Spring has sprung! If you’ve been waiting for the sunshine to hit the trails, you’ve got no excuses left!
Southern California
Mount San Jacinto State Park (Riverside County) and Wilderness has many access points along State Highway 243 south of Banning; Idyllwild, 26 miles south of Banning on Highway 243 or 17 miles east of Hemet on Highway 74; also west of Palm Springs, via the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Hikers can enjoy the park with over 70 miles of hiking trails. The Desert View trial in Long Valley (1.5 mile loop) provides vistas into Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley 8,500 feet below. There is also an easy ¾ mile loop around a lush, flower-filled meadow. From Long Valley, there are several trails into the wilderness. The San Jacinto Peak trail climbs 2400’ in 6 miles to the highest point in California State Parks. On a clear day you can see the ocean from the universal access Panorama Point Trail (1 mile loop). The park and wilderness are open all year providing winter snowshoeing and cross-country skiing opportunities. BE PREPARED. Bring the 10 essentials and check in at the Long Valley or Idyllwild Ranger stations. For more information call the park at (951) 659-2607.
Central California
Asilomar Natural Dune Preserve Boardwalk (Monterey County), across from Asilomar State Beach is a 1/4 mile boardwalk meandering through the 25-acres of restored sand dune ecosystem. More than 450,000 plants, representing 25 species have been grown and planted in the dunes and coastal bluffs. A self-guided Living Dunes tour brochure on various aspects of the dunes is available at the park and on the Asilomar state park website The park phone number is (831) 646-6442.
Links to other Central California Hikes
Northern California
Richardson Grove State Park (Humboldt County) offers spectacular hikes in old growth redwood and fir forests. The park’s best example is the Durphy Creek Trail loop. The hike is about four miles long and takes hikers along Durphy Creek into beautiful redwood and fir forests, ending with views of the Eel River Canyon. For more information call the park at (707) 247-3318.
