hikespeak

The craggy sandstone summit of Eagle Rock rises over Topanga State Park, delivering panoramic views of the Santa Monica Mountains. The shortest trail to awesome prominence is a four-mile hike from Trippet Ranch to Eagle Rock. For a more challenging trek, explore this 7.4-mile round trip hike ascending 1,400 feet from Santa Ynez Canyon to the 1,957-foot summit of Eagle Rock. Begin by... Read more.

Cahuenga Peak is the highest summit in Griffith Park with excellent views of Los Angeles, Burbank, and that iconic landmark - the Hollywood Sign. Visit the Cahuenga Peak, Burbank Peak, and Mount Lee on a rugged two-trail outing. Burbank Peak Trail (formerly Wonder View Trail) climbs from the west, passing a mini-summit viewpoint on the ridge of Cahuenga Peak known as Burbank Peak (home... Read more.

Want to hike to the Hollywood Sign? One way to get there is a 6.4-mile hike through Griffith Park that summits Mount Lee directly behind the iconic lettering. Beyond just gazing up at the sign, the hike offers the opposite perspective, a chance to look down at the city below. The moderate day hike gains 1,050 feet of elevation over wide fire roads, and the last mile is actually paved. ... Read more.

Mount Pickering rises to 13,485 feet and offers fine views over the Sierra. While not tall enough to be called a 14er, this 13er offers great views of two of those exclusive peaks, Mount Whitney and Mount Langley, as well as several other high peaks. This remote mountain is located west of the Sierra Crest in the Whitney Region of Sequoia National Park. The backpackers trek to the summit... Read more.

Cirque Peak can be reached from either Cottonwood Pass Trail or Cottonwood Lakes Trail. The mountain rises between the two, straddling the divide of the Golden Trout and John Muir Wildernesses. The summit boasts an excellent panorama with a good look at Mount Langley to the north, the Cottonwood Lakes to the east, and the sprawling Sierra to the west. By far the easiest approach to Cirque... Read more.

Rising to 14,042 feet, Mount Langley is less than five hundred feet shorter than Mount Whitney but receives far fewer visitors. While the lottery to get a permit for Mount Whitney can be challenging and competitive, Mount Langley's hikers can easily get a free permit on the day of their hike. The summit provides expansive views, solitude, and a deep feeling of accomplishment. At least... Read more.

Angels Landing is the most renowned day hike in Zion National Park, and possibly all of Utah. While only 5.2-mile round trip with 1,500 feet of elevation gain, this trek has all the magnitude of a bucket list caliber hike akin to Half Dome in Yosemite. Segments of the perilous trail to Angels Landing are just a few feet wide with thousand foot drop-offs on both sides. If that prospect... Read more.

For an overview of Giant Sequoia National Monument, hike the 5-mile round trip trail to Needles Lookout, where a watchtower built atop a formation of rocky spires provides an amazing view. A ranger is stationed in the lookout during the dry months to keep watch over the forest. You could spot a far-off fire from here, and the panoramic view from 8,254 feet is well worth the hike. An... Read more.

Wildrose Peak resides on the northern end of a group of peaks that form the top of the Panamint Mountain Range, which runs down the west side of Death Valley National Park. The 9,064-foot peak is about seven miles north of Telescope Peak, the highest point in the park at 11,049 feet. Wildrose sports an expansive view of the Panamint Mountains, Badwater Basin, and the surrounding desert... Read more.

This 8.5-mile hike ascends 2,500 feet to summit a 6,365-foot peak in the small range of mountains in the southwestern corner of Mojave National Preserve. Silver Peak looks out across the Granite Mountains toward the Kelso Dunes, Cima Dome, and the peaks of the Providence Range - a worthy view of Mojave National Preserve to be sure. Nearby Granite Peak is the tallest mountain in the range... Read more.