Hikes in Southern California

While hikespeak.com proudly offers information on over 150 hikes in Los Angeles, the surrounding counties should not be ovelooked. Enjoy numerous trails in the Southern California counties of Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and San Bernardino. SoCal is SoReady to be hiked!

The highest point in Southern California in found in the San Bernardino Mountains in San Bernardino County. San Gorgonio Mountain is 11,500 feet tall and one of the most topographically prominent peaks in America. San Bernardino National Forest is the principal parkland preserving the San Bernardino Mountains, protecting 676,666 acres in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

Southern California Hiking

This collection of trails in Southern California (Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and San Diego County) lists hikes roughly from north to south. The table may also be sorted alphabetically or by distance to help you pick your next hike. Each trail links to its own report complete with photos, GPS maps, elevation profiles, directions, and all the other information needed to locate and enjoy these hikes. Below the table is an interactive map that shows the location of each hike.

Trail	Description	Distance	Location
100	Heart Rock This hike follows a mountain stream to an overlook of an amazing heart-shaped formation in the rock wall along Seeley Creek Falls.	1 - 1.4 miles 200 feet	34.257001, -117.305862
150	Marshall Peak This hike reaches a panoramic summit above the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains.	3.25 miles 375 feet	34.22432, -117.299559
170	Heaps Peak Arboretum Take a short hike on Sequoia Trail and Footprint Trail to learn about the plants, animals, and natural history of the San Bernardino Mountains.	0.75 miles 90 feet	34.2338, -117.1606
200	Towne Trail This easy out and back hike takes a gradual course across the mountains on the south side of Big Bear Lake.	2.66 miles 200 feet	34.236792, -116.889687
230	Canyon View Loop Trail This loop in Whitewater Preserve crosses Whitewater River and incorporates a section of the Pacific Crest Trail to deliver big views up and down Whitewater Canyon.	3.75 miles 650 feet	33.989183, -116.656132
250	Indian Mountain This out and back hike crosses a saddle to a 5,790-foot summit with views of the mountains around San Jacinto Peak near Idyllwild.	6 miles 815 feet	33.797213, -116.7777
260	San Jacinto Peak via Marion Mountain Trail This non-nonsense out and back hike ascends to one of Southern California's most panoramic summits.	13.2 miles 4500 feet	33.79117, -116.735386
270	Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail This gradual out and back hike near Idyllwild crosses quiet forests with rugged mountain views.	5.2 miles 675 feet	33.764735, -116.687213
300	Carbon Canyon Regional Park Redwood Grove This level hike visits a small grove of small coastal redwoods that is the largest grove of these large trees in Southern California.	2.5 miles 75 feet	33.920923, -117.82935
306	Weir Canyon Trail This loop explores the side of a canyon in a wilderness connected to Santiago Oaks Regional Park near Anaheim.	3.8 miles 350 feet	33.830446, -117.744129
310	Lake View Loop & East Ridge Overlook This figure eight loop adds a short extension to Lake View Loop to reach the high point of Peters Canyon Regional Park.	3.65 miles 200 feet	33.784024, -117.762424
320	Lake Huntington This level and easy loop circles a small lake in Huntington Beach Central Park.	0.75 miles 25 feet	33.69929, -118.010354
330	West Bluff Trail Loop This loop combines trails above and below the West Bluff in Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve to provide a variety of views across Upper Newport Bay.	2.5 miles 75 feet	33.654468, -117.886134
340	Little Sycamore Canyon - Serrano Ridge - Camarillo Canyon - Stagecoach South Trails Loop in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park This loop uses four trails to explore two canyons and a ridge in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park.	5 miles 500 feet	33.607746, -117.763248
360	Geology Discovery Trail This loop in Crystal Cove State Park follows guide markers exploring geology in the beautiful backcountry of this Orange County wilderness.	9 miles 900 feet	33.56638, -117.821616
363	Moro Beach This out and back hike ventures down Moro Canyon to a picturesque beach in Crystal Cove State Park.	2 miles 150 feet	33.56638, -117.821616
390	El Cariso Nature Trail This loop examines common plants in the Santa Ana Mountains, along with uncommon views views across the mountain range, passing an old mine for more fun.	1.35 - 1.55 miles 125 feet	33.650867, -117.413113
400	Ortega Falls This hike visits a refreshing waterfall, cascade, and swimming hole off Ortega Highway in the Santa Ana Mountains.	0.33 miles 50 feet	33.625765, -117.426339
590	Tenaja Falls This hike ventures up a wilderness canyon to a tall, five-tier waterfall along San Mateo Creek in the Santa Ana Mountains.	1.5 miles 275 feet	33.5491, -117.3946
600	Fisherman's Camp This hike follows an old road to an old campground with views over San Mateo Canyon in the Santa Ana Mountains.	3.33 miles 400 feet	33.532281, -117.393036
700	Moserate Mountain This loop begins with a 1 2/3-mile ascent to a panoramic summit before descending along a ridge for even more views.	4.4 miles 1,200 feet	33.365934, -117.159113
800	Observatory Trail The out and back hike travels between Observatory Campground and Palomar Observatory, crossing a pleasant mountain woodland with valley views along the way.	5.1 miles 700 feet	33.342414, -116.878697
820	Indian Flats Trail This easy hike from Indian Flats Campground explores seasonal pools in the East Fork of the San Luis Rey River.	0.5 miles 75 feet	33.349488, -116.661797
980	Kwaay Paay Peak This out and back hike rewards a good workout with panoramic views as it climbs to a 1,194-foot summit in Mission Trails Regional Park, just 10 miles from downtown San Diego.	2.5 miles 890 feet	32.84022, -117.03701