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Hike Los Liones Canyon to Parker Mesa Overlook

August 12, 2016 By Jeff Hester 4 Comments

Hiking Los Leones Canyon Trail to Parker Mesa Overlook

Los Liones Canyon winds it’s way through brush that at times spills over the trail, creating a tunnel. It climbs, and climbs… and climbs (you’ll really feel it on a hot sunny day), finally reaching the epic coastal views of Parker Mesa Overlook. This is a great seven mile out-and-back hike with decent vertical gain […]

Filed Under: Trail Guides Tagged With: 6-8 miles, coastal, LA County, moderate, State Park, sunset, Topanga State Park, vista

Hiking to McWay Falls in Big Sur

December 22, 2015 By Jeff Hester 5 Comments

Photogenic McWay Falls in Big Sur

McWay Falls is “that” waterfall in Big Sur that everyone has seen and many have photographed. I had driven up and down Big Sur several times before I finally made a point of going here. It was on my “must-see” list for years, but I just hadn’t timed my drive right… until this year. The […]

Filed Under: State Parks, Trail Guides Tagged With: Big Sur, coastal, easy, family-friendly, State Park, vista, waterfall

Hiking the Ewoldsen Trail in Julia Pfieffer Burns State Park

November 30, 2015 By Jeff Hester 3 Comments

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park has everything that Big Sur is known for — dramatic old growth coastal redwoods that tower above you; streams dancing through steep gorges lined with colorful wildflowers; stunning views of the rugged coastline; and photogenic waterfalls. The 5.9 mile Ewoldsen Trail delivers the goods. We tackled this scenic loop in […]

Filed Under: State Parks, Trail Guides Tagged With: 3-6 miles, Big Sur, coastal, Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP, moderate, out of bounds, State Park, vista, waterfall

Skull Rock and Temescal Loop

June 23, 2015 By Jeff Hester 1 Comment

The Temescal Loop trail is one of my favorite hikes on days when the sun dips low. This variation includes a side trip further up the ridge to Skull Rock. And yes, it really does look like a skull (with a little imagination). With the addition of a small side trip to Skull Rock, this […]

Filed Under: State Parks, Trail Guides Tagged With: 3-6 miles, coastal, easy, LA County, Pacific Palisades, Skull Rock, Temescal Canyon, Topping State Park, vista, waterfall

Hiking Mt Baden-Powell

September 15, 2014 By Jeff Hester 19 Comments

The sky was a deep, cloudless blue. The only sounds came from the occasional wind through the sparse trees and the crunching of my boots on the trail. I had just climbed nearly 3,000 vertical feet to the summit of Mt. Baden-Powell (9,406′) — one of the highest mountains in the San Gabriel mountains. The […]

Filed Under: Trail Guides Tagged With: 8-10 miles, dog-friendly, Mount Baden-Powell, Mt Baden-Powell, Pacific Crest Trail, PCT, peakbagging, San Gabriel Mountains, strenuous, Vincent Gap, vista, wilderness, Wrightwood

Hiking to Aliso Peak

September 12, 2014 By Jeff Hester 7 Comments

Aliso Peak Trail has great coastal views

South Orange County is often dismissed as a snooty, well-to-do slice of suburbia filled with malls, expensive cars and cookie cutter houses. It may fit that stereotype on the surface, but there is much more to explore. There are hidden trails like the Aliso Peak Trail above Laguna Beach. This short-but-sweet trail provides a perfect mid-week attitude […]

Filed Under: Trail Guides Tagged With: Aliso Peak, Aliso Woods Canyon Wilderness Park, coastal, dog-friendly, easy, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Orange County, vista

Hiking Angels Landing

August 29, 2014 By Jeff Hester 6 Comments

We ascended Walter’s Wiggles, the 21-switchbacks carefully engineered and reinforced with sandstone blocks and were standing atop Scout Lookout, with awe-inspiring views down into Zion Canyon and over the Virgin River. Looming before us was a slender finger of red sandstone leading to Angels Landing. I have been up Half Dome several times. I’ve sat atop Banner Peak and dangled […]

Filed Under: Trail Guides Tagged With: 3-6 miles, National Park, out of bounds, scenic, strenuous, Utah, vista, Zion National Park

Temescal Canyon Loop

January 12, 2014 By Jeff Hester 10 Comments

Temescal Canyon in the Pacific Palisades provides a beautiful setting for a short hike. Wooded canyon? Check. Great exercise with a challenging climb? Check. Beautiful panoramic views of the Pacific coastline? This hike has all of the above. We checked this trail out late on a Saturday afternoon and were able to enjoy the sunset from […]

Filed Under: Trail Guides Tagged With: 3-6 miles, coastal, easy, LA County, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica Mountains, sunset, Temescal Canyon, Topanga State Park, vista, waterfall

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About Jeff Hester

I created SoCal Hiker while preparing to thru-hike the John Muir Trail. My goal? Create guides for the best hiking trails throughout Southern California--and occasionally beyond. I personally hike each trail to create these guides, sharing practical advice on gear and outdoor skills. Read more...

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