How have I never been here before.... Sunday with no plans on the book. Let's take a drive to Frazier Park and go hiking. Same with that, never been to this little town as well. It's literally off the 5 freeway a couple miles in and you at the town. It was about half hour or 45 minutes drive up the mountain from the freeway till where the mountain start. There's different sections that you could go to if you wanted to hike or camp. We didn't really know where and what trails there was. Just ended up at of the campsite parking lot and went from there. There's loads of trails to choose from. Theres sign at the base that'll tell you the levels of hike and the distance. Also, the path was pretty wide on the one we were at which was nice. Right when you get out of the car, you could already smell the difference in air quality. Mountain air, being in nature with all the beautiful trees and noise of the birds. This place was beautiful. The path was nice to walk, slightly uphill and not hard. We passed loads of people but it still felt very quiet as you're in the woods. There's still loads of wildflowers growing. Temperature wise, it was perfect as your at a higher elevation and there was also nice breeze. Just walking and seeing all the beautiful trees, some covered in moss. The chipmunks running past you along the paths, it's a completely different experience from the hustle and bustle of the city. The views were amazing. When you get to the lookout point where the tower is, there was two tins/cans along the rocks that you could leave a message. Notebook and pen was provided for signing. This particular trail wasn't hard even though it said it was but very manageable. About 2 miles each way. But the views along and at the top of the lookout was spectacular. It's amazing that an hour or so from the city, there's so many hidden gems. Nature is beautiful if you haven't noticed. And another place for hiking on our lists. read more

Overlooked forest since Angeles Forest is nearby. We love Los Padres National Forest. The little town of Frazier Park is the last town before going up to Los Padres. We love the quietness and solitude you find here. The trees and winds make this beautiful sound. I honestly think this place is sacred. We have camped at McGill Campground and have hiked up to Mt. Pinos. Only about an hour drive from Los Angeles/Santa Clarita. The forest does get snow fall and I think we just had the first big dump of snowfall last night. read more

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Angelenos may drive through Los Padres National Forest and wonder why on earth the dry scrub brush by the road is considered a "forest." Little do they know that beyond the highway lies a gigantic national forest (almost 3,000 square miles) that includes: 1) Mt. Pinos, an 8,847-foot mountain famous for gorgeous evergreen trees, snow and star-gazing 2) Jacinto Reyes Scenic Byway, a beautiful drive on Highway 33 and an official State of California Scenic Highway 3) Plentiful Douglas fir and Ponderosa pines at Pine Mountain Ridge 4) Some of the best hiking in the state of California 5) Lots of other things to do (rock-climbing, photography, camping, even target practice....please shoot responsibly) So, Angelenos, next time you're wondering what to do, check out their website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/lpnf/home and make some plans. You will not regret it. read more

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I never realized I've experience Los Padres National Forest a few times in my life until I looked at a map this weekend lol. I went to a tennis academy in Ojai when I was in high school and it bordered the forest, 2-3 years ago I hiked to Tar Creek near Fillmore and that's in the Los Padres National Forest, and this past week I went backpacking to Willett Hot Springs which is also in this national forest! Tar Creek is now closed to the public due to condor nesting, but from what I remember when I hiked the area, it was pretty awesome with some good cliff jumping spots. Sespe River Trail to Willett Hot Springs was awesome too! This area has definitely been affected by the California drought though. There's like no water in the Sespe Creek except for some spots here and there that are spring fed water coming from the ground. It's beautiful out here though! Any lover of nature would appreciate this area. Not too far from the big cities, yet when you're here you feel disconnected from the world. read more

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Beautiful, desolate, mountainous, a hiker's dream, lots of wildflowers is how I would describe it! We were just driving through to take the scenic route to Ojai and am so glad we did. Be sure to have a full tank of gas, snacks and water, just in case. Beware of many sharp curves, high elevation with steep drop offs (no guard rails in some areas) and many cyclists and motorcycle riders sharing the road. It was neat to see trees growing right out of the rocks in some mountain areas. I am sure landslides happen here all the time but the road was well maintained and smooth on this date, clear of rocks/boulders. Lots of places to park off the road at certain points for photo ops. We were on the lookout for animals but it was a hot day - we only counted several birds and one cute chipmunk! read more

Los Padres National Forest - Hiking Near Me

It's a forest. Lots of trees. Lots of rocks. Please be safe with your fire. It's very flammable.

