When I started birding in the L.A. area, I found out that every location has its own species to offer, adding beauty to its already magnificent flora and fauna. Make sure your pen and paper are ready as we start listing these spots that will surely captivate your minds and hearts. Jackson Lake, Angeles National…
Thank you readers and hikers for a great 2017! This year saw a record setting amount of traffic to the site, a successful Opt Outside food drive on Black Friday, the site’s inclusion on the Mad Outdoorist’s list of top outdoor blogs and the posting of more than 100 new hikes – ranging from volcanic…
Poopout and Punk Out Trails (Big Dalton Canyon) Location: Angeles National Forest foothills north of Glendora. From L.A. and points west, take I-210 to Grand Avenue. Head north on Grand Avenue for 2.2 miles and turn right on Sierra Madre. Go 2 miles and turn left on Glendora Mountain Road. In 0.6 miles, park on…
Fuel Break Loop (Ojai) Location: Foothills north of Ojai. From Highway 101, take Highway 33 north for 13.2 miles to downtown Ojai. Follow Ojai Ave (Higway 150) for a mile and turn left on Signal St. Follow Signal St. for 0.5 miles to an intersection with Grand Avenue and bear left to stay on Signal…
West Fork Lion Falls Location: Middle Lion Campground, Los Padres National Forest north of Ojai. From Highway 101 in Ventura take Highway 33 north for 28 miles. Turn right onto Rose Valley Road (about 14 miles past Ojai) and follow it 4.8 miles to a junction. Turn right and drive 0.8 mile to the campground.…
Trancas Canyon Edison Road Location: Northwestern Santa Monica Mountains, south of Agoura Hills and north of Malibu. From Highway 101, take the Kanan Road exit and head south for 6.1 miles. Turn right onto Mulholland Highway and go 0.9 miles to a fork with Encinal Canyon Road. Continue onto Encinal Canyon Road. Trancas Canyon Road…
Middle Matilija Camp Location: Los Padres National Forest northwest of Ojai. In Google Maps, use the address 3970 Matilija Canyon Road for the approximate location. From Highway 101 in Ventura take Highway 33 north for 18 miles, through Ojai. Five miles north of town, shortly before Wheeler Gorge, look for Matilija Canyon Road on the…
Las Flores Canyon/Cobb Estate Location: Altadena (North of Pasadena), on the corner of Lake Avenue and Loma Alta Drive. From I-210 in Pasadena, take the Lake Avenue exit and head north (left if you are coming from the west, right if from the east) and go 3.6 miles to where Lake Avenue meets Loma Alta…
Old Los Angeles Zoo/Fern Canyon (Griffith Park) Location: Griffith Park near Los Angeles. From the south, take I-5 to the Los Feliz exit, turn left and cross the freeway and turn right on Crystal Springs Drive. Go 1.3 miles and turn right onto Griffith Park Drive. Park in the lot near the merry go round.…
San Marcos Foothills Nature Preserve Location: Santa Barbara. From Highway 154, take exit 32 For Highway 192/Cathedral Oaks Rd. (the first exit north of the 101 freeway). Head west (left if you are coming from the south, right if from the north) on Cathedral Oaks for 0.2 mile. Turn right on Via Chaparral and follow…
Cameron Nature Preserve to Mesa Peak Location: Malibu. From Pacific Coast Highway (33 miles east of Oxnard, 1.2 miles west of Malibu Canyon Road and 14 miles west of Santa Monica), go north on Puerco Canyon Road for 0.4 miles to its ending at the Cameron Nature Preserve. Limited parking is available on the right…
Nicholas Flat Trail Location: Leo Carillo State Park, 35000 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. From the end of I-10 in Santa Monica, take Pacific Coast Highway northwest for 27.3 miles. The park will be on the right, shortly past the intersection with Decker Road (Highway 23) and before Mulholland. From the Valley, take Highway 101 to…
Natoma Trail (Marvin Braude Mulholland Gateway Park) Location: Natoma Avenue, Woodland Hills. From the east, take Highway 101 to Winnetka Ave. (exit 25). Turn left and follow Winnetka for 0.7 mile to Wells Drive. Turn right and follow Wells f0r 0.7 mile to Natoma Ave. Turn left and follow Natoma 0.7 mile to its ending…
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Fremont Canyon to Weir Canyon (Irvine Ranch) Location: Irvine Regional Park. From the 55 freeway, take the Chapman Avenue exit and head east for 4.2 miles until you get to Jamboree Road. Take a left on Jamboree and a right into the park. From the north, take the Katella Avenue exit from the 55 freeway,…
Mine Gulch Trail Location: Vincent Gap, Angeles National Forest. The large parking lot is on the south side of the Angeles Crest Highway, 15 miles east of Highway 138, 8.7 miles west of Wrightwood, 5.2 miles west of Big Pines and 53 miles east of La Canada. Check road conditions before visiting. A National Forest…
Nike Trail (Rancho Palos Verdes) Location: Ganado Drive and Crest Road, Rancho Palos Verdes. From the south end of I-110/west end of the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro, take Gaffey St. south for 0.2 mile. Turn right onto 1st St. and follow it 1.6 miles to Miraleste Drive. Turn right on Miraleste and follow…
Zuma Canyon Connector Trail via Zuma Edison Road Location: Kanan Dume Road, Malibu. From Pacific Coast Highway (19 miles west of Santa Monica; 24 miles east of Oxnard) head north on Kanan Dume Road for 3 miles to a large, unsigned dirt parking lot on the left side of the road. From Highway 101, take…
Miraleste Canyon Trail (Rancho Palos Verdes) Location: Rancho Palos Verdes. From the south end of I-110/west end of the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro, take Gaffey St. south for 0.2 mile. Turn right onto 1st St. and follow it 1.6 miles to Miraleste Drive. Turn right on Miraleste and follow it 0.8 miles. Parking…
Hahamonga Watershed Park Location: North Windsor Ave. at Mountain View St., Pasadena. From the 210 Freeway, take Exit 22B (Arroyo Blvd/Windsor Ave.) Head north (left if you’re coming from the west; right if from the east) and follow Windsor Ave. for 0.8 mile and park in a large lot on the left side of the…
La Canada Crosstown Trail Loop Location: El Vago St., La Canada Flintridge. From I-210, take the Highway 2/Angeles Crest Highway exit. Go north (turn right if you’re coming from Pasadena, left if from the west) for 0.8 mile to Lavender Lane. Turn left and go 0.2 mile to La Canada Blvd. Turn right and go…
