hikespeak

Pay a visit to Kwaay Paay Peak for an efficient workout that's rewarded with panoramic views. The 2.5-mile round trip hike to the 1,194-foot summit climbs 885 feet, with steep stretches that will have your heart pumping. The summit is just ten miles from downtown San Diego, within the 6,800 acres of Mission Trails Regional Park, so you'll see beautiful natural landscapes and cityscapes on... Read more.

Spencer Butte rises high above the south end of the Willamette Valley near Eugene, Oregon. A 5.2-mile round trip hike to the mountaintop crosses through a lush forest covered in ferns and ascends to a nearly treeless 2,060-foot summit where there are round-the-compass views over Lane County's bucolic valleys and evergreen-covered hills. The woodland walk at the start is pleasant enough to... Read more.

Montaña de Oro State Park has dramatic ocean bluffs and summits with sweeping views. The park covers over 8,000 acres and has 7 miles of undeveloped coastline, making it a rare treasure on the California Coast. One road leads into the park, entering from the town of Los Osos to the north, which is just west of the city of San Luis Obispo. Visitors can stay overnight at a 50-site... Read more.

Discover a tucked-away oasis of Sargent cypress straddling a ridge in the Santa Lucia Mountains north of San Luis Obispo. The evergreens are accompanied by coastal views that could have you imagining you're somewhere farther north in California. The hike to Cuesta Ridge Botanical Special Interest Area is 6 miles round trip up a partially paved road with 950 feet of elevation change. A... Read more.

The Mount Shasta Area is full of daunting mountain peaks (not the least of which is Mount Shasta) but that doesn't mean you can't find a shorter summit hike with rewarding views. Spring Hill Trail is located conveniently close to Mount Shasta City and while this hike is just 2.9 miles round trip with 625 feet of elevation gain, you'll get an eyeful off the beautiful surroundings, including... Read more.

Rising to just 216 meters (708 feet) above sea level, Mount William is far from the tallest mountain in Tasmania. Despite its modest stature, Mount William is the highest point in Mount William National Park and offers far reaching 360-degree views over the northeast corner of Tasmania. The summit is close to the coast, with an ocean view that includes Flinders Island and the Bass Straight.... Read more.

If you're traveling to Tasmania by plane, you'll probably be flying in an out of Hobart, the capital of Tasmania. Hobart is a great city to explore, and every itinerary should include a visit to Mount Wellington, the 1,271-meter (4,170-foot) tall mountain that rises above the city to the wast. As daunting as this mountain might look, you can actually drive all the way to the top, easily... Read more.

Pinnacles National Park is a spectacular place to hike with a High Peaks area covered in rock spires and equally impressive boulder-filled gorges with talus caves. See both the High Peaks and Balconies Cave on a great 9-mile loop through diverse Pinnacles landscapes. Starting in the east, this clockwise loop ascends 1,575 feet to a thrilling crossing of the High Peaks, then descends Juniper... Read more.

Cape Woolamai is a 308-hectar (760-acre) reserve established in 1968. The preserve protects the southeast end of Phillip Island and also the highest point on the island, a 112-meters-above-sea-level crest on the bluffs at the top of Cape Woolamai. The summit isn't much of a climb, so sandy beaches and stunning granite cliffs are the real draw for hikers. Thanks to a small network of... Read more.

Monserate Mountain offers a workout of a hike, beginning just off Interstate 15 in the Northern San Diego County city of Fallbrook, just ten miles south of Temecula in Riverside County. There is 1,200 vertical feet between the trailhead at the base of Monserate Mountain and the panoramic summit at the top, tackled on a 1 2/3-mile ascent. You can turn around at the top for a 3 1/3-mile... Read more.