Explore 376 write-ups tagged with Free Trails

Skull Rock sits on the shoulders of Temescal Ridge north of Temescal Gateway Park, delivering broad views over Santa Monica Bay. The head-shaped sandstone formation can be reach as an extension of Temescal Canyon Loop, bringing the hike to 3.8 miles. Skull Rock can also be reached via trailheads farther up Temescal Ridge. The nearest trailhead, located in the Palisades Highlands, provides a scenic 1. ...Read more.

Los Liones Trail weaves up a lush canyon at the south end of Topanga State Park, just a mile from the Pacific Ocean. The ivy and chaparral-lined hike offers glimpses of Santa Monica Bay. After 1.3 miles and 550 feet of elevation gain, Los Liones Trail arrives at a clearing on a ridge at a bench that looks down on the Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, and the ocean beyond. ...Read more.

Parker Mesa Overlook offers panoramic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The coastline spans from Palos Verdes to Malibu, with nothing but blue in between. Parker Mesa Overlook is located on the west side of Topanga State Park, which holds the distinction of being the: World's largest wildland within the boundaries of a major city. This distinguishes it from Griffith Park, which is the: Largest municipal park and urban wilderness area in the United States. ...Read more.

Hellhole Canyon is backed up against the San Ysidro Mountains just southwest of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center in Borrego Springs. The ominously named canyon is home to Maidenhair Falls, a seasonal 20-foot waterfall that makes a refreshing hiking destination on a hot day in the California desert. If you are visiting the park in early spring, or any time rains bring water to Hellhole Canyon, Maidenhair Falls should be on your itinerary. ...Read more.

For an exciting 2.2-mile hike on an undeveloped trail through a colorful canyon, make your way to Rainbow Canyon, located south of Blair Valley in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. A bit of scrambling is required on this hike, to climb several sloped dry falls within the canyon. This hike has 300 feet of elevation gain between the trailhead and the turnaround point, with plenty to see along the way. ...Read more.

Pictograph Trail provides a 1.8-mile out and back hike to an elephant-sized canvas, otherwise known as a boulder, that was used by Kumeyaay Indian painters who lived in the Anza-Borrego Desert over two thousand years ago. From the trailhead, hike east up a shallow draw in the ridgeline, gaining 190 feet over 0.55 miles. Behind you, there is a grand view over Little Blair Valley and Granite Mountain to the west. ...Read more.

This short gradual 0.6-mile round trip hike ascends to an area of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park that was once inhabited by Kumeyaay Indians. The Kumeyaay left behind morteros, grinding bowls carved into large boulders along the trail. These Native Americans used the circular morteros over 2,000 years ago to grind local nuts and seeds into meal. From the well-marked trailhead above Blair Valley, begin hiking southwest toward a gap in the hillside. ...Read more.

For a brief period at the start of America's involvement in World War Two, this area was heavily mined for its high-grade calcite, a mineral then used to make bomb sights. This approximately 4-mile long expedition follows an old mining road into the Santa Rosa Mountains, crossing a narrow ravine with slot canyons that hikers may explore to add variety and excitement to this trek in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. ...Read more.

What Elephant Trees Trail is to desert botany, Narrows Earth Trail is to desert geology. The pamphlet available at the start of this half-mile loop describes the geological features present in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The desert is a great place to learn about geology. Sparse vegetation exposes the earth's rock skeleton, bringing the secrets of the land's formation to bear. ...Read more.

The elephant tree is likely the most unique plant in the entire Anza-Borrego Desert, and only one such tree stands along this one-mile nature trail. Pick up a pamphlet at the start of this self-guided loop, and enjoy a brief lesson on elephant trees and other more common vegetation. This is a great trail for those interested in learning about plant life in the Anza-Borrego Desert. ...Read more.