California

Want to add another peak to the Sandstone Peak-Mishe Mokwa loop? The side trail to Tri Peaks offers an additional 1.2 miles of rugged (but not too steep) hiking. The offshoot is far less maintained than the main loop and appears to get frequent visits from water runoff. Getting to Tri Peaks involves hiking up a trail that has devolved into a gully. ...Read more.

At 3,111 feet, Sandstone Peak is the tallest point in the Santa Monica Mountains. The summit can be reached via a 6.25-mile loop with 1,075 feet of elevation gain that (in addition to bragging rights) offers expansive views of the range. Head to Circle X Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains, and start up the Backbone Trail toward Sandstone Peak. After a third of a mile, turn right, taking the connection to Mishe Mokwa Trail. ...Read more.

Simply named The Grotto, this narrow bolder-filled canyon with small talus caves covering a creek in the mountains makes a fun destination for a short hike. From the Circle X Ranch Visitor Center in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area on the west side of Malibu, it is 3-mile round trip to the Grotto with 475 feet of elevation loss. The trail beneath Circle X Ranch and Exchange Peak From the main parking area for Circle X Ranch, walk down the access road to a small group campsite and pick up the single track trail to the Grotto, which descends into a verdant canyon. ...Read more.