Oasis Spring
Location: California, San Diego area, Cleveland National Forest
Quick hike to a largely forgotten spring and pump house.
Garnet Peak
Location: California, San Diego area, Cleveland National Forest
Short hike to a peak with a beautiful 360 degree panorama of desert and mountain scenery.
Indian Creek-PCT Loop
Location: California, San Diego area, Cleveland National Forest
Nice loop hike utilizing multiple trails in the Mount Laguna area for a wide cross section of scenery and views.
Cougar Canyon (Bottom Up)
Location: California, Anza Borrego Desert
Canyon in a remote portion of the park with waterfalls and lush vegetation, ending at the iconic Psychedelic Eye graffiti site.
Indian Canyon
Location: California, Anza Borrego Desert
Remote area of Anza Borrego with nice wildflowers and a palm grove.
Mt. Lukens via Stone Canyon
Location: California, Los Angeles area, San Gabriels
Nice, less-frequented hike offering beautiful views and sufficient elevation gain for good conditioning.
⊗ Silver on the Side Canyon
Location: California, Los Angeles area, San Gabriels
Canyoning through a historic area with multiple waterfalls and a few ruins
Palos Verdes Diving
Location: California, Los Angeles area, Palos Verdes Peninsula
Dive the recently recovered kelp beds off the Palos Verdes coast.
Avalon Wreck Dive
Location: California, Los Angeles area, Palos Verdes Peninsula
Nice wreck of a late 19th century steamer with some interesting visible machinery remnants.
Rabbit Peak
Location: California, Anza Borrego Desert
Intense hike with sweeping desert views to a beautiful, semi-isolated mesa.
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Location: California, San Diego, La Jolla/Del Mar area
State Natural Reserve covering 2,000 acres and protecting the critically endangered Torrey Pine; scenery includes sweeping coastal views, rugged canyons, and jagged cliffs.
Victoria Beach Pirate Tower
Location: California, Los Angeles area, Laguna Beach
Iconic 60 foot tower built on Victoria Beach in 1926 – the tower encloses a spiral staircase which provides private beach access for the property owner.
Pappy’s Point Sea Caves ♦
Location: California, San Diego area
Explore the “secret” caves at Pappy’s Point including the famous “Rum Runner’s Cave”.
Old Highway 80
Location: California, San Diego area
Travel the once-thriving Route 80 to see historic road side attractions, abandoned buildings, railcars, and modern day ghost towns
Sunset Cliffs Sea Caves ♦
Location: California, San Diego
Excellent set of sea caves on the San Diego coast
Sandtrap Canyon
Location: California, San Diego area, La Jolla
Short, non-technical sandstone canyon on the coast with year-round water and a waterfall
San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve
Location: California, San Diego, Solana Beach
Large wetland preserve – home to over 1,000 species of plants and animals and contains over 7 miles of trails
Annie’s Canyon
Location: California, San Diego area, Solana Beach
Fun little coastal sandstone canyon on the banks of a scenic lagoon
Balboa Park Archery Range ♦
Location: California, San Diego, Balboa Park
Little-known walking archery range set amidst the scenery of Balboa Park
Poway Crags
Location: California, San Diego, Poway
Nice, low traffic climbing area in a scenic location that’s home to a popular hike
Mission Gorge
Location: California, San Diego, Santee
Popular climbing area with easy access and a large number of climbs
Love Valley
Location: California, San Diego, Palomar Mountain
Easy hike through pretty rolling hills with seasonal ponds and picturesque old barn
Ruby E Wreck Dive ♦
Location: California, San Diego, Mission Beach
Advanced dive (due to depth) to a 1930’s era Coast Guard cutter beautifully covered in barnacles
Miramar Air Show
Location: California, San Diego, Miramar
Great air show featuring historic planes, explosions, and the Blue Angels
La Jolla Sea Caves
Location: California, San Diego, La Jolla
Sea caves along the scenic La Jolla coast with land and sea access options
Kitchen Creek
Location: California, San Diego area, Cleveland National Forest
Canyon with seasonal water flow that offers both technical and non-technical descent options
Lake Poway
Location: California, San Diego, Poway
Scenic multi-use trail around a lake with wildflowers in the spring
Julian
Location: California, San Diego area, Julian
