Pine tree and valley views in the Angeles National Forest above Los Angeles
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SoCal Trails

Home mountains, deserts, and beaches — the backyard wilderness of Southern California. Here are some of my favorites.

San Gabriel Mountains overlooking the Los Angeles basin

Angeles Forest

San Gabriel Mountains

Secrets in your backyard across the Angeles Forest and beyond — waterfalls, mountains, lush canyons, and hidden cascades earned on foot.

Mt. Baldy Peak

Mt. Baldy Peak

Hard
📏 8 mi via Baldy Bowl Trail🚗 1 hr 30 min from LA🎫 Adventure Pass requiredAngeles Forest

The tallest peak in Los Angeles County at 10,064 ft. We went when it was icy and snowy near the top — you pass the beautiful San Antonio Falls on the way up via the Baldy Bowl Trail, then loop back down the notorious Devils Backbone, a narrow exposed ridge. A hard, serious hike — definitely not for beginners.

Tujunga Falls

Tujunga Falls

Moderate
📏 5 mi round trip🚗 40 min from LA🎫 Adventure Pass requiredAngeles Forest

Park on the side of the road. Not as popular — only flows after good rain, dries up in summer.

San Antonio Falls

San Antonio Falls

Easy
📏 1 mi round trip🚗 1 hr 30 min from LA🎫 Adventure Pass requiredAngeles Forest

Just off the official Mt. Baldy Trail with plenty of parking. Moderately popular and flows all year.

Lewis Falls

Lewis Falls

Easy
📏 Follow the river upstream🚗 1 hr 30 min from LA🎫 Adventure Pass requiredAngeles Forest

A hidden gem off the Angeles Crest Highway. No parking lot (roadside only) and no trail — just follow the river upstream. Flows all year.

Monrovia Canyon Falls

Monrovia Canyon Falls

Easy
📏 1 mi round trip🚗 Monrovia Canyon Park🎫 $5 weekdays / $6 weekendsAngeles Forest

Plenty of parking. Very popular and flows year round.

Stoddard Falls

Stoddard Falls

Easy
📏 1 mi hike🚗 1 hr 30 min from LA · Mt Baldy area🎫 Adventure Pass requiredAngeles Forest

Lots of parking. Popular year-round waterfall with ice-cold water, a deep pool, and a natural waterslide — no trail, just follow the river through a narrow canyon that makes you feel like you're in the jungle.

Switzer Falls

Switzer Falls

Moderate
📏 4 mi round trip🚗 40 min from LA🎫 Adventure Pass requiredAngeles Forest

Lots of parking, but it fills up very fast on weekends. Extremely popular year-round hike with ice-cold water, a swimmable lower falls pool, and a huge upper falls about half a mile above on a sketchy cliff section.

Jackson Lake & Wrightwood

Jackson Lake & Wrightwood

Easy
📏 Snow hiking & fishing🚗 2 hr from LA · near Mountain High🎫 Adventure Pass requiredAngeles Forest

A fun winter getaway along the Angeles Crest Highway near Wrightwood, gorgeous after a rainstorm. Jackson Lake is great for fishing and snow hiking, and Mountain High ski resort is right nearby. These mountains are pure snow fun.

Castaic Falls

Castaic Falls

Moderate
📏 2 mi · follow the creek upstream🚗 Angeles Forest🎫 Adventure Pass requiredAngeles Forest

Park on the side of the road — not popular. No trail, just follow the creek upstream with lots of rock hopping and swimming over to the rocks. A year-round waterfall with warm water and a nice pool to swim in, plus beautiful narrows you pass through along the way.

East Fork San Gabriel River

East Fork San Gabriel River

Easy
📏 Swimming & fishing🚗 1 hr from LA🎫 Adventure Pass requiredAngeles Forest

A beautiful river deep in the Angeles Forest, great for swimming or fishing with nice rock pools. Popular and easy to reach.

Bridge to Nowhere

Bridge to Nowhere

Moderate
📏 11 mi round trip🚗 Angeles Forest🎫 Adventure Pass requiredAngeles Forest

Very popular hike with a big parking lot that fills up fast. You cross the river a lot, reach the nice Devils Gulch Falls hidden in the canyon, then keep going through huge mountains to the Bridge to Nowhere where you can bungee jump, swim in super cold but deep swimming holes and rock pools below the bridge, and fish for rainbow trout deep in the wilderness.

