Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

San Diego,
San Diego Co.,
California

Hiking Trails:
Razor Point Trail
Beach Trail
Broken Hill Trail
North Fork Trail

Hiking Partner:
Abigail Friedman

Total time: 1:55 hour
Estimated Distance: 2.8 miles
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Points of Interest: Rock formations, Torrey pine trees, Pacific ocean
Pros: Hike down to ocean, beautiful scenery and formations
Cons: Lots of people here, $10 entrance fee

I went on vacation with my wife to San Diego, and we took this relatively easy hike from the mountain down to the ocean. The scenery is very pretty with the flora, rock formations, beach, and ocean. The area also contains the Torrey Pine trees, an endangered trees endemic to this small area as well as a small island in the Pacific Ocean. The park preserve is actually within the limits of the city of San Diego, but this area is indeed undisturbed and feels remote from the city.

We parked at the top parking area, and went on the Razor Point Trail. The trail passes a nice overlook rock formation, and it ends down by a large bluff overlooking the ocean. We then took the connector trail to the Beech Trail, which took us down the steep embankment to the ocean. We walked along the beach area and then went back up the Beech Trail to the Broken Hill Trail. We then took the North Fork Trail at the split to the road and then back to our car.

Map of the Route

Looking West to the Overlook from the Beginning of the Trail

Looking Down to the Valley in the Beginning of the Trail

Me on a Rock Overlook

Another Picture of Me on a Rock Overlook

Looking Down into the Deep Canyon that Goes Into the Ocean

Cactus Grove and Yucca Tree

Excellent Ocean and Cliff Views

Rare Torrey Pine

Yucca Overlooking the Ocean

Yucca Standing on the Side of a Colorful Cliff

Beautiful Ocean Picture. Facing North. 

Pretty Yellow Flowers

More Pretty Yellow Flowers

Descending Towards the Ocean

At the Beach

Wall Jutting Into the Ocean and Flat Rock

Me at the Beach

Me Crossing the Wall by Flat Rock

Looking North at the Sheer Cliff on the Oceanside

Andreas Canyon Oasis

Indian Canyons, Palm Springs
Riverside Co, California

Total Time: 0:30 hour
Estimated Distance: 1.0 miles
Level of Difficulty: Very easy
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Points of Interest: Lush Desert Oasis
Pros: Amazing scenery and views
Cons: Trail is too short, but there are other longer trails here

Hiking Trails:
Andreas Canyon Trail

This is more of a nature walk then a hike. Although there are some longer real hikes in the area, we were short on time and just had a few minutes to spend here, so this was the perfect-sized walk to see the area and explore the natural oasis.

Located just minutes from Palm Springs, the Indian Canyons feature several streams flowing down from the mountains into the desert with a lush setting in the otherwise barren desert. The most prominent of all plant life along the stream in the California Fan Palm, which snakes along the canyon as the stream goes by.

Andreas Canyon is one of the shorter loop hikes in the area, and it snakes along the stream before turning around going through the desert scrub back to the parking area.

Map of the Route

Palm Trees Contrasting the Barren Rocks

Palm Trees in the Desert

California Fan Palms

Rocky Desert Formation with Oasis to the Left

Barren Desert Hills Behind the Oasis

Barren Desert 

Me in the Oasis

Me with a Large Barrel Cactus

Interesting Rock Formation Backdropping the Palm Trees

Majestic California Fan Palms in the Desert Oasis

San Jacinto Peak

Mount San Jacinto State Park
Riverside Co, California

San Jacinto Peak is one of the most topographically prominent peaks in the United States. It is over 10,000 feet tall, and towers over the city of Palm Springs, California, which lies to its immediate east. There is a 10 minute tram ride that takes you from the bottom of the mountain at Palm Springs to the Mountain Station at 8,516 feet above sea level. The elevation gain during this tram ride is staggering and the forested terrain on the top is stunningly different from the desert scrub on the bottom. It is also a thirty degree temperature difference at the bottom from the top. There is usually snow cover at the top but it was lacking due to the excessively dry winter in Southern California.