HIKIN TO A BURGER JOINT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE! BACKGROUND: Sespe Wilderness provides ample evidence of past violent geological upthrusts. The landscape is bleak and jagged, and if you climb high enough, you'll find pine trees growing at odd angles on boulder-swept hillsides. Sespe Creek, the last remaining undammed river in Southern California, runs for 31.5 Wild and Scenic miles (most of it in the Wilderness), and 10.5 miles of Upper Sespe Creek are under consideration for designation. Sandstone cliffs rise as much as 500 feet above the water in places, and fabulous sandstone formations stand in portions of the area. You may see petroglyphs and other evidence of ancient Indians. You might also spot black bears, deer, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, rattlesnakes, red-tailed hawks, and golden eagles. STATS: Approx 10-12 miles RT Elevation Gain: 2400-2700 ft. Rating: Intermediate-strenuous Trail: Single track, creek Trek: Lollypop WATCH OUT FOR: Black bears Deer Mountain lions Bobcats Coyotes Rattlesnakes ESSENTIALS: At least 2 liters of water Know your limits Comfy hiking shoes with good lugs Layered Clothing High protein food/snacks Electrolytes Camera Hat (optional) Sunscreen Trek poles (optional) OUR ROUTE: Our route started from the West at the end of Camp Scheideck Rd., where the trail ascended for 2.5 miles. We trekked through oak and chaparral until we reached saddle. From there it was .5 miles descent towards Reyes Creek and Upper Reyes Reyes Camp. After a short break, in a shaded meadow, we continued from the meadow southeast, ascending a ridge for 1.5 miles, which involved a rope, crumbing rock and semi-sheer cliffs. A little nerve racking for those afraid of heights. Once at the top we descended towards Beartrap Creek and Beartrap camp where we lunched in yet another meadow and campsite. This campsite has 5 stoves amidst cedars, alders and conifers with year-round water. Meandering through the meadow with some creek crossings and bush whacking, we eventually found a civilized trail which converged with our initial trail that lead us back to the trailhead. DISCLAIMER: Hiking is not something that can be taken lightly. It can be life-threatening as you see and hear on the news, people die or get lost all time. Please, if you are going to hike, never go alone and prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Remember when going for a hike, no matter how short you think it may be, always be prepared. Carry at least two liters of water for every five miles (more if the weather is warm), protein bar, nuts, and electrolytes. Wear sturdy lug sole shoes and protective clothing. Some areas the weather can change quicker than a fireman can put on his gear. It is also very important, always always always let a family member or friend know where you are going and when you expect to be back. Lastly, have fun when you hike it up. read more

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I swear I constantly thought we were lost when we approached the uphill driving. Bachy told me this place was around 50 miles away from good ole Westminster... Checked the map the night before... 100-ish miles; damn. My trio and I geared up. 10 mile round trip, 75-85 degree weather, several semi-steep climbs, rocky descents and crossing of small streams; my boys brought their usual packload; knives, rope, clothes, medkit, food, water, extra socks, and Tim brought some hiking sticks. Lunch, water pack, and knives were all I needed ^_^ 90-something miles and an uphill drive later, we arrived w/ 2 other cars on a flattened area. My car was covered in a nice, thick, crusty layer of that fine, red dust that seemingly blanketed the mountain. We set off... 11 of us... Dalton led the way; I watched the rear. 1.5-2 miles passed before we reached a rather rocky descent. T'was slippery and easy to lose one's footing due the looseness of the small rocks; take your time. There was a fork soon after the downward climb. Not sure if it's still there, but some boyscout/hiker left an arrow pointing one way and branches in the shape of an "X" on the other path. Follow the arrow. Another mile or so and we reached the first jump; an algae-filled pool off water beneath a ledge. The people of Fillmore (nearby city) often come here to enjoy this unique land feature. I didn't feel like jumping. After an hour or so, we trek on to the next jump; this next little pool was 80 ft below the ledge and people have safely jumped into it. This jump was more dangerous not only because of the greater height, but because this jump had some ledges and rocks. Jumping too far in any direction, and well, your hiking trip is ruined. None of us could find an easy route back up had any of us jumped. No one jumped. We decided to have lunch before the hike back. Some skipped rocks in a small pool near by... I chose to toss rocks off the side to see how long it'd take to hit the water. You know how they say, "boys will boys;" well... eventually we saw a 150-200lb, semi-round boulder that we had to roll off the edge... Took 4 of us almost 10 minutes to move it 30 feet to the edge... Totally worth it. Soon as the rock rolled off the edge, we were rewarded with a couple seconds of silence was interrupted with a large gun-shot like cracking sound, immediately followed by numerous sounds of splashes. We were satisfied. Packed up, saw a couple water snakes, tried to catch them, failed, started the way back. We were told that there was a 40 feet jump after the 80 footer, but we didn't see the path; the 40 footer, they say, is the safest jump. Check the depth of each pool before jumping. Safety first. We returned to the 20 footer and spent another hour or so jumping, relaxing, and for me... sleeping underneath the shade of a rock. I still didn't feel like jumping. The hike back held more surprises than we had expected. Chad almost stepped on a 2 foot-long rattle snake. Lucky for us, it had just eaten and thus, did not rattle or bite. The shrubbery along the creek bed made it difficult to clearly see the return path. We split up to find the right way back. Good thing Tim brought walkies. That downhill, rocky climb that we met earlier had transformed into a more formidable, towering obstacle. We took several breaks to make sure the no one got too tired. The many quick stops/water breaks was well worth possibly preventing a fall. Reaching the top was no victory; the hike wasn't over. The land was now more solid and flat, but weariness crept upon us. We were no longer near the creek; no more cool, moist air to mitigate the sun's heat. Emily's feet began to drag. Bryan's boot came apart. This path felt longer than before. The cars were soon visible. As if a joke from some greater power, there lay two small boulders along the perfectly straight, leveled path that we had to hop over. Alarms deactivated. Trunks popped open. Gatorade like celebratory champagne. Smile and laughter returned. We made it. No tragedy like my hike at Eaton Canyon. No hiker died like my recent weekend in Yosemite. The weariness from the 2-3 hours of sleep the night before set in. I dozed off in the passenger seat of my Honda while everyone was still talking. I awoke to find all of us at the Chevron station at the bottom of the mountain. Tim didn't want to disturb me so he took it upon himself to drive. Thanks, Tim. Don't underestimate the wilderness. My group and I prepared for the hike and we were still caught off guard. Be sure to try and remember the path you take. Taking pictures via cellphone is a great help. Be careful when near animals. Watch your step when crossing the creek bed; dry algae can still be slippery. Drink water. Lots of it. Be safe. read more

