My Favorite SoCal Hikes

I've been to southern California a few times now, and each time I've gone, I've done different hikes. Southern California has some really neat hikes, and while there are so many that I haven't done yet, I'm going to talk about some of my favorites in the SoCal area (specifically San Diego & Los Angeles area).

Potato Chip Rock

Potato Chip Rock is located in Poway, California located about 50 minutes north of San Diego. It gets it's name from the thin chip-like rock that juts out at the peak. In order to reach Potato Chip Rock, we took the Mt Woodsen Trail, which is about 7.5 miles round tripwith an elevation gain of about 2700 feet. This hike is moderate, definitely wasn't super easy but also not super difficult. Honestly the hardest part in my opinion was getting out onto the actual rock haha but everybody there was so helpful! There were a lot of crowds here, so definitely start early if you want to avoid them. Despite the crowd, everybody was so patient with people going out one at a time to take their pictures. This was actually the first hike I ever did in SoCal so it holds a special place in my heart!

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

This may be one of my favorite hikes in SoCal, the views were so gorgeous the entire hike! This is located in La Jolla, San Diego, and has beautiful ocean views along basically the whole trail. There are multiple different hiking trails here and the reserve covers about 2,000 acres. This reserve is also home to the nation's rarest pine tree, the torrey pine. Between the amazing cliff like rock structures, the trees/plants, the royal blue ocean down below, I don't know what the most beautiful part of this park is!

Cowles Mountain

Cowes Mountain is located in San Deigo, California and is known for the panoramic views of the city that the hike offers. It is definitely more of a challenging hike, as the entire hike is pretty steep, but the views are well worth it! The summit is the highest point in the city, with a 1,593 ft summit. This hike is a 3-mile out and back hike with about 900 feet of elevation gain. I absolutely loved the challenge and rewarding views of this hike!

Point Dume

Located in Malibu, California, Point Dume is a short hike with breathtaking views! The trail travels kind of in a circle up the cliffs and offers views of seals and dolphins down below on the ocean side. This was a very easy 1.1 mile hik, but the views did not disapoint at all! This is a beautiful area in general, so to be able to travel higher up for even better views was a great experience. I definitely recommend this hike if you're looking for a short, easy hike that has great views!

Point Mugu State Park

This breathtaking state park is also located in Malibu, California and was definitely up there for my all time favorite socal hike so far! While it was extra foggy during our hike, ideally you have views of the pacific ocean down below the whole time. There are several trails in the park, but I personally did the Ray Miller Trail, a 5.4 out and back trail with about 1045 feet of elevation gain. The hike certainly wasn't too difficult and I would imagine without the fog the views are even more beautiful! Overall this was a great hike and I'd love to do it again one day

Ryan Mountain

Ryan Mountain is located in Joshua Tree National Park and is another challenging yet rewarding hike. In my opinion, its one of if not the most difficult one on this list. It is a 3-mile out and back hike with about 1060 feet of elevation gain, that's a lot of elevation gain in a little bit of time!! Ryan Mountain stands at 5,456 feet tall and once at the top, the views are stunning! You have panoramic views of the park and coachella valley off in the distance. It was extremely extremely windy when we did this hike which made it even more difficult, but it was one I really enjoyed!

Last but certainly not least, the Hollywood Sign

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I actually really love this hike and have done it both times I've been to LA. I think the views from behind the Hollywood sign are unmatched and the challenge to get there makes the views more worth it! There's a few different ways to do this hike, I've done the Hollywood Sign via Canyon Drive, which is about 6-miles out and back with about 1175 feet of elevation gain. Throughout the hike, you'll get views of the city, Griffith observatory, an up close look at the Hollywood sign (which is much smaller in person!) but like I said, my favorite view is from behind the sign! Once you hike to the flattened area where you find the main front view of the sign, you can then backtrack a tiny bit to an intersection and instead of going back down, head the rest of the way up the trail which will take you behind the sign. This is what definitely makes the hike worth it in my opinion, and I certainly recommend if you're already doing the hike, to take the extra 30 mins or so to go up behind the sign!

Like I said SoCal has so many different and unique hikes, but these are some of the oens that I've done that I've loved and recommend to anyone visiting the area! With any hike, remember to be prepared. Wear proper shoes, and bring plenty of water and snacks. Weather can be a little unpredictable, especially if you're hiking during the summer, it can get HOT! Take standard animal safety and be aware, and of course, so important to leave no trace! Thanks for reading, and remember, there's always more to be explored :)

-Nicole Elizabeth