I was visiting Palm Springs and made sure to make a visit here. While not truly a hike, since I took the tram up the mountain, I am including this mountain in the blog due to the dramatic scenery and images taken here. I did not have the time to hike to the peak, which is a solid five hour hike from the tram, but I did do a short hike on the Nature Trail loop at the top.

View from the Pine Forest Looking Down Towards Palm Springs

Looking North Towards the Mojave Desert

View of Palm Springs through the Pine Trees

View Looking Towards to Peak of San Jacinto from Behind the Mountain House

Desert Scrub at the Base of the Mountain

Franklin Canyon Park

Santa Monica Mountains,
Los Angeles, California

Total Time: 1:00 hour
Estimated Distance: 2.5 miles
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Level of Recommendation: Recommended
Points of Interest: Views and lake
Pros: Short, scenic hike within city limits
Cons: Lots of people here

Hiking Trails:
Chaparral Trail
Blinderman Trail
Ranch Trail

Hiking Partner:
Chaim Conrad Maline

I had visited Los Angeles for the weekend for a friend's wedding, and had about an hour to do a hike on Friday. The Santa Monica Mountains are within the Los Angeles city limits, and I looked on Google Maps for a nearby hike in the mountains to where I was staying in the city, and found Franklin Canyon. I met up with an old friend while out for breakfast in the morning, and he joined me for the hike.

We parked at the parking area closer to Mullholland Drive, and took the Chaparral Trail up the hill to the Blinderman Trail, and then down the valley and along the ridge to the Ranch Trail. We went along the eastern portion of the reservoir and then continued along the trail going south. We then took the old fire road along the west side of the ridge (I don't know the name of this trail) back to the parking area. The scenery is remarkable in that the tops of the ridge are scrub and more desert-like, where the lower valley portions of this hike are densely forested.

Chaim Conrad took his camera and took the pictures, and when I get this pictures from him I'll post them here.

Map of the Route

Pine Trees in Beverly Hills on the Way to Franklin Canyon

Me at the Viewpoint Above the Reservoir

Chaim Conrad at the Viewpoint Above the Reservoir

The Reservoir from the Eastern Shore

Interesting Tree on the Canyon Floor

Me at a View on the Way Back

Chaim at a View

View Looking Down the Canyon South Towards LA

Looking Across the Canyon

Looking North into the Canyon Towards the Valley

Runyon Canyon

Runyon Canyon
Santa Monica Mountains
Los Angeles,
California

Total Time: 2:00 min
Estimated Distance: 3.5 Miles

Hiking Partner:
My wife Avigael

I had traveled to L.A. with my wife for a friend's wedding. We didn't really have enough time to go on a real hike, but while we were walking through Hollywood we realized the Santa Monica Mountains are very close nearby and found a park with trails and hiked there directly from Hollywood. The park contains heavily traversed trails with hikers and joggers, and goes through and around a canyon called Runyon Canyon. Though busy, it is an amazing contrast from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood Boulevard where we came from just below the mountain.

Being that we started this hike walking through Hollywood as a leisure walk, I was wearing sandals, and this was my first hike every wearing sandals (not recommended). I had seen the mountain from Hollywood and thr trails above, and from Hollywood Blvd traversed our way towards the park, climbing through the canyon and then up the trail that goes up the mountain to the east. The weather was perfect and I have never seen the city of L.A. so clear. It is usually full of smog with limited visibility; on this hike it was extremely clear and you could see for miles! Continued along past the view then back down the wide road path on the western flank of the the mountain and then headed back.

Map of the route.

Beavertail Cactus Grove at the entrance to the canyon

Atop the first viewpoint overlooking Hollywood.

Multi-million dollar homes in the Santa Monica Mountains

The view from the lookout.
Hollywood in the foreground and skyscrapers of downtown
in the background.

View of Runyon Canyon. Looking south from where we started.

Me at the summit view. Notice the San Gabriel Mountains
in the background with snow.

View of the mountain from the side of the canyon.

The mountain we had climbed from the other side of the canyon.