I visited twice. The first time was to find a geocache. I came back because I wanted to see the…read moreJoshua trees in evening light. Stunning. There is a small nature center and several miles to walk on well-maintained trails. They may even be ADA compliant, but you'd better confirm that if you need it. I visited in mid'June and thw evening walk was not too hot. The foll9wing morning was actually sweater weather, which means walking in the m9rning would good too.

First time going to the Preserve in Lancaster on a Saturday night for a (free) night walk and…read moreastronomy presentation...loved it. The guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about the night sky making the walk and the presentation all the more engaging. The sky was clear that night giving us a nice view of celestial objects such as the planets Venus, Mars, and Mercury along with various star constellations. My friends and I had a wonderful time. After the walk we were able to look through a couple of high powered telescopes set up by kind volunteers that allowed us to get a closer view of various stars and even neighboring galaxies All in all, an enjoyable evening out here in the high desert

It is so beautiful and amazing. The view is surreal. When…read moreyou go into the nature center and visit the snakes and beetles it's cool but then you walk out to an observatory type deck and it's breathtaking!

This review is for the Devil's Chair Trail:…read more Went with two friends and we finished in around 3 hours. The start is the hardest part since there's little to no shade, and there are still burnt trees along the trail. We also ran into a fallen tree on the trail and had to climb over it. I took some photos and one video from our hike. Once we got to the Devil's Chair, the views were nice, just not the most impressive compared to other hikes. Worth doing once, but I wouldn't go out of my way to repeat it which is why I give it 4/5 stars.

Perfect hike for a hot day…read more I love waterfall hikes and listening to the sound of calm, running water. The added challenge on these hikes is the multiple stream crossings. I brought some hiking poles which helped with balance and probing for loose rocks and logs. If you want to get parking in the lower lot, it's best to come before 8AM. We found parking in the second lot. An Adventure Pass or Day Pass is required. Parking is enforced. A car received a ticket for being in a No Parking zone. The start of the trail is nicely shaded. The second half is a hilly, narrow, sun exposed path which routes back into the canyon toward the Lower Switzer Falls. I'm glad they had fencing on some narrow and steep parts of the trail. We encountered an active rattlesnake which headed down the mountain, so be on the lookout. Overall, the hike takes about 3 hours for 5.5 miles. The additional hike back up to the parking lot was about 1/4 of a mile. Note: if you need to use the restroom, it's best to bring your own toilet paper and to go before you start your hike. It was kind of smelly, but if you gotta go... you gotta go.

This place is great for fully appreciating nature! The trail is around 5-5.5 miles round trip,…read moredepending on where you park. What impressed me most about this trail is that it's almost fully covered by shade. We went in the late afternoon, and I'd say probably 80-85% of it is covered. Very impressive! Here are some useful tips: 1. There are three parking lots: two are next to the highway, and one is near the hiking entrance. I'd recommend getting a parking pass if possible. 2. There are only three restrooms at the beginning of the trail, so use them when you see them. 3. If you're aiming to go to the waterfall, make sure to look for the signs. Some signs aren't very clear, so we had to stop and ask other hikers frequently. Luckily, people there are super friendly and happy to help. Just pay attention to your surroundings. 4. The trail is dog-friendly, but dogs must be on a leash. 5. Waterproof hiking boots are recommended. All in all, it's a fun trail. It's a great place for a picnic and camping, and it's very close to the stream. Great for kids, families, and pets!

Over Thanksgiving weekend I wanted to get some fresh air and burn off a few holiday indulgences, so…read moreI found this great trail to hike with an excellent view of the Quartz Hill/Palmdale area. This is also a trail that memorializes a local hero (Sgt Steve Owen of the LA County Sheriff's Dept) that was gunned down and then executed by a parolee with a stolen gun during an attempted robbery. https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-sergeant-steve-owen-killed-20161006-snap-story.html The trail begins along the Palmdale aqueduct (a section really popular with runners and dog walkers) and then veers off to the right at about the 0.5 mile mark to begin the ascent to the first memorial bench on top of a lookout point. The out and back hike in total is short at 3.5 miles, with all of the elevation gain in little over a mile, so consider this more of a mini peak hike to get some morning exercise and take in a great view of the AV. There's ample free parking across the street from the trailhead and a porta potty. If you don't want to hike the hill, there's also the paved side of the Palmdale Aqueduct trail that's also accessible from this trailhead.

