All in Southern CA

1. 

   National Obsession

   Recently President Obama federally protected nearly 2 million acres of California desert by designating three new national monuments across select landscapes well worth a visit. Here’s how to hike around and explore each one of them.

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2. 

   Sepulveda's Secrets

   Thousands of motorists catch a glimpse of LA’s Sepulveda Dam while madly weaving through the interchange of the 405 and 101 freeways, but few know that it's publicly accessible by foot and bike trails, with some movie mojo, too. Step outside for some Sepulveda Basin!

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3. 

   Welcome to the New Weekend Sherpa

   Mugu Magic Set on the coast between Oxnard and Malibu, Point Mugu State Park is dressed to impress. Make a date with its namesake peak on a 5-mile (round-trip) summit-bagging hike.   Joshua's Wild Side Joshua Tree National Park is wild in more ways than its gnarly trees. Hike the park's west side for a big-picture vantage of the desertscape. The 6.7-mile Lost Horse Mine loop is both eerie and beautiful.   Crystal Ball Crystal Cove State Park in Orange County is prized for its glistening beaches, but there's also 2,400 acres of backcountry, including a 9-mile hike (or mountain bike) to a high point that rewards with gorgeous coastal scenery.   LA Stairway Urban hiking has a wild side, and the proof is just northeast of downtown LA. This 4-mile loop traverses Mount Washington and includes a cardio climb up a mountain with stunning views.   Bigger and Boulder From afar, Stoney Point Park in Simi Valley looks like a real-life drip sandcastle. Get right into it though and find a park filled with hidden caves and alcoves only nature could design.   The Great Ascot! Sometimes the skyline's the limit, and that's a good thing if you're visiting Ascot Hills Park, an 83-acre LA respite that offers a winter sunset to remember.   Lava & Java Mojave National Preserve's got more than a few ways to get your adrenaline pumping, so go with the flow—or rather, go where the lava once flowed.

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4. 
   Sponsored

   2024-12-18

   Sublime San Juan Islands

   Well, well, this wellness action plan takes you to the San Juan Islands! Easily reached by ferry yet worlds away in tranquility and unique adventures, this Washington State jewel of the Salish Sea nurtures through nature.

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5. 

   Best of Big Bear's Winter Hikes

   A classic adventureland nestled in the San Bernardino Mountains, Big Bear is the definition of a winter wanderland. Explore by strapping on some snowshoes or good snow boots (and bring some poles). Big Bear hug!

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6. 

   Spring Classics

   Wash away winter's cobwebs hiking through wildflowers, overnighting in a yurt, or climbing high in Joshua Tree!

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7. 

   Kiss the Frog

   This Valentine's Day weekend, go ahead and kiss the Frog. Frogtown, that is! Running alongside the diverse and enigmatic Los Angeles River, this refreshingly relaxed part of LA is home to sweeping green spaces, breathtaking views, and plenty of options for sweet adventures.

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8. 

   SLO Jam

   Ahhh, winter on the Central Coast. Fewer crowds, amazing outdoors, and some wine to top it all off. Adventure, unwind, and take it SLO.

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9. 

   Winter Cruise

   Grab your bike and get out there for a body-warming spin in winter's cooler temps. These three routes serve up spectacular scenery with everything from easy cruising to challenging climbs. And ice cream, too!

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10. 

    Winter Sands

    Some winter wonderlands are filled with sand. Here are three great ways to celebrate winter with secluded beaches, lively tide pools, and sunset bonuses.

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11. 

    Winter Wonder Hikes

    Summit and Sip: Secluded at 1,500 feet in the Santa Monica Mountains, Tuna Canyon Park is quiet even on a weekend afternoon. This 3.8-mile (round-trip) hike to the preserve's western viewpoint has wowing views up the coast of Malibu. Sip Tip: There's a nearby wine tasting room with food trucks too. The Big Wild: Get a highlight reel of all that's wild and wondrous in Southern California on an 11-mile (round-trip) loop hike in Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park. Park It Beer: One of the best views of the downtown skyline is in Vista Hermosa Park, just a mile from the heart of the city, yet an oasis world away with a meandering trail. There's a Beer Bonus, too! Insta-View: Reaching a stunning peak vista in under a mile? If it sounds too good to be true, you haven't been to Ventura County's Camarillo Grove Park. Free for You and Me: National Parks are waiving their entrance fees on Monday, January 18, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

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12. 

    Big Wild Hikes

    Happy New Year! Get started on an adventurous 2016 with any (or all!) of these three epic hikes, featuring peaks, marshland, a cave, a labyrinth, some scrambling, and classic coastal scenery.

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13. 

