Ranchita, California

Take Box Canyon Rd to Painted Canyon Road. Painted Canyon Road is a dirt road, so exercise caution. The road dead ends at the Painted Canyon Trailhead parking lot. Once on the trail, look out for markers and arrow rock piles pointing to the slot canyons and other trails. Some climbing is necessa...

From Interstate 10, take State Highway 195 (Box Canyon Road) to Painted Canyon Road. This well-maintained, dirt road goes for about 4 miles and leads into the sandy wash which runs the length of the canyon for approximately 1.7 miles. There are a few narrow side canyons which can be explored on f...

Ladder Canyon is a hike that involves climbing ladders and walking through canyons up to great views on the Mecca Hills and Salton Sea. From Box Canyon Road turn on to Painted Canyon Road a dirt road that will lead you to the trailhead. From the trailhead start into the canyon. After a few hundr...

The Los Penasquitos Preserve waterfall is a hidden gem of San Diego and a popular spot for locals within the area. The hike to the waterfall lies within a preserve of approximately 4,000 acres. There are many different trailheads that lead to the waterfall all offering a unique experience. I alwa...

Most people who live in San Diego have heard of, if not hiked, Cowles Mountain. At 1591 ft., Cowles is the highest peak in the city of San Diego. It's a hugely popular destination for day hikers and trail runners looking to get in a little trail time and take in the 360 degree views the summit h...

The trail is wide and well maintained. The first mile of the trail is well shaded by oak trees. You'll see stunning rocky peaks and rolling green hills as the trail continues. There are three creek crossings to be aware of. Cleveland National Forest is dog friendly, but bring a leash! Hunting is ...

The South Lykken Trail is the south half of the 9.5-mile Carl Lykken Trail, which weaves along a series of mountain ridges above downtown Palm Springs. Dogs are not permitted on this trail. This section of the trail runs 3.2 miles one-way. You will gain just over 1600ft of elevation at the high...

South Carl Lykken Trail - North Section is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Palm Springs, California.

The Visitor Center Loop Trail is a 1.4 mile hike in San Diego that features river views and allows dogs.The Visitor Center Loop Trail is a well maintained, quick hike with shady spots scattered along the path and open year-round. This trail is great for kids and dog owners. There is a great netwo...

The 15-ish mile route we took made it a great workout, but it didn’t crush us. We left the apartment at 6 am and were back home with plenty of time to prep cook and eat a big dinner before 5 pm. Although I completed the hike in 1 day(and I highly recommend it)many people completed each hike indi...

Hiking at sunset/night is a great way to beat both the heat and the crowds. On a clear day, you can see from Mexico to Catalina Island! If you stay long enough, you can see all of San Diego's city lights turn on, or the marine layer fog creeps into the canyons. South Fortuna Peak is part of Miss...

San Jacinto Peak is the second highest peak in Southern California which sits at 10,833'. There are several trails to summit San Jacinto, but Marion Mountain is the shortest but also a tough one. You will start the hike at an elevation of 6300' and continuously climb 4500' in less than 6 miles. ...

Lake Murray Reservoir provides drinking water to parts of San Diego, and thus is a no swimming lake. This is one of the reasons it is such a great place to photograph!  If you are shooting the sunset, use your weather app to check the time the sun sets, and get to the lake at least 30 minutes pr...

Palm Springs Tram to Idyllwild is a point-to-point trail where you may see wildflowers located near Palm Springs, California.

Hidden Lake via Willow Creek Trail is a loop trail that takes you by a lake located near Palm Springs, California.

Caramba Overlook is an out-and-back trail that provides a good opportunity to see wildlife located near Palm Springs, California.