Nice little hike. Lots of trails. Good place for dogs. Watch out for snakes during seasonread more

This was my first time coming here, and I really enjoyed it. The trail has two fairly steep hills…read moreone going up and one on the way back so it's about a 2-3 mile hike depending on your pace. I'd rate it easy to moderate because of those hills. I brought my 5-year-old, and she was able to handle it, but she did complain on the way back, so next time I probably won't bring her. The views are really nice, and there are a few smaller trails around the area. I'm definitely planning to go again. I went a bit late around 9 a.m., and the sun was already pretty strong, so going earlier would be better. Overall, I 100% recommend this hike.

This is one of my favorite trails as you have an opportunity for a great workout. I enjoy the…read moretrails as it has a mix of moderate and advanced. You have a great opportunity for a bike ride, jog, or run that brings in a workout well worth it.

This Pacific Palisades neighborhood has a good amount of stairs, hills, scenic overlooks, and…read morepretty houses, so it makes for a nice walk/urban hike. To get there, navigate to 17574 Pacific Coast Highway and park on the street or in one of the metered lots on the beach side. Walk over the highway overpass to the first set of stairs. For a full 1.5-hour loop through the neighborhood, you can follow these instructions: 1. Turn left on Posetano 2. Turn left on Revello and go down the stairs after the house at 17712 3. Turn right on Breve Way until Porto Marina Way 4. Take the stairs up at 17737 Porto Marina Way 5. Turn left at the top of Castellammare and walk up the hill 6. Keep right onto Vicino Way (another uphill) 7. Keep walking right onto Tramonto Dr 8. Keep walking onto Tramonto Dr until you reach Revello Dr and keep right 9. Follow Revello down until you reach a short bridge 10. A bit after the bridge, there is a staircase going down on the left 11. Turn right onto Posetano and keep going down as it turns into Stretto Way 12. Turn right onto Castellammare and keep going (it will turn into a dirt path and then it'll turn into a paved street again) 13. Voila! You are back at the first staircase where you started

These stairs will take you through some of the most beautiful ocean scenery not to mention walking…read morepast some of the most spectacular mansions L.A. has to offer. The stairs on the lower end start just past Gladstones restaurant and after the pedestrian overpass. You will feel a bit of nostalgia as these stairs take you past silent screen star Thelma Todd's old restaurant and right past her opulent mansion of yesteryear. These different sets of stairs is really a wonderful way to spend a day with the incredibly beautiful views you will have of the ocean from the top of the hills and of the stairs. It is a little over 3+ miles with about 518 steps. Some of the staircases seem pretty steep and like I said the view at the top is well worth getting to! This pathway will also take you through a lot of natural beauty as there are many types of trees and shrubs that are well manicured and incredibly picturesque around the staircases. It was so peaceful and serene at this location of hidden stairs when I went with my husband and daughter that I felt like I was kind of at some sort of self realization retreat. This place definitely gets five stars from me because after walking these stairs and witnessing the glamour and beauty of this area I just felt so inspired. I highly recommend checking out these stairs because the whole experience was just beautiful!

Another amazing night spent at Mountain Park. Took about 9 kids for my sons party. Awesome place…read morefor the kids to play and explore. Roasting hot dogs and eating s'mores, what more could you want on a beautiful Tehachapi night? Highly recommend if you have never been here.

If you're looking for a park in the middle of nowhere, but still just outside town, where you can…read morecamp or visit on a day trip, this is your place. Granted you have to be in Tehachapi, or know where Tehachapi is, or be wanderIng around southeastern California, or have a sweet GPS. Given all the above transpiring, if you find yourself in the lucky position of needing to do a summer XC run with your sophomore weak-of-heart running daughter, just don't tell her about the steep uphill. You do get to run back down afterward anyway. Should you be able to trick your kids into the run or perhaps a hike, magnificent views await at the overlooks partway and all the way up. We're talking Twitter-background-wallpaper-quality shots (not that I would know). Should I wind up randomly or intentionally in T-town, I'll take another hike, provided I can talk the daughter into it ("no honey this isn't the one you remember, it's an easy hike":).

If you're looking to camp and you don't want to drive too far from Los Angeles, Red Rock Canyon…read moreState Park is a great option. They have several campgrounds which is first and first serve. There's also several hiking spots in the area, which are less than a mile. There's also a visitor center, which has a lot of information about the park and clean bathroom. Great spot for photos!

Beautiful state park offering a cute Visitor Center, plentiful hiking trails, and a campground…read more Entrance fee as of Feb. 2026 is $5.00, payable at the Visitor Center, and is required to park anywhere in the park. Known for its striking red cliffs, this park also offers great wildflower viewing. I hiked the Hagen Canyon Trail, which already had flowers blooming in what is technically still winter! Highly recommended.