    Top Adventures of 2015

    1) Peak Season in a State Park Hike 5 miles (round-trip) to a mountain peak in the desert without leaving Los Angeles County, at Saddleback Butte State Park. 2) Hidden Beach Camping on the Central Coast You want your California beach camping to be off the beaten path? There's a secluded slice of beach paradise for that. 3) Haunting of the Hollywood Sign Is the world's most famous sign haunted? Find out for yourself on a cardio-filled 7-mile (round-trip) hike in Griffith Park. 4) The Redwoods Nearby The towering, fog-enshrouded coastal redwoods of the northern coast feel like a world away from LA, but did you know you can find redwoods right in Orange County? 5) Stone Stairway to a San Diego Peak Adventure up in San Diego County! To 5,737-foot Stonewall Peak. This 4-mile (round-trip) hike leads to a brilliant panorama via a set of carved stone stairs. 6) Cave, Man! One of SoCal's coolest caves is found just outside of suburbia on a solid loop hike and short scramble in Los Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve. 7) LA Gone Wild Cardio hiking, stunning views, and a location that's super close to downtown? Urban adventure has a wild side, and the proof is on Mount Washington with this 4-mile loop. 8) Sunny Side Up We all know the sun rises in the east, so West Coasters are deprived of ocean sunrises, right? Not exactly. There's a vantage from Point Dume Nature Preserve where the sun comes up smack dab over the Pacific. 9) Joshua Tree on a Whim Enjoy marvelous hikes and a place to soak your bones and sip a cocktail after adventures among the whimsically wild trees of Joshua Tree National Park. 10) Bike + Beer = Beautiful Go on an 8-mile bike ride with plenty of scenery, greenery, and a pit stop for an imperial pint at a taproom beer haven with serious British influence. BONUS Beyond Discover New ABCs. ABC= Adventures in British Columbia! The westernmost Canadian province has a rainforest with a hidden hot springs, epic hiking in Whistler, and incredible lake and oceanside respites for eating, drinking, and sleeping.

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14. 

    Merry in the Moment

    It's something dogs do really well. Live in the moment. Not worried about stuff in the past or dwelling on things to come. It's about what's right in front of you, right now. During the holidays, things can get a little stressful. One way to help deal with that stress is to get outside. It doesn't have to be a big hike—it could just be taking a walk down the street or hopping on your bike to go to the store. What's right in front of you? Take a breath, look around. You're alive! In California! That's pretty cool. We'll celebrate that. Enjoy the holidays, from all of us at Weekend Sherpa. PS - Next week is our annual Top 10 featuring some of your favorite adventures of the year. Make it merry!

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15. 
    Sponsored

    2024-12-18

    Sublime San Juan Islands

    Well, well, this wellness action plan takes you to the San Juan Islands! Easily reached by ferry yet worlds away in tranquility and unique adventures, this Washington State jewel of the Salish Sea nurtures through nature.

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16. 

    Merry Outdoors

    Ho-ho-ho, it's go-go-go for these super fun adventures that keep the outdoors merry and bright. Happy holidays, SoCal!

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17. 

    Brews and Views

    Looking for a great way to enjoy some holiday cheer? Go on a hike with gorgeous views and follow it up with a seasonal beer!

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18. 

    Tree Me

    Tree's company this holiday season. Whether you're solo, coupled up, or want to get outside, here are some great motivators. Do all tree!

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19. 

    Shake Your Giblets

    #Felfie: Put your animal instincts to a positive cause by visiting Farm Sanctuary in Acton. Located about an hour from downtown Los Angeles, this 26-acre sanctuary is one of only three across the United States that shelters animals who have been rescued from the factory farming industry. Take the one-hour guided tour ($10) where you can meet the animals and snap a #felfie (that's a farm-selfie, for the uninitiated). From A to Zuma: One word to sum up the lower Zuma Canyon: Sycamores. This less-traveled 3-mile out-and-back hike begins at Zuma Canyon's wide mouth, a sycamore-studded wanderland leading to the last truly wild stretch of canyon left in the Santa Monica Mountains. Dogs can come with! Travel Channel: Want to do one of the best hikes in Channel Islands National Park? The 7.5-mile (round-trip) hike to Smuggler's Cove on Santa Cruz Island starts at Scorpion Anchorage and ascends a singletrack trail with sweeping views of inland hills, panoramic vistas, and a gorgeous secluded cove.

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20. 

    #FreshAirSaturday

    Between Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, there’s a lot going on. Take a deep breath … it’s time to have a little fun outdoors. It’s time for #FreshAirSaturday.

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21. 

    Desert Dreamy

    This time of year Joshua Tree National Park's vast desert landscape looks even more golden with autumn's low-slung sun, and at night the sky fills with bold stars. From hiking to camping to exploring whimsical scenery—here's how to see Joshua Tree.

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22. 

    Cool Hikes for Autumn

    Harvest Happening: Make a day of it by visiting the Oak Glen Preserve, a sprawling nature reserve in the San Bernardino Mountains where you can hike through an idyllic landscape and pick your own pumpkins and chestnuts afterwards. Stick to the preserve's main loop for a 2-mile hike, or meander onto the spur trails to lengthen your jaunt.** Smuggle It In:** Next year America's national parks celebrate the centennial—so crowds are practically guaranteed to be thicker. Hit the trails before the hordes on one of the best hikes in Channel Islands National Park. The 7.5-mile (round-trip) hike to Smuggler's Cove traverses Santa Cruz Island, offers panoramic vistas, and leads to a secluded cove. Do Deukmejian: Nestled in the San Gabriel foothills, Deukmejian Wilderness Park is a gem. Explore it on a 4.2-mile (round-trip) foothills hike in the park's Dunsmore and Cook's canyons. Stepping Stonewall: Adventure up … to San Diego County's 5,737-foot Stonewall Peak! This 4-mile (round-trip) hike leads to a brilliant panorama, and the carved stone stairs near the apex make for a great photo opp. Two Thumbs Up for Towsley: Get in a workout hike featuring outstanding panoramas, meaty switchbacks, bizarre rock formations, and miniature tar pits. The 5.1-mile (round-trip) Towsley Canyon Loop in Santa Clarita's Ed Davis Park awaits!

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