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: Goleta. From downtown Santa Barbara, take Highway 101 west for 13 miles to exit 110 (Winchester Canyon Road/Hollister Road). Continue to Cathedral Oaks Road, turn left, cross the freeway and turn left onto Hollister. The parking area will be on the left in 0.6 mile. Agency: City of Goleta Distance: Up to 3 miles…
Location: Gaviota State Park, Santa Barbara County. From Highway 101 (32 miles west of Santa Barbara and 8 miles south of Buellton) take exit 132 for Highway 1/Lompoc. Head east (turn left if you are coming from the north; right if you are coming from the south) and make a quick right onto Gaviota Park…
Yucca/Las Cruces Loop (Gaviota State Park) Location: Gaviota State Park, Santa Barbara County. From Highway 101 (32 miles west of Santa Barbara and 8 miles south of Buellton) take exit 132 for Highway 1/Lompoc. Head west for 0.6 mile to San Julian Road. Turn left and follow San Julian Road 0.6 mile to its ending…
Stevens Park Trail (Santa Barbara) Location: 258 Canon Drive, Santa Barbara. From Highway 101, take exit 100 for Las Positas Road/Highway 225. Head north for 1.3 miles (Las Positas Road becomes San Roque Road). Turn left on Calle Fresno, follow it a short distance to its end and turn right onto Canon Drive. The park…
Sidewinder/Upper Aliso Canyon Loop (Chino Hills State Park) 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…
Read more Sidewinder/Upper Aliso Canyon Loop (Chino Hills State Park)
San Juan Hill from Rolling M Ranch (Chino Hills State Park) 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…
Read more San Juan Hill from Rolling M Ranch (Chino Hills State Park)
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 Lower Bane Ridge/ Pomona/ Fenceline Loop (Chino Hills State Park)
Thank you readers for a terrific 2016! It was another landmark year for NHLA with more than 180,000 people visiting the site and receiving awards from outlets such as HealthListed and FeedSpot. The food drive/hike event “Will Hike For Food: Rocky Peak” helped the West Valley Food Pantry help those in need. More than 100…
Eagle Rock Canyon Trail Location: Eagle Rock, at the Scholl Canyon Road exit (11) on the 134 Freeway. Parking is available on Scholl Canyon Road just north of the freeway, by the entrance to the park. More parking can be accessed by heading south on Scholl Canyon Road, taking the first left onto Coloardo Blvd,…
Veterans Park Trail (Sylmar) Location: Sylmar. From the 210 Freeway, take the Polk St. exit (3) and head northeast for 0.6 mile. Turn right onto Eldridge Ave., go 0.3 mile and turn left onto Astoria St. Go 0.5 mile and turn left onto Simshaw Ave. Go 0.2 mile and turn right onto Parkland Circle and…
Many people casually hike in Southern California – and there are plenty of routes that novices can tackle with relatively little struggle. For those that are after a bit of a challenge, the region also has a lot to offer in terms of hikes that will leave you sore, tired and your muscles aching. But…
Read more Preparing for Southern California’s toughest hikes: Five practical tips
Elings Park Location: Santa Barbara. From Highway 101, take the Las Positas/Highway 225 exit (100) an head south for 1.1 miles. Turn left onto Jerry Harwin Parkway and follow it into the park. There is a $5 per vehicle fee on weekends. Agency: Elings Park Distance: 1.4 miles Elevation gain: 200 Suggested time: 45 minutes…
Lake Los Carneros County Park Location: Goleta. From Highway 101, about 10 miles west of Santa Barbara, take the Los Carneros Road exit (107) and head north. After the traffic circle, take the first right into the park, 0.3 mile north of the freeway and just before Covington Way. Agency: City of Goleta Distance: 1.2…
More Mesa Location: Goleta, at the corner of Mockingbird Lane and Vieja Drive. From points east, take Highway 101 to the Highway 154/State St. exit (101B). Bear left onto State and follow it a total of 1.7 miles (it becomes Hollister Avenue). Turn left onto Puente Drive and follow it a total of 0.8 mile,…
Sisar Canyon to White Ledge Camp Location: Los Padres National Forest between Ojai and Santa Paula. From Highway 150, nine miles east of Highway 33 and nine miles west of Highway 126, head north on private, one-lane Sisar Road. In half a mile, you reach a Y-junction where the road becomes dirt; if you have…
Ennisbrook Trail (Montecito) Location: Montecito. From the west, take Highway 101 to the San Ysidro Rd./Eucalyptus Ln. exit (93). Turn left and follow San Ysidro Rd. for 0.1 miles. Turn right on San Leandro Lane and follow it a total of 0.7 miles (make one left and one right turn to stay on San Leandro…
Lower Arroyo Seco Recreation Area Location: There are several possible access points. The hike described here begins at San Pascual Stables, 221 San Pascual Ave., South Pasadena. From Pasadena, take Orange Grove Blvd. south. At 1.3 miles south of Colorado Blvd., turn right onto Madeline Drive, which becomes Arroyo Blvd. Half a mile from Orange…
Ascot Hills Park Location: 4371 Multnomah St., east Los Angeles. From the 10 Freeway, take the Soto Ave. exit (19 if you’re coming from the west; 19C if you’re coming from the east). Head northeast on Soto Ave. for one mile and turn right onto Multnomah St. The park is on the left at 0.3…
Santa Paula Canyon Location: Thomas Aquinas College, between Ojai and Santa Paula. From the intersection with Highway 33 in Ojai, take Highway 150 east for 12 miles. Just before the entrance to the college, look for a small, unsigned entrance to a dirt lot on the left side of the road. From Santa Paula and…
