• COVID-19 Park and Trail Closures
  • Learn about the Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge
  • Shop
  •  

SoCal Hiker

  • Find a Hiking Trail
    • All Areas
    • Arizona
    • Colorado
    • Los Angeles
    • Orange County
    • Oregon
    • San Francisco Bay
    • Washington
  • Trail Guides
  • Six-Pack of Peaks
    • Colorado Six-Pack of Peaks
      • Bergen Peak
      • Rocky Mountain
      • Birthday Peak
      • Horseshoe Mountain
      • Grays Peak
    • New England Six-Pack of Peaks
    • NorCal Six-Pack of Peaks
      • Mount Umunhum
      • Mount Saint Helena
      • Mount Tamalpais
      • Mount Diablo
      • Mount Sizer
      • Rose Peak
    • Oregon Six-Pack of Peaks
      • Tumalo Mountain
      • Black Butte
      • Black Crater
      • Maiden Peak
      • Mount Bachelor
      • South Sister
    • SoCal Six-Pack of Peaks
      • Mt. Wilson
      • Cucamonga Peak
      • Mt. San Antonio (Mt Baldy)
      • San Bernardino Peak
      • San Jacinto Peak
      • San Gorgonio
  • Backpacking
    • High Sierra Trail
    • John Muir Trail
      • Overview of the John Muir Trail
      • Training
      • Day-by-Day Itinerary
      • Resupply Addresses
      • JMT Discussion Forum
    • Lost Coast Trail
    • North/South Lake Loop
    • Rae Lakes Loop
    • Red Peak Pass Loop
    • Theodore Solomons Trail
    • Trans-Catalina Trail
    • Wonderland Trail
  • Gear
  • Forums
    • Latest Topics
    • Ask a Question
    • Campfire
    • Trails
    • Trail Reports
    • Gear Wisdom
    • Classifieds
  • Login

Salt Creek Trail

March 25, 2011 By Jeff H 12 Comments

Views stretching out to the ocean

One of the challenges of winter is that during the week, it’s already dark outside when I leave the office. I don’t mind hiking in the dark, but many people aren’t comfortable hiking in the wilderness at night, and most of the regional trails are officially closed from sundown to sunrise. The Salt Creek Trail […]

Filed Under: Trail Guides Tagged With: 6-8 miles, beach, coastal, Dana Point, dog-friendly, family-friendly, Laguna Niguel, night, Orange County, paved, rain-friendly

Hiking Moro Canyon, Moro Ridge and the BFI in Crystal Cove State Park

January 3, 2011 By Jeff H 11 Comments

This loop is one of my favorite hiking trails in Crystal Cove State Park. At 5.5 miles and over 800′ of net vertical gain, this hike makes for a great workout. The length is about right to make it worth the trip, but won’t take all day. And the scenery is fantastic. The hike down […]

Filed Under: Trail Guides Tagged With: 3-6 miles, coastal, Crystal Cove, moderate, Orange County

Tour de Trestles

December 21, 2010 By Jeff H 6 Comments

Trestles Beach is world-famous for great surfing, with a series of surf spots. Running from north to south are Cottons, Uppers, Middles, Lowers and Church. These beaches are extremely popular with surfers, and this section of coastline is one of the most unspoiled coastal areas in southern California. This 3.7 mile loop hike takes you […]

Filed Under: Trail Guides Tagged With: 3-6 miles, coastal, easy, Orange County, San Clemente, San Onofre State Beach, State Park

San Onofre Loop to Cristianitos Fault

December 20, 2010 By Jeff H 5 Comments

The Cristianitos Fault is a major earthquake fault line located less than one mile from the San Onofre nuclear power plant. This hike takes you on a 3.8 mile loop through San Onofre State Beach to the site of the fault line. Along the way, you’ll see the Monterey Formation, which holds most of the […]

Filed Under: Trail Guides Tagged With: 3-6 miles, beach, coastal, moderate, Orange County, San Clemente, San Onofre State Beach, scenic, State Park, video

Exploring South Carlsbad State Beach

December 19, 2010 By Jeff H 5 Comments

I have fond memories walking along the beach in Carlsbad. My grandparents retired to Carlsbad, and I’ve been there first with them, and later with my own kids. South Carlsbad State Beach is a great stretch of bluff-lined beach that makes a beautiful place to amble about, exploring the beach, enjoying the sunshine and the […]

Filed Under: State Parks, Trail Guides Tagged With: 3-6 miles, beach, beachcombing, Carlsbad, Carlsbad State Beach, coastal, family-friendly, flat, guide, hike, San Diego County, scenic, State Park, trail, walk, walking

No Dogs to Poles to Moro Canyon Loop in Crystal Cove State Park

December 12, 2010 By Jeff H 4 Comments

This moderate 3 mile loop trail in Crystal Cove State Park used to be known as the Green Loop. Now maps at the visitor center don’t name it that, but color code it as blue to designate it as a moderate hike. This loop begins and ends at the El Moro Visitor Center. It travels across […]

Filed Under: Trail Guides Tagged With: 3-6 miles, coastal, Crystal Cove, loop, moderate, Orange County

