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Top 6 Trails to Hike in Southern California

  1. Hollywood Sign – Griffith Park, Los Angeles

One of the most talked about trails in Southern California is the hike to the Hollywood Sign. There are four main trails you can take once you get to Griffith Park. Brush Canyon Trail and Hollyridge Trail both end up behind the Hollywood sign, leaving you with a breathtaking view of the city. Burbank Peak Trail is the shortest trek at 3 miles round-trip, but it’s one of the more challenging hikes! If you want a head on view of the Hollywood Sign, take the Innsdale Drive path.

  1. Torrey Pines – State Reserve, La Jolla

This hike is a shorter trek at 4 miles round trip, giving you a beautiful view of California’s coastal scenery. Razor Point and Yucca Point are two overlook spots on this hike that peer out into the ocean. It’s a sight to see, that’s for sure!

  1. Car Wreck Trail – Laguna Beach/Aliso Viejo

You can get to this trail from Laguna Beach or Aliso Viejo, it just depends if you’re looking for a challenge. The trail from Laguna is roughly 4 miles round-trip, but it’s steep. The trail from Aliso is about 7 miles round-trip, but it’s much flatter. Either way, you’ll end up at the historic Car Wreck. The paths will reveal remnants from a car accident that happened decades ago.

  1. Potato Chip Rock – Mt. Woodson Trail, San Diego

I’m sure you’ve seen those crazy pictures of people on a thin slice of rock that appears to be on the verge of breaking. This recognized feature is known as Potato Chip Rock. The hike to reach the rock is about 8 miles round trip, and it winds around Lake Poway before reaching the incline to the summit. You’ve got to check this trail out to snap some rad pics!

  1. Top of the World – Laguna Beach

If you’re looking for a beautiful view of Laguna Beach, then head to Top of the World. This hike can be tough, but it is well worth the spectacular view of the California Coast. (Hint: For those of you that want to skip the hike, you can just drive to the outlook point.)

  1. Whiting Ranch – Trabuco Canyon

Head over to the Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park. This Orange County Park has over 20 trail options, but I recommend taking Red Rock Canyon. This trail is considered easy and any beginner can tackle it! It’s a total of 4.2 miles and has a view of Portola Hills.

Of course, you will be taking a lot of photos so you might want to make sure you have a power bank just in case.