All Stories from Southern CA

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  Glow Up

  Tucked in the southeast corner of Griffith Park, Beacon Hill is an example of how you don’t have to travel far or aim high to reach one of the best panoramas of LA’s skyline

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  Hollywood Ending

  Is the Hollywood Sign ready for its close-up? See it up close on the 3-mile round-trip hike up Aileen B. Getty Ridge Trail, which crosses the 1,820-foot summit of Cahuenga Peak.

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  Glow Up

  Tucked in the southeast corner of Griffith Park, Beacon Hill is an example of how you don’t have to travel far or aim high to reach one of the best panoramas of LA’s skyline.

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  Old Tower, New Home

  Castro Peak Lookout can be viewed via a 5.6-mile gut-bustin’, heart-thumpin’ out-and-back hike that delivers panoramic vistas of the San Gabriel Valley

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  High Rise

  It’s a tall order to hike 3.3 miles up a series of steady switchbacks to the 3,375-foot summit of Jones Peak, but this trek rewards with views that get better the higher you go.

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  Sitton Pretty

  Sitton Peak is a 3,273-foot summit in the Santa Ana Mountains. All in, a 10-mile hike gets you to a panoramic summit filled with hills galloping toward the Pacific.

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  Skate Date

  Ice skating in the land of palm trees? That's so LA, and we love it!

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  Cave Culture

  Cave Landing, a craggy headland between Avila Beach and Pismo Beach, is a storied stretch of the Central Coast that stirs potent reveries in the beholder.

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  Small Craft Morning

  San Luis Obispo Bay is a lovely place to kayak. The highlands backing the bay and a jetty at its western end protect the harbor from tough paddling.

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  Old SLO Hills

  Hike Johnson Ranch, a sprawling 242-acre open space south of San Luis Obispo and north of Avila Beach where vistas seem to ever unfold in new directions. 

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  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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  Arrowhead Ahead

  Deciduous black oaks and Fremont cottonwoods line the Sawmill Road Loop Trail near Lake Arrowhead, making it one of the best places in SoCal for a seasonal kaleidoscope of changing leaves.

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  Rocky Picture Show

  Suicide Rock near Idyllwild is a SoCal hot spot for changing colors in the fall, and a great workout as well. The 6.3-mile out-and-back hike rewards with autumn yellows and sweeping views.

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  Crunch Time

  This 6.8-mile (round-trip) loop in northern Griffith Park is supernaturally enticing: four peaks, panoramic views, and ... ghosts.

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  Welcome to Mr. Cobb's Haunted Forest

  The ruins can be explored on an easy 1.5-mile (round-trip) loop trail. Hike it close to dusk for maximum creepiness (just make sure you're out by dusk, when the park closes).

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  Hiking with the Shadow People

  The Thompson Creek Trail in Claremont seems so benign. And it is, until you start encountering weird noises, “shadow people,” or bleeding trees! Test your bravery on the 5.6-mile (round-trip) trail.

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  Sonoma's 5 Fall Wonders

  You hear it from all the locals who live in Sonoma Valley: Fall is the best time of year. Here are some ideas to get you going.

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  Sonomas 5 Fall Wonders

  Fall in Sonoma Valley brings a bounty of beauty, including leaf peeping and harvest festivities. Here are some top ideas for spending a few days and nights here.

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  Joshua Tree's Secret Aerie

  You won’t find Eagle Cliff Mine on the official Joshua Tree National Park map—which is part of the appeal of this challenging 4.6-mile (round-trip) out-and-back trek.

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