Adorable historic mining town that offers apple picking in the fall and nice hikes
Gliderport
Location: California, San Diego, La Jolla
Scenic spot for paragliding and hang gliding with lovely coastal views
Eagle and High Peak Gold Mine
Location: California, San Diego area, Julian
Historic gold mine restored to its 1870’s appearance with old mining equipment and memorabilia
Blue Sky Ecological Reserve
Location: California, San Diego, Poway
Hike along a shaded creek with live oaks before climbing to the top of a reservoir
Descanso
Location: California, San Diego area, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park
Less frequented climbing area with a quick approach and around 30 climbs
Daley Ranch
Location: California, San Diego area, Escondido
3,000 acre reserve of historic ranch land featuring numerous hiking trails and historic barns and buildings
Doane Valley
Location: California, San Diego area, Palomar Mountain
Hike through pretty scenery including a pond, creek, rolling hills, and the ruins of a 1920’s dam and gauging station
Dixon Lake
Location: California, San Diego, Escondido
Extremely quick approach to a handful of climbs; features some nice beginner climbing
The Huntington
Location: California, Los Angeles area, Pasadena
Historic large estate with numerous excellent gardens, an art collection, and library housing rare books and manuscripts
Millard Canyon/Dawn Mine Loop ♦
Location: California, Los Angeles area, San Gabriels
Hike to a great abandoned mine at the end of a non-technical canyon which includes a nice waterfall
Mt. Lowe Railway
Location: California, Los Angeles area, San Gabriels
Hike the route of the historic Mt. Lowe railway, exploring the ruins of the two major stops along the route
⊗ Rubio Canyon
Location: California, Los Angeles area, San Gabriels
Canyoning through a historic area with multiple waterfalls and a few ruins
⊗ Bailey Canyon
Location: California, Los Angeles area, San Gabriels
Technical canyon with a straightforward approach and multiple rappels
⊗ Little Santa Anita Canyon
Location: California, Los Angeles area, San Gabriels
Nice beginner canyon with a straightforward approach, lots of rappels, and an occasional keeper pothole; optional extension on the approach through a historic area with a few ruins
⊗ Eaton Canyon (Technical) ♦
Location: California, Los Angeles, San Gabriels
One of the best technical canyons in the area – like a descent of a technical waterpark with numerous slides and jumps and fun raps
Eaton Canyon (Hike)
Location: California, Los Angeles area, San Gabriels
Heavily trafficked hike with multiple small river crossings to a nice waterfall
⊗ Allison Mine Loop
Location: California, Los Angeles area, San Gabriels
Hike to a great set of abandoned mines and descend via a canyon; overnight option allows additional rappels and more time to explore the mines
Malibu Creek State Park ♦
Location: California, Los Angeles area, Santa Monica Mountains
State Park where Planet of the Apes and MASH were filmed; offers nice hikes and various fun climbing spots
Echo Cliffs
Location: California, Los Angeles area, Santa Monica Mountains
Relatively quick approach to some excellent climbing, with climbs appropriate for all levels (beginner to expert)
Hueco Wall
Location: California area, Los Angeles, Santa Monica Mountains
Nice approach hike to a less frequented climbing area with intermediate to advanced climbs
Point Dume
Location: California, Los Angeles area, Santa Monica Mountains
Popular beginner climbing area on a coastal cliff
Paradise Falls
Location: California, Los Angeles area, Thousand Oaks
Nice hike with three distinct destinations: a peak, a waterfall, and a small cave
Crystal Cove State Park
Location: California, Los Angeles area, Laguna Beach
State Park with hiking and a historic seaside colony with cottages from the 1930’s
Wayfarers Chapel
Location: California, Los Angeles area, Palos Verdes Peninsula
Lovely chapel designed by Lloyd Wright in a picturesque setting
Santa Rosa Plateau
Location: California, Los Angeles Area, Temecula
Large preserve with woodlands, wetlands, prairie, and vernal pools
Walker Canyon
Location: California, Los Angeles area, Lake Elsinore
Attractive canyon that’s absolutely covered with California poppies in the spring
La Brea Tar Pits
Location: California, Los Angeles
Famous ice age fossil site with ongoing excavations and a museum
