Framed by tall, rugged ridges in the Topatopa Mountains, Santa Paula Creek slices through the rockbed of Santa Paula Canyon, carving out alluring pools and cascades called the Punchbowl (or Punch Bowls). Finishing with a flourish, the Punchbowl has a 25-foot waterfall and a pool that you can relax beside. The Punchbowl is located between Big Cone Camp and Cross Camp, two Los Padres... Read more.

Sisar Canyon cuts into the mountains above Upper Ojai Valley, halfway between Ojai and Santa Paula. A wide dirt trail travels up the canyon toward Topatopa Ridge, a striking bluff of striped rock. Rather than taking Sisar Canyon Trail (also known as Sisar Canyon Road) deep into the Topatopa Mountains, turn around at an overlook 2.75 miles up the trail for a picturesque day hike. Limited... Read more.

Horn Canyon Trail rises into the frontcountry of the Topatopa Mountains from Ojai, California. While you can spend a full day (and a full workout) hiking up Horn Canyon Trail, you can also opt for the shorter option described here, trekking up the trail's moderate opening mile, past multiple creek crossings and views down Ojai Valley, before venturing off trail up the canyon bottom past... Read more.

Oak Creek Canyon Trail is a rather special trail in Los Robles Open Space that is designed for the blind as well as the sighted. The all-access nature trail has a dozen and a half signs in English and Braille. While blind hikers will probably want to turn around at the end of the guide fence, for a 0.55 mile hike with 50 feet of elevation change, others may continue on to a loop trail for a... Read more.

Away from many of the tourists drawn to Griffith Park's great landmarks (like Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Sign), you'll find locals enjoying views of their city from Vista View Point, also know as the helipad site. This overlook along Vista Del Valle Drive presents a broad perspective over downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, and Griffith Park sites like the Greek Theater and the... Read more.

Up near the Oregon border, the north coast of California has beautiful unrefined features like driftwood-covered coves and mossy forests. Explore this inviting area on Yurok Loop Trail, a short hike through scenic surroundings. This 1.15-mile circuit passes an ocean vista along a dramatic coastline that faces a cluster of rock islands. The loop crosses a small wooded ridge, overlooking a... Read more.

Drury-Chaney Loop Trail (also known simply as Drury-Chaney Trail) presents a easy and well graded hike through redwoods in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The trail is a lollipop loop suitable for wheelchairs and strollers, crossing a surface of compact gravel with 100 feet of elevation change. The 2.4-mile length of this hike splits neatly into three sections: a 0.8-mile long access trail to... Read more.

Grieg-French-Bell Trail provides access to lovely grove of coast redwoods in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The ground in this area is covered by a carpet of redwood sorrel that is incredibly beautiful to walk through. Within French Grove, you'll find the Girdled Tree, which had its bark removed to 1901 so that it could be displayed in San Francisco. Use Grieg-French-Bell Trail for a... Read more.

Are you trying to get from the Griffith Observatory to the Hollywood Sign? Perhaps Google Maps lead you to Griffith Observatory when you were trying to get driving directions to the Hollywood Sign or maybe you are just eager to hike between Griffith Park's two biggest landmarks. It is possible to walk from Griffith Observatory to the Hollywood Sign. However, the route is not direct and... Read more.

Get to know the plants, animals, and natural history of Southern California at Heaps Peak Arboretum. Located near Lake Arrowhead, the arboretum is a developed piece of San Bernardino National Forest. Sequoia Trail is the main trail through Heaps Peak Arboretum, covering 3/4 of a mile with 90 feet of elevation change. The star of the trail is a planted grove of sequoiadendron giganteum, or... Read more.