This is one of the most beautiful breathe taking area's to live in .. fresh air with gorgeous mountains sunny or snow all 4 seasons up here and only 90 mins away from Los Angeles . Gods country read more

A truly beautiful area. Came here to camp for the first time and will certainly be back.

My favorite place to get away...no cell service! This place holds a powerful spiritual energy. It's a humbling feeling to be around trees that have been here for centuries. read more

Great spot for camping!!! Went here with our family and we all had a great time. It's a great spot with hiking trails, beautiful views and great camping grounds. read more

Good food. Good service delivery local people. Try the spicy hot wings if you like spicy it's for you.

The nearby place with a far away feel. Try hiking peak to peak, Mt abel to Mt Pinos for beautiful views. Bring your own water. Also nice, hiking in Lockwood Valley off of Boyscout camp road read more

I've lived in the mountains in Los Padres for 10 years, and love it. It's just close enough to the bigger cities (including Los Angeles) to make shopping runs for a day, and far enough to be away from the noise and pollution (and at night time it's a dark sky area, so no light pollution from Bakersfield, or Los Angeles...well very very little light from them in the right places anyhow...go to the top parking lot on Mt. Pinos if you want to do some sky viewing). Be careful though, even though summer may be the time you come up here...bring something warm, as it can get very cold at night...and our winters can be anywhere from mild with little to no snow, to enough snow that the power gets knocked out for 4 days (march 21, 2011...first day of spring this happened) It's a nice place to visit, and hey a pretty nice place to live too. read more

Beautiful area! I went a week ago and it was a beautiful day, sun was not overpowering and the breeze was just right. The directions I got were from Yelp (not too reliable sometimes) and ended up on a different trail. We still managed to hike the trail and got a chance to get some good scenic shots. The hike was not too challenging. I would say its probably a light to moderate hike.Light because it was paved -although you can go off the road and make your own.....we did and i almost ate it. Moderate because it was fairly steep and the random change in elevation may force you to stop and take a break (this probably happened once or twice, but thats when you notice the change in elevation, with lesser oxygen in the air). Overall it was six miles (round trip). The area where we parked had a restroom! The closest store was by the gas stop so i would get all my necessities there. If you are going further into the park you might need a permit to park and these are sold in the gas station exiting Frazier Mountain. Well, Stay hydrated, pack on the sunscreen, and take a great hiking partner! =D read more

After one of the few rainy weeks we've had in Los Angeles, we decided to check out Frazier Park mountain. It was a clear sunny morning and the scenery driving north on the 5 freeway and up the mountain is breathtaking. We just parked on whatever free space there was on the side. There was plenty of snow and my bf and I had a fun time sledding, building a snow man, and having a snow ball fight. Next time, we'll bring some lawn chairs, more water, and a picnic lunch. This is a great place to take a day trip on a weekend. Another reason why I love living in Los Angeles. read more