hikespeak

Good things do come in small packages, like Rocky Oaks, one of the tinier parcels in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The park covers less than 200 acres, but a collection of interwoven trails allow visitors to hike about 2 miles in this park. For a short and level half-mile loop, stroll around a seasonal pond that was used as a cattle pond when Rocky Oaks was a ranch. ... Read more.

Located in the Cleveland National Forest near Warner Springs, The live oak-shaded Atáxam Mámta'ash Campground (formerly know as Indian Flats) is the start of a short trail to a trickling river fork. It is a 0.5-mile round trip hike from the campground goes down to the East Fork of the San Luis Rey River, which flows down a mountain slope covered in granite boulders. The river is filled... Read more.

Near the west end of Mulholland Highway north of Leo Carrillo State Park, you will find an almost hidden trailhead for Malibu Springs Trail. This spring-loaded single track is faint and overgrown in areas, providing a sense of adventure as you take in fantastic views of the highest peaks Santa Monica Mountains. At the end of an arduous climb, you will drop down to Nicholas Flat in Nicholas... Read more.

Charmlee Wilderness Park is perched on a bluff overlooking Malibu's alluring coast. Operated by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (previously the city of Malibu), this 590-acre park has eight miles of interwoven trails, making it easy to build your own hike between two to four miles, easy to moderate. In spring, Charmlee puts on a champion's display of wildflowers. The... Read more.

Sycamore Canyon Campground sits just off the beach in Point Mugu State Park on the west end of the Santa Monica Mountains in Malibu. The 13,300-acre park boasts beautiful beaches, rocky peaks, and miles and miles of hiking trails. Tents and RVs are welcome attack this drive-up campground. In addition to beach access, Sycamore Canyon Campground provides fire rings, picnic tables, potable... Read more.

Point Mugu State Park protects 15,000 acres of rustic wilderness on the west end of the Santa Monica Mountains between Oxnard and Malibu. More than 70 miles of trails explore this sprawling park, leaving hikers with options. An excellent way to experience Point Mugu State Park is to set out on a daunting and rewarding 11.75-mile loop. Start at the mouth of La Jolla Canyon just across... Read more.

The overlook trail for McWay Falls is a must-stop for anyone taking the scenic drive up Highway One along the Big Sur Coast. The waterfall is stunning, dropping some 80 feet onto a pristine beach in an enchanting cove. It is a short 0.6-mile round trip hike to a viewpoint for McWay Falls, which can be reached directly from Highway One or from parking areas withing Julia Pfieffer Burns State... Read more.

This 8.5-mile hike ascends 2,500 feet to summit a 6,365-foot peak in the small range of mountains in the southwestern corner of Mojave National Preserve. Silver Peak looks out across the Granite Mountains toward the Kelso Dunes, Cima Dome, and the peaks of the Providence Range - a worthy view of Mojave National Preserve to be sure. Nearby Granite Peak is the tallest mountain in the range... Read more.

Fish Canyon Falls is beautiful three-tiered waterfall that drops over eighty feet in a canyon in the front range of the San Gabriel Mountains near Azusa. Early spring is the perfect time to visit the dynamic waterfall, when the water flows well and the canyon is green. A rock quarry occupies the bottom of Fish Canyon and for many years Fish Canyon Falls Trail could only be reached by shuttle... Read more.

The appeal of Ocean View and Canyon View Trails is self-evident. Both offer fine views of the Pacific Ocean and Zuma Canyon. Located on the opposite side of Zuma Canyon as Zuma Ridge Trail, Ocean View and Canyon View Trails combine to form a 3.1-mile loop with 750 feet of elevation gain. Woolsey Fire Update: Zuma Canyon is closed following the November 2018 Woolsey Fire. Check the NPS... Read more.