There are a ton of different reasons why we all love to spend our spare time out on the trail. For many, it’s about getting away from it all; connecting with nature and slowing life down. For others it’s for the love of the challenge or for the sense of accomplishment that comes with bagging…
Photo: Dominic Morel There are many reasons why hikers fall in love with hiking. But whatever it is that compels them to hike, two things are perfectly clear: They enjoy hiking and derive many benefits from it. Below we look at the intrinsic reasons why people love hiking? To Be One with Nature Hiking is…
Read more The intrinsic reasons why people love to hike by Harvey Barker
Photo credit: Ariel da Silva Parreira Most of us think of virtual reality primarily as an in-home gaming system. Though it has numerous other applications (and seemingly more by the day), VR was billed as a way for us to dive into the sorts of gaming experiences we already enjoyed on our phones and gaming…
Location: North of Alpine in San Diego County. From I-8, take the Tavern Road exit (30). Head left on Tavern Road for 0.2 mile to Victoria Park Terrace. Bear right and go 0.9 mile to Victoria Drive. Go 1.4 mile to Anderson Road (easy to miss; if you find yourself heading back south toward the…
Location: Joshua Tree National Park. The turnoff for the Split Rock Picnic Area and the Split Rock Loop Trail is on Park Blvd., 8 miles east of the junction at Keys View and 2.2 miles west of the junction with Pinto Basin Road. Head north on the dirt road (all vehicles OK) for half a…
Read more Split Rock and Face Rock (Joshua Tree National Park)
Location: Mojave desert between Barstow and Baker. From Interstate 15, take exit 221 for Afton Road (38 miles northeast of Barstow, 24 miles southwest of Baker and 74 miles southwest of the state line). Follow Afton Road 3.5 miles to the campground. The road is dirt and rough in some spots but should be navigable…
Location: Mecca Hills Wilderness Area southeast of Palm Springs. From I-10 in Indio, take Highway 86 southeast for 10 miles to 62nd Ave. Bear left onto 62nd Ave. and head east for 2.2 miles to Johnson St. Turn right and go 2 miles to 66th Ave. Turn left and follow 66th Ave. for 4 miles…
Location: Chino Hills State Park. From the 71 Expressway, take exit 7 (Soquel Canyon Parkway/Central Avenue.) Head southwest on Soquel Canyon Parkway (turn right if you’re coming from the north, left if from the south) for a mile. Turn left on Elinvar Drive and go 0.2 miles to the signed entrance of the park, right…
Read more Raptor Ridge/Ranger Ridge Loop (Chino Hills State Park)
Location: Joshua Tree National Park. From Interstate 10 east of Indio, take exit 168 for Cottonwood Springs Road. Head north for 7 miles to the Cottonwood Visitor Center where you will pay your admission fee ($25 per vehicle for a week or $40 for an annual pass; inter-agency passes also accepted). Turn right onto Cottonwood…
Location: The Old Road, Santa Clarita. Take Interstate 5 to Calgrove Blvd. (exit 166). Head southwest on Calgrove Blvd. (turn left if you are coming from the south; right if you are coming from the north). Make the first right onto The Old Road. The signed trail head will be on the left in half…
The Slot (Anza Borrego Desert State Park) Location: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The turnoff for the Slot is a dirt road called Buttes Pass, located on Highway 78, 17 miles east of Scissors Crossing, 10 miles east of Yaqui Well Road, 1.5 miles east of Borrego springs Road and 21 miles west of Highway 86.…
Lower Rincon Trail Loop (Sequoia National Forest) Location: Ant Canyon Campground, Sequoia National Forest. From the town of Kernville, about 50 miles northeast of Bakersfield, follow Sierra Way, which becomes Mountain Highway 99 for a total of 10.7 miles. The signed turnout for the Ant Canyon Campground is on the left. Approximate trail head coordinates…
McGinty Mountain Location: East of San Diego, near Alpine. Take Highway 94 east for 5.1 miles past the junction with Highway 125. Turn right onto Campo Road (still Highway 94) and go 4.5 miles to Lyons Valley Rd. Turn left and go 0.7 mile to Jamul Rd. Turn left and go 0.4 mile to the…
Location: At the western end of the dirt section of Mulholland Drive, western San Fernando Valley. From the west, take Highway 101 to the Valley Circle/Mulholland exit (29). Turn left onto Calabasas Road and make a quick right onto Mulholland. Go 2.7 miles to Canoga Avenue, make a quick right and an immediate left onto…
Location: There are two trail heads, both off of the Old Road. This write-up assumes a start from the northern trail head. The approximate address is 23110 The Old Road, Newhall, CA 91231. From Valencia, take I-5 south to Calgrove Blvd./exit 166. Bear right and follow Calgrove Blvd, which becomes the Old Road, for a…
Location: Orchard Hills staging area, Irvine. From the north, take either the 5 or 405 Freeways to Culver Drive. Head northeast for a total of 2.8 miles (from the 5 Freeway) or 6.1 miles (from the 405 Freeway). The entrance to the trail head will be on the left side of the road, 0.8 mile…
Location: Harvey Moore Trailhead, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, eastern San Diego County. From I-8, take the Highway 79 exit (40) and head north on Highway 79 for 2.7 miles. Turn left to stay on Highway 79 and go another 4.8 miles to a large parking lot on the right side of the road. If you…
Read more Monument/Arroyo Seco Loop (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park)
Location: Oak Glen Road, Yucaipa. From Interstate 10, take the Oak Glen Road/Live Oak Canyon exit (85) and head northeast for 6.8 miles. The park entrance will be on your left. Alternately, from points south and east, take Interstate 10 to Oak Valley Parkway (exit 92). Head east on Oak Valley Parkway for 1.4 miles…
Location: Hicks staging area, Limestone Canyon. From either the 405 or 5 Freeways, take Jeffrey Road and head northeast for 4 miles (from the 5 Freeway) or 6.5 miles (from the 405 Freeway). Bear right at a junction where you will likely see a volunteer from the Irvine Ranch Conservancy checking hikers in. Continue another…
SilMod Loop (Black Star Canyon/Irvine Ranch) Location: Black Star Canyon Road, Orange County. From the 55 Freeway, take the Chapman Ave. exit. Head east for 10.7 miles (Chapman becomes East Santiago Canyon Road en route). Turn left onto Silverado Canyon Rd. and take a quick left onto Black Star Canyon Road. Follow it 0.7 miles…
