Hike Southern California

  Discover the best day hikes in Southern California. Safely explore the region’s most compelling parks, preserves and special places. Hit the trail to improved health as you share a fun and uplifting activity in the natural world with your friends and family. My tips, stories and trail accounts will help you select—and take—a quality hike you’re guaranteed to like.

I got to know—and appreciate—Southern California’s trails while serving for seventeen years as the Los Angeles Times hiking columnist. I collected my favorite hikes in Southern California, A Day Hiker’s Guide. This collection began with a book of 50 Southern California hikes first published in 1981 and has since evolved to become one of the best-selling trail guides of all time.

HIKE-SoCal.com will help you get to know the trails and terrain in the Southland’s regional parks, wilderness parks, national forest and state parklands. Enjoy this sampling of outstanding hikes on classic trails and brand-new pathways.

One of the great joys of hiking Southern California has been meeting so many delightful people from all walks of life. Many of these people have become friends and a goodly number are enthusiastic hikers and trail-testers. I hope that in some small way this web site, in addition to suggesting some enjoyable hikes, contributes of a better appreciation of the unique ecology of Southern California and our need to be good stewards of this special land.

Learn more about hiking elsewhere around California and across the nation by visiting TheTrailmaster.com

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Features

Southland Beaches: Five Favorite Hikes

To the Top of Mt. San Jacinto

Best hikes in Southern California

Hike Southern California, See the World

Tales

The View from Sandstone Peak

Hike Southern California, See the World

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