treasure on the California Coast. One road leads into the park, entering from the town of Los Osos to the north, which is just west of the city of San Luis Obispo. Visitors can stay overnight at a 50-site campground at the center of the park. ...Read more.

Discover a tucked-away oasis of Sargent cypress straddling a ridge in the Santa Lucia Mountains north of San Luis Obispo. The evergreens are accompanied by coastal views that could have you imagining you're somewhere farther north in California. The hike to Cuesta Ridge Botanical Special Interest Area is 6 miles round trip up a partially paved road with 950 feet of elevation change. ...Read more.

Located in the Santa Ynez Mountains, 1,800-feet above the Santa Barbara Coast, Inspiration Point attracts hikers with panoramic views over city and sea. Two routes lead to this picturesque perch. If you want to make a day of it, you can approach the viewpoint from the west on a moderate 7.55-mile round trip trek up Jesusita Trail to Inspiration Point from San Roque Road. ...Read more.

La Tuna Canyon Trail explores a pair of canyon on the northwest side of the Verdugo Mountains between Burbank and Sunland. There are views north toward the San Gabriels and west toward the San Fernando Valley from this dirt trail as it ascends 975 feet over 2.25 miles on a winding route through the 1,100 acres of La Tuna Canyon Park. At the top, there is a bench offering relaxing views and a junction with Verdugo Fire Road, the main trail across the top of the range, which allows you to explore even farther. ...Read more.

Spectacular granite peaks known as the Castle Crags tower over Castle Crags State Park in Northern California. This dramatic enclave of peaks is largely inaccessible to hikers, but you'll get a great taste of the Castle Crags on Crags Trail, which climbs to the foot of Castle Dome, a 4,996-foot granite dome that looks plucked from the Sierra. Although Crags Trail stops below the summit of Castle Dome, it gains 2,150 feet of elevation on a sincere ascent through a jungle of granite crags. ...Read more.