Fiery sunset over the ocean from the hills of Los Padres National Forest

Los Padres National Forest

Los Padres Forest

One of the largest national forests in California — it stretches nearly 220 miles from the Big Sur coast and towering redwoods all the way inland to dry chaparral peaks. Deep canyons, sandstone narrows, hot springs and spring-fed swimming holes hidden across the wilderness.

Santa Paula Punchbowl / Falls

Santa Paula Punchbowl / Falls

Moderate
📏 8 mi hike🚗 1 hr from LA · Los Padres National Forest🎫 Adventure Pass requiredLos Padres Forest

A pretty, very popular 8-mile hike out to a narrow punchbowl and deep waterfall holes. Nice swimming, deep pools and some good — but sketchy — cliff jumps. Really fun and scenic.

Montecito Hot Springs

Montecito Hot Springs

Moderate
📏 4 mi hike🚗 1 hr 30 min from LA · Montecito, Los Padres National Forest🎫 Adventure Pass requiredLos Padres Forest

A really nice moderate hike through pretty forest and past expensive Montecito properties out to the hot springs. Very popular with almost no parking — it was crowded when we came. There's a little seasonal waterfall on the way and lovely hot springs to soak in at the end.

San Bernardino National Forest

San Bernardino National Forest

Home to the tallest peaks in Southern California — towering pines, alpine lakes and snowy summits like San Gorgonio. A future home for trails and hidden spots across these mountains. Stay tuned.

Cleveland Forest

Coming Soon

A future home for trails and hidden spots across the Cleveland National Forest — stay tuned.

Rolling green hills and prickly pear cactus in the Santa Monica Mountains

Santa Monica Mountains

Backyard Mountains

These are my backyard mountains — the range I grew up roaming, just minutes from the coast. Rolling green hills after the rains, prickly pear cactus and sage scrub, ocean breezes drifting up the canyons, and golden ridgelines that catch the sunset. Hidden waterfalls and beautiful summits, these are the mountains I keep coming back to.

Solstice Canyon Falls

Solstice Canyon Falls

Easy
📏 2 mi round trip🚗 30 min from LA · Malibu

Easy, paved trail that's very popular — the parking fills up super fast, though it's almost empty on weekdays. A big year-round waterfall that flows great after a good rain, and you pass the old stone ruins of a wealthy owner's house along the way.

Malibu Rock Pools

Malibu Rock Pools

Easy
📏 3 mi hike🚗 Malibu · Santa Monica Mountains🎫 $12 per daySanta Monica Mountains

Easy hike with plenty of parking out to a volcanic swimming rock pool with good cliff jumps, plus a small secret waterfall upstream. Lots of swimming and fun — a really good spot on a hot summer day.

Paradise Falls

Paradise Falls

Easy
📏 4 mi hike🚗 40 min from LA · Thousand Oaks

Located in Wildwood Regional Park in Thousand Oaks with plenty of parking. A huge, very beautiful waterfall that's not so popular, with a really good, scenic trail. After the rain it feels like Hawaii — a pretty mountain range and lush green canyon.

Franklin Lake

Franklin Lake

Easy
📏 Walk around the lake🚗 30 min from LA · Santa Monica Mountains

Just park your car and walk around this pretty lake, filled with numerous species of turtle, birds, fish, frogs and more. Hike along the many trails through lush forest greenery — an easy, peaceful escape close to the city.

Green hills of Griffith Park with the downtown Los Angeles skyline beyond

Griffith Park

Griffith Park

Only half an hour from home, these mountains are my ultimate getaway for city views when I can't go far.

Hollywood Sign

Hollywood Sign

Moderate
📏 6 mi hike🚗 30 min from LA · Griffith Park

Very popular hike with pretty views of the city. Parking isn't so easy and the trail gets filled up fast, so come early.

Wisdom Tree

Wisdom Tree

Hard
📏 2 mi hike🚗 30 min from LA · Griffith Park

Very hard, uphill almost the whole way on an unmaintained, slippery and rocky trail. Very popular with limited roadside parking. Best done for sunset — beautiful views of the city from the top.