Hiking the Perimeter of Crystal Cove State Park

December 12, 2010 By Jeff H 9 Comments

Crystal Cove Pano East

Crystal Cove State Park is nestled in the coastal hills between Newport and Laguna Beach. This hiking trail traces the boundaries of the inland section of the park, climbing up and down ridge and valley through coastal scrub. I love this park, not only because it’s so well located for Orange County, but because you […]

Filed Under: Trail Guides Tagged With: 8-10 miles, coastal, Crystal Cove, hike, hiking, loop, Orange County, photography, scenic, strenuous, trail, vista, wilderness

Hiking Boat Canyon by the Full Moon

May 27, 2010 By Jeff H 17 Comments

If there’s a full moon tonight (and there is) it must be time for a Boat Canyon night hike. Boat Canyon is a terrific 8.2 mile hike in the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, climbing up above Boat Canyon, dropping down to Laguna Canyon Road and climbing back up again before returning to the trailhead — […]

Filed Under: Trail Guides Tagged With: 8-10 miles, coastal, Laguna Beach, Laguna Coast Wilderness, moderate, night, vista

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Next Page »

About SoCal Hiker

Jeff on Mount Rainier

I created SoCal Hiker while preparing to thru-hike the John Muir Trail. My goal? Create guides for the best hiking and backpacking trails with enough detail to make it an enjoyable experience for you. And while I started with trails in Southern California, I’ve expanded across the west. We hike each trail to create these guides, sharing practical advice on gear and outdoor skills. Read more…

Connect with SoCal Hiker

  • 22,753 Fans
  • 11,901 Followers
  • 21,640 Followers
  • 1,720 Followers
  • 5,281 Subscribers
  • 340 Subscribers
SoCalHiker was selected one of USA TODAY's 10 Best Hiking and Outdoor Blogs
Get our day-by-day guide to thru-hiking the John Muir Trail
Get up-to-day wildfire status throughout California

Products

  • Mt Baden-Powell Replica Benchmark Mt Baden-Powell Benchmark $39.95
  • San Gorgonio T-Shirt $23.00 – $25.00
  • 2017 Six-Pack of Peaks Sticker 2017 Six-Pack of Peaks Sticker $3.00
  • South Sister Benchmark South Sister Benchmark $39.95

Sponsors

Sponsor SoCalHiker and see your banner here

Featured Posts

Backpacking the Grand Canyon of Tuolumne Loop in Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National P ark, and in particular Yosemite Valley, is home to some of the … [Read More...]

Hiking Belknap Crater in the Mountain Washington Wilderness

Hiking this out-and-back route up Belknap Crater you'll traverse an other-worldly … [Read More...]

Hiking to the Simpson Reef Overlook on the Oregon Coast Trail

The Oregon Coast is rugged, beautiful and often uncrowded. This bluff-top … [Read More...]

Lastest Comments

  • JEFF MALONEY on Backpacking on the Santa Cruz Trail in the Santa Barbara Backcountry
  • Sai Chandavarkar on Hiking Mt Baden-Powell
  • Amy Courtney on Ridgeline Trail
  • 11 Best California Bikepacking Routes | Wild Lumens on Inside Crystal Cove State Park
  • Ted Thed on Burbank Peak, Cahuenga Peak, Mt. Lee and the Hollywood Sign
Get your SoCalHiker stickers now

Get your SoCalHiker stickers!

Latest Posts

  • Backpacking the Grand Canyon of Tuolumne Loop in Yosemite National Park March 24, 2023
  • Hiking Belknap Crater in the Mountain Washington Wilderness October 20, 2022
  • Hiking to the Simpson Reef Overlook on the Oregon Coast Trail August 25, 2022
  • Join Team SoCalHiker at the Climb for Heroes August 23, 2022
  • Hiking the Welch-Dickey Loop in the White Mountain National Forest August 18, 2022

Recent Forum Topics

  • Understanding the Physiology and Psychology of Hiking in the Cold
  • Scaling Peaks in Cold and Snowy Conditions
  • Strategies for Making Cold-Weather Hiking Fun and Safe with Kids
  • The Benefits of Winter Hiking: Exploring the Beauty and Solitude of Snowy Trai
  • Lost Coast Trail

The Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge Series

Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge SeriesThe Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge Series gives you an opportunity to explore your world while supporting a great cause. There are eleven challenges around the country. Hike or run them at your own schedule.

Flex your adventure muscles!

Learn more here.

 

Search

Tags

3-6 miles 6-8 miles 8-10 miles 11+ miles Arizona Backpacking coastal dog-friendly easy family-friendly High Sierra Trail hiking Hiking The John Muir Trail hipster inspiration JMT John Muir John Muir Trail Kings Canyon National Park LA County moderate Mount Rainier National Park Muir Monday National Park Orange County Oregon out of bounds Pacific Crest Trail peak peakbagging quote scenic Sequoia National Park Sierra Nevada Six-Pack of Peaks State Park strenuous Thru-hiking Utah vista Washington waterfall wilderness Wonderland Trail Yosemite

Copyright © 2023 SoCalHiker.net · Metro Theme on Genesis Framework with WPEngine Hosting · Contact SoCal Hiker · Sitemap · Privacy Policy

 

Loading Comments...