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Cayucos Hiking Trails: Cass Hill
Cass Hill trail is a local hike in the small town of Cayucos along the Central Coast in California. Cass Hill trail is not very popular but it is a beautiful hike especially if you’re looking for a coastal trail that’s not very crowded. In this post, we cover where Cayucos Cass Hill trail is located, where to park, hike difficulty, and what to expect. About Cass Hill I came across Cass Hill trail after searching for dog-friendly coastal hikes to do on the AllTrails hiking app. Even on this app Cass Hill trail only had a handful of reviews so we drove out to Cayucos knowing that it would…
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Hiking Toro Canyon Park In Santa Barbara
Toro Canyon Park is a beautiful park in the foothills of Santa Barbara that covers 74 acres of lush landscape. Located between the small towns of Carpinteria and Summerland, this park offers a couple of secluded wilderness trails that are short in distance and are rarely crowded. If you’re planning to visit Toro Canyon Park, in this post we cover a couple of the best Toro Canyon Park trails to day-hike. About Toro Canyon Park Toro Canyon Park is located near the coast and has two main trails for hiking. The most popular trail is called Toro Canyon Park Trail and it passes by a charming gazebo perched on top…
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Carpinteria Bluffs Trail & Tar Pits Park
Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve and Tar Pits Park are beautiful beachside green spaces that are located in the small town of Carpinteria along the Central Coast. There is an easy 2 mile-long out and back trail that leads between these two parks and connects them so you can easily visit and hike Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve and Tar Pits Park on the same day. Location & Parking To hike the Carpinteria Bluffs Trail, you can either start at Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve or on the other end at Tar Pits Park. I suggest parking at the Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve because it’s free. There is a designated dirt parking lot…
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Hiking Fiscalini Ranch Preserve In Cambria
Fiscalini Ranch Preserve is one of my favorite hiking places along the central California coast. It’s easily accessible from Cambria and within minutes you can experience a variety of terrain from serene forest paths to jaw-dropping coastal trails. Picturesque scenery, charming boardwalks, rugged ocean views, and diverse eco-systems make the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve a great place to enjoy nature and observe wildlife. Visitors can often spot whales, seals, otters, and a variety of birds from one of the trails that travel next to the ocean bluffs. With 17 hiking trails to choose from, there is plenty to explore at the beautiful Fiscalini Ranch Preserve. Location & Parking Fiscalini Ranch Preserve…
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Mt Pinos Hike In Los Padres National Forest
Mount Pinos is a beautiful mountain range in Los Padres National Forest that’s known for hiking, mountain biking, camping, and 4×4 off-roading. Located halfway between Bakersfield and Los Angeles, Mount Pinos is a great place to come enjoy star gazing in the summer and snow activities in the winter. With expansive mountain views, fresh air, miles of hiking trails, and lush pine forests, Mt Pinos is one of the best hiking regions for those in search of nature that’s relatively close to major Southern California cities. The most popular trail here is the 3.5-mile-long Mt Pinos hike that leads to scenic viewpoints of Central Valley and Los Angeles in both…
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Hiking Black Hill Trail In Morro Bay
Morro Bay is a small coastal town in Central California. The main attraction of Morro Bay is Morro Rock, a large volcanic plug that stands tall in the midst of the shoreline. Most people that visit Morro Bay hang out in the town or by the beach, but if you have the time, we recommend checking out Black Hill Trail that leads to an incredible viewpoint of Morro Rock, the coast, and the surrounding landscape. In this blog post, we cover details on where the Black Hill Trailhead is located, where to park, difficulty, and what to expect. Black Hill Trail Location & Parking Black Hill Trail is located…
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Crystal Lake Trail In Inyo National Forest
Crystal Lake Trail is one of the best wilderness day hikes within Inyo National Forest that offers incredible views for somewhat little work. Crystal Lake Trail is 3 miles long round trip and overlooks Lake George and Lake Mary along the way. This hike ends at Crystal Lake, an alpine lake in Mammoth that’s known for its pristine water and clear reflections. In this post, we cover tips for hiking Crystal Lake Trail in Mammoth including trail location, difficulty, the time needed, and what to expect. Crystal Lake Trailhead Location Crystal Lake Trailhead starts by Lake George in Inyo National Forest. There is parking near the Crystal Lake Trailhead but…
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Convict Lake Hike In Inyo National Forest
Convict Lake is a picturesque lake in Inyo National Forest that features turquoise water, mountains, hiking trails, and secluded beaches. This area is also popular for fishing, swimming, boating, and backpacking. Despite a strange name, Convict Lake is one of the most scenic lakes near Mammoth and a must visit for anyone traveling in the Central California region. The most popular day hike at Convict Lake is a 3-mile loop that goes around the entire lake. Location & Parking Convict Lake is a drive-up lake and can be easily accessible from Highway 395. We usually take Highway 395 when driving up to Mammoth and we’ve passed this area numerous times…
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San Simeon Bay Trail In Central Coast
San Simeon Bay Trail (also called San Simeon Point Trail) is a beautiful beach hike along Central California coast that features stunning views of the ocean, cliffs, San Simeon pier, unique trees, and wildlife. San Simeon Bay Trail is located near the Hearst Castle and is part of the Hearst San Simeon State Park system. This area is especially popular for whale watching and is a natural wildlife habitat for elephant seals that you can often see along the trail. Location & Parking The San Simeon Bay Trail starts at William Randolph Hearst Memorial Beach. There are a couple of free lots right next to the beach where visitors can…
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Hiking Unal Trail In Sequoia National Forest
As the Valley temperatures start picking up in the summer, we have been searching for new hikes to do in Sequoia National Forest. Unal Trail has been on my hiking list for a while but it’s located an hour and a half away from Bakersfield so it’s not exactly close to where we live. We finally put our excuses aside and made it out to hike the Unal Trail. It follows through a gentle forest full of cedar and pine trees and leads to a viewpoint of the nearby Sequoia National Forest. We really enjoyed hiking this trail especially since the trees keep this area shaded and cool. It’s a…
