FEATURED FAVORITE HIKES

This section is used to highlight a few hikes of the more than 120 different hikes that are showcased on this blog. Our featured hikes list is only a select list and to find more that the select few Southern California Hikes that are highlighted here click on the Find a Hike Tab. We have categories such as Fun Short Hikes, Notable Peaks, Local Water Features, Kid Friendly Hikes, and lastly Brian & Ashley's Favorite Hikes.

Fun Short Hikes (Below)
Trail NameDistance MilesElevation GainDifficulty
Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park (Dripping Cave)5100Easy
Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park (Aliso Peak Trail)1.5300Easy
Aliso Creek Trail4600Easy
Caspers Wilderness Park5300Easy
El Cariso Nature Trail1.2< 100Easy
Elsinore Peak1250Easy
Flag Hill3.5400Easy
Holy Jim Falls2.8650Easy
Irvine Regional Park2.5100Easy
Laguna Coast Wilderness (James Dilley Preserve)3.5300Easy
Laguna Coast Wilderness (Laurel Canyon)3.5700Easy
Oak Glen Preserve (The Wildlands Conservancy)2260Easy
Palomar Observatory Trail4.4700Easy
Peters Canyon Regional Park4.5500Easy
Quail Hill Loop1.8< 100Easy
Riley Wilderness Park3.5300Easy
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary (Boardwalk Loop)2.8< 100Easy
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary (North Loop)1.5< 100Easy
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary (South Loop)1.6< 100Easy
San Juan Loop Trail2.2350Easy
Santiago Oaks Regional Park4700Easy
Turtle Rock2.7250Easy
Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve1< 100Easy
Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park (Glenn Ranch Rd.)5500Easy
Wooded Hill Nature Trail1.5212Easy

Notable Peaks (Below)
Trail NameDistance MilesElevation GainDifficulty
Bedford Peak (3,800ft)71,900Moderate - Strenuous
Cucamonga Peak (6,512ft)123,939Strenuous
Cuyamaca Peak (6,512ft)71,500Moderate
Elsinore Peak (3,565ft)1250Easy
Garnet Peak (5,900ft)2.4500Easy
Half Dome (8,842ft)16.44,800Strenuous
Los Pinos Peak via the Los Pinos Trail (4,510ft)16.43,300Strenuous
Los Pinos Peak via the Main Divide Rd. (4,510ft)5.21,000Moderate
Mt. Baden-Powell (9,399ft)82,800Moderate - Strenuous
Mt. Baldy (Via Devils Backbone Trail (10,064ft)11.254,300Strenuous
Mt. Baldy (Via Ski Hut Trail (10,064ft)93,900Strenuous
Mt. Islip (8,250ft)71,590Moderate
Mt. Pinos (8,250ft)3.2500Easy - Moderate
Mt. San Gorgonio via the South Fork Trail (11,501ft)23.64,601Strenuous
Mt. San Gorgonio via the Vivian Creek Trail (11,501ft)165,600Strenuous
Mt. San Jacinto (10,834ft)112,300Moderate - Strenuous
Mt. Whitney (14,505ft)226,134Very Strenuous
Saddleback Mt./Santiago Peak (5,687ft)164,000Strenuous
Sitton Peak (3,273ft)10.32,200Moderate
Stonewall Peak (5,730ft)4850Easy - Moderate
Wooded Hill Peak (6,223ft)1.5212Easy

Local Water Features (Below)
Trail NameDistance MilesElevation GainDifficulty
Black Star Canyon Falls (Waterfall)6.7800Moderate - Strenuous
Chaquito Falls (Waterfall)8.91,300Moderate
Dry Lake (Seasonal Alpine Lake)142,201Strenuous
Holy Jim Falls (Waterfall)2.8650Easy
Laguna Coast Wilderness (James Dilley Preserve)(Only Natural O.C. Lakes)3.5300Easy
Monrovia Falls (Waterfall)1.5 to 3.4400 to 800Easy
Mt. Baldy (San Antonio Falls)(Waterfall)1300Easy
Ortega Falls (Waterfall)0.5300Easy
San Juan Loop Trail (San Juan Falls)(Waterfall)2.2350Easy
Santa Rosa Plateau (Vernal Pools)6.3400Moderate
Tenaja Falls (Waterfall)1.4300Easy

Kid Friendly Hikes (Below) (Note: We will leave it up to parents to determine which trails they are willing to take their kids on. We have seen parents with kids out on many hikes and ultimately it is their job to determine the distance and type of hike that their kids are ready for. Taking that and safety in mind, we are only going to recommend a few hikes for this category, even though we have seen families with kids out on many other trails which are listed in our fun short hikes section.) 
Trail NameDistance MilesElevation GainDifficulty
Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park (Pecten Reef Loop)1.3< 100Easy
Canyon Community Park0.5 or 0.7< 100Very Easy
Irvine Regional Park2.5100Easy
Kwaaymii Nature Trail0.5100Easy
Mile Square Regional Park3< 100Easy
Mission Viejo Open Space2.3200Easy
Oak Canyon Nature Center1 - 2200Easy
Oak Glen Preserve (The Wildlands Conservancy)2260Easy
Orange County Zoo0.25< 100Very Easy
Quail Hill Loop1.8< 100Easy
Riley Wilderness Park3.5300Easy
Turtle Rock Nature Center0.25< 100Very Easy
Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve1< 100Easy
Wooded Hill Nature Trail1.5212Easy

Brian & Ashley's Favorite Hikes (Below)
Trail Name Distance Miles Elevation Gain Difficulty
Devils Punchbowl 7.4 1,000 Moderate
Limestone Canyon Wilderness Park (Viewing the Sinks) 5.5 800 Moderate
Mt. Baden-Powell 8 2,800 Moderate - Strenuous
Mt. San Jacinto via Tram 11 2,300 Moderate - Strenuous
Saddleback Mountain/Santiago Peak 16 4,000 Strenuous
Sitton Peak 10.3 2,200 Moderate