Zzyzx ♦
Location: California, South Central Desert, Northeast of Los Angeles
Abandoned buildings and infrastructure of a 1940’s era Health Resort on the edge of the Mojave Desert
Calico Ghost Town
Location: California, South Central Desert, Northeast of Los Angeles
Commercialized ghost town with some authentic buildings that’s a fun tourist stop between LA and Vegas
Salton City
Location: California, South Central Desert, Southeast of Los Angeles
Failed resort community that currently houses a fraction of the intended population; fascinating as a sort of modern day ghost town
Tahquitz Canyon
Location: California, South Central Desert, East of Los Angeles
Quick hike through a canyon previously inhabited by the Agua Caliente band of the Cahuilla Indians to a nice (largely seasonal) waterfall
Indio
Location: California, South Central Desert, East of Los Angeles
Winter escape famous with polo fields, canyons, spring wildflowers, and the Coachella Valley
Santa Cruz Island
Location: California, Channel Islands, Channel Islands National Park
Remote off-shore island with miles of hiking trails, nice snorkeling options, and kayaking to great sea caves
Wrigley Botanical Garden
Location: California, Channel Islands, Santa Catalina Island
Memorial and botanical garden with native plants and nice views
Santa Catalina Diving
Location: California, Channel Islands, Santa Catalina Island
Great California diving with kelp beds and numerous wrecks
Avalon
Location: California, Channel Islands, Santa Catalina Island
Resort community originally developed in the early 1900’s and retaining much of its historic charm
Trans-Catalina Trail
Location: California, Channel Islands, Santa Catalina Island
Rugged trail traversing Catalina via a multi-day backpacking trip with beautiful coastal views
⊗ Cougar Canyon
Location: California, Anza Borrego Desert
Nice desert canyon with lots of rappels, some of which are very pretty, and flowing water in the spring
Villager Peak
Location: California, Anza Borrego Desert
Hike to the summit of a peak offering sweeping views of the surrounding desert and nice wildflowers in the spring
Borrego Palm Canyon
Location: California, Anza Borrego Desert
Popular hike along a watercourse to a palm grove; also features great wildflowers and a nice waterfall in the spring
Hellhole Canyon
Location: California, Anza Borrego Desert
Hike over open desert and up a canyon along a watercourse to a hidden waterfall; features nice wildflowers in the spring
Lower Coyote Canyon
Location: California, Anza Borrego Desert
Nice off-road drive providing access to some more remote areas of the park with nice hiking options and spring wildflowers
Galleta Meadows Sculptures
Location: California, Anza Borrego Desert
Excellent art installation sprinkled around the Anza Borrego area, featuring large steel welded sculptures
Culp Valley
Location: California, Anza Borrego Desert
Nice bouldering area right off the main road into Borrego Springs
Santa Barbara
Location: California, Southern Pacific Coast, North of Los Angeles
Great coastal city with various sites of historic interest, including the courthouse built in 1929, a mission founded in 1786, a Chumash painted cave, and a stagecoach-era tavern that’s still in operation
San Luis Obispo
Location: California, Southern Pacific Coast, South of Big Sur
Nice town with a picturesque spot for some mediocre climbing, a mission founded in 1772, and a large coastal sand dune system
Cambria
Location: California, Southern Pacific Coast, South of Big Sur
Adorable town for a weekend getaway with several nearby attractions, including the excellent Hearst Castle
Goat Canyon Trestle ♦
Location: California, Anza Borrego Desert
Off trail hike to the famous and historic Goat Canyon wooden trestle
Distance: 6 miles round trip, 3000 feet of elevation gain
Calcite Mine & Slot Canyons
Location: California, Anza Borrego Desert
Old calcite mining area with multiple options for non-technical slot canyons
Distance: 4.2 miles round trip, 800 feet of elevation gain
“The Slot”
Location: California, Anza Borrego Desert
Very short non-technical slot canyon with easy access
Distance: 0.8 miles round trip, 100 feet of elevation gain
Wind Caves
Location: California, Anza Borrego Desert
Short hike to cool sandstone formations with pockets, tunnels, and shallow caves.
Distance: 1.25 miles round trip, 250 feet of elevation gain