Adventure Plan for Palomar

It's not just the kids−adults can use a spring break, too. Go early and explore three things "Palomar" in San Diego County. There’s a beautiful new trail at Palomar Arboretum, starry night camping on Palomar Mountain, and a panoramic lookout in Palomar State Park that's not to be missed. San Die-go County!

Week: 02.20.2020
Regions: Southern CA

New Trail Alert

New Trail at Palomar Arboretum in San Diego County

Hike Palomar College Arboretum
Check out the vastly improved trail at the Edward and Frances Hunter Arboretum on Palomar College’s San Marcos campus.
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Lookout Ahead!

Hike to Boucher Hill Fire Lookout in Palomar Mountain State Park

A 3.7-mile loop hike to Boucher Hill Fire Lookout in Palomar Mountain State Park reminds us that fire, and fire prevention, have long been facts of life in Southern California. We’re also reminded just how stunningly beautiful are the mountains of this remote, lightly visited por
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Palomar's Star Power

Camp at Observatory Campground on Palomar Mountain

Palomar Mountain State Park in northern San Diego is like having a friend in a high place. There are perks to be had! The 6,138-foot namesake mountain offers cooler climates during the hot summer, and a way-up-there campground brings you even closer to the stars—and closer to one of the most famous observatories in the world!
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

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  2. Hike the Oursan Trail alongside Briones Reservoir in the East Bay

    Opt for Oursan

    Hike the trail less traveled in the East Bay's Briones Regional Park. The Oursan Trail is pure serenity on a wide hiking path skirting the northern shores of Briones Reservoir.

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  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

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  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

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  2. Lace Up for Lacy

    Lacy Park in San Marino is a hidden gem that may very well be the most pristine green space in greater Los Angeles, and a concealed pair of nearby stairways makes it all the more appealing.

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  3. Hiker amid trees at Oak Glen Preserve in Yucaipa Southern California

    Apple of Your Eye

    That fall feeling is definitely in the air and on display at the Oak Glen Preserve. Apple orchards and colorful leaves are a bonus, as are the apple cider donuts and slushies you can enjoy post-hike.

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  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

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