California

Completely resurfaced to be wheelchair-friendly, the Bluff Trail in Montaña de Oro State Park is one of the most pleasant coastal trails in California. Once you have hiked the Bluff Trail, you will probably want to see it again (and again and again). Revisit the Bluff Trail and get just a bit more elevation by creating a loop with Bluff Trail, Badger Trail, and Rattlesnake Flats Trail. ...Read more.

Looking up at the orange sandstone outcroppings on the rugged slopes of the Simi Hills, you would hardly expect the terrain above to host a peaceful oak savanna. Walk through this grassy area shade by tall oaks to ascend to Simi Peak, the highest point in a mountain range that spans the boundary between Ventura County and Los Angeles County just north of the 101 Freeway. ...Read more.

Starting near the base of the San Gabriel Mountains in Altadena, Mount Lowe Road is an 8.9-mile long partially paved trail rising up the range to an intersection with Mount Wilson Red Box Road near the summit of Mount Wilson. Of course, you don't have to go that full distance on a hike up Mount Lowe Road. Sunset Ridge Trail intersects and parallels the bottom of Mount Lowe Road and is even more enjoyable to hike on, providing both an alternative to Mount Lowe Road and the possibility to form a loop. ...Read more.

Castle Canyon Trail is a dirt single track that connects the ruins at Echo Mountain to Inspiration Point, which was a premier vista point for the resort's visitors and still offers sweeping views. In the past, a railway took Echo Mountain's guests up into the mountains, but now leg power is required to get up Castle Canyon Trail to Inspiration Point. ...Read more.

Pack the tent and your flip-flops when you visit the campground at Gaviota State Park. Each site is ambling distance from a sandy beach along the scenic coast west of Santa Barbara. A railroad trestle, pier, and hiking trails are close to the campground, which is just off Highway 101, making it a convenient place to camp near the ocean. Gaviota State Park is about 30 miles west of Santa Barbara in the area around the Gaviota Tunnel. ...Read more.

Las Flores Motorway weaves its way up ridges on the southeast end of the Verdugo Mountains in Glendale. The wide dirt trail blooms when it reaches Mount Thom, a 2,460-foot summit with panoramic views over surrounding city-flanked mountain ranges and the skyline of downtown Los Angeles. Las Flores Motorway gains 1,220 feet in 2.5 miles to join Beaudry Motorway just below the summit. ...Read more.

Recently restored Malibu Lagoon State Beach is a lovely place to walk around an estuary and stroll along the beach. Take a walking path to overlooks around shorebird-filled wetlands and connect to Surfrider Beach, a world famous point break where Malibu Creek meets the Pacific Ocean. Sinking your toes in the sand, you can make your way east to Malibu Pier. ...Read more.

East Cuesta Ridge Road, also known as Mount Lowe Road, is a dirt road that crosses the dominant ridgeline in the Santa Lucia Mountains northeast of San Luis Obispo. Views from the trail extend over San Luis Obispo and its surrounding peaks toward the ocean to the west at Morro Bay and to the south by Oceano Dunes. The hike starts just off Highway 101 at the top of Cuesta Grade. ...Read more.

Above Stenner Creek Road near the Cal Poly Campus, a freestyle bike course is hidden within a eucalyptus grove. The easiest route to The Eucs is to head up and back on Stenner Creek Trail. For a longer hike that explores neighboring grassland on slopes below the Santa Lucia Mountains, consider this 4.25-mile loop with 550 feet of elevation change. This hike takes Stenner Creek Trail up to the Eucs and then continues on Red Dog Trail, which sets out across grassy ridges and descends to Poly Canyon Road, a dirt road back to the beginning of Stenner Creek Trail. ...Read more.

The Ediza Lake – Thousand Island Lake Loop is a top-tier backpacking circuit in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Covering about 25 miles with 2,110 feet of elevation change, the loop is usually done in three days of hiking (not including any additional layover days). The loop starts and ends at Agnew Meadows, located near Devils Postpile National Monument and the city of Mammoth Lakes. ...Read more.