hikespeak

Vetter Mountain has got to be one of the more scenic peaks in the San Gabriel Mountains, boasting a 360-degree summit that's a total stunner. For decades, hikers marched up the mountain to see the historic fire lookout tower that stood at the summit, but in 2009, the Station Fire destroyed the tower and scorched Vetter Mountain. The area is still in recovery from the wildfire, but trails to... Read more.

The foreboding sounding Tarantula Hill, which also goes by the more welcoming name of Dawn's Peak, is a small, isolated mound in Thousand Oaks that hikers can summit for views over the Conejo Valley and into the nearby Santa Monica Mountains. If your spider senses are detecting pavement, that's because the entire half-mile-long trail up Tarantula Hill is paved. While Tarantula Hill Trail... Read more.

Oats Peak is the second highest summit in Montaña de Oro State Park, a full 26 feet taller than Valencia Peak, which is probably the park's favorite summit for hikers. Oats Peak is located a couple miles inland of Valencia Peak, sporting smaller ocean views and greater views over the Irish Hills, the canyons and ridges making up the interior of the Montaña de Oro State Park. A pair of... Read more.

San Jacinto Peak is one of the true crowns of Southern California and is a crowning achievement for any hiker who reaches the summit. San Jacinto Peak is the second highest mountain in Southern California and the pinnacle of the San Jacinto Mountain Range at 10,834 feet above sea level. Hikers who spar with San Jacinto Peak should be prepared for an all day challenge. The tough routes... Read more.

The 6-mile round trip hike to Indian Mountain starts from a convenient trailhead on Route 243, the main road between Banning and Idyllwild. While San Jacinto Peak is the blockbuster summit in the San Jacinto Mountains, this Indy is a crowd pleaser too, requiring a feature-length time commitment of two to three hours to hike to and from the 5,790-foot summit. The hike follows a wide dirt road... Read more.

What's taller than a giant sequoia? In the Redwood Mountain Grove, the world's largest sequoia grove, the something taller is Buena Vista Peak, a granite summit that rises above the big trees. The hike to the top of Buena Vista Peak is just 2 miles round trip with 420 feet of elevation gain, making it one of the easier summits to reach in the Sierra. The 360-degree views from Buena Vista... Read more.

Of all the Morros in San Luis Obispo County, Black Hill is the easiest to summit (even easier than Islay Hill. This 661-foot volcanic peak in Morro Bay State Park can be reached by hiking 0.6 miles round trip up a dirt single track with 190 feet of elevation gain and views over the city of Morro Bay. For those looking for more, there are longer hikes to the summit starting farther down Black... Read more.

Within the Cleveland National Forest on Palomar Mountain is a trail through a pleasant woodland that has broad valley vistas en route to a world-renowned destination. What more could you want? Strap on your hiking boots and set out up Observatory Trail, which is 2.2 miles long from point to point with 700 feet of elevation gain. The trail starts at Observatory Campground and ends just... Read more.

A mesa is defined as a flat-topped hill with steep sides. A peak is defined as the pointed top of a mountain. Put these contradictions together and you get a subtle summit with substantial ocean views. This short perch on a mesa-like ridge behind Pepperdine University in Malibu delivers panoramic views over the surrounding Santa Monica Mountains. The hike to Mesa Peak up the steep sides... Read more.

Before it was called Calabasas - Cold Creek Trail, this single track on the northwest side of Calabasas Peak was called the Secret Trail. Well the secret is out and this 4.5-mile round trip trek is a pleasure that all hikers should discover! Tackle 750 feet of elevation change as you cross ridges and ravines topped by sandstone minarets, eventually reaching a 2,163-foot summit with 360... Read more.