camping/hiking options within driving distance from SoCal?

[attgig]

I'm gonna be out in socal for a friend's wedding next weekend, and i'm going to take a couple extra days to just decompress from stress here and wanted to go do some hiking/camping. always seems to do the trick for me.

Anyways, I was thinking about going out to Joshua Tree Nat'l park, but i was just looking at some maps, and I don't see too many hiking trails there. only 2 in fact, and no loops or anything like that.

So, anyone know of other places that have good hiking trails (preferrably loops, cuz i'm going to be alone), or know of more trails in Joshua Tree that I'm just not seeing?

thanks.

[Maarchk]

Joshua tree is open spaces with bolder hoping. There are not really "trails" as many paths you can wander around...
What are you looking for? There are 5 trails that go up to mount wilson which are about 20 miles but when you get to the top, well you are in a parking lot with people who have driven up and they look at you funny.
There are the santa monica mountains off of Kanan-Dune Road. All kinds of random things... I would google so-cal hiking and there are a bunch of websites that people talk about what trails they use/like.

[avlena]

Take a ferry (car traffic is restricted) to Catalina Island. My co-worker loves camping in the Two Harbors area, and does a lot of hiking & kayaking while he's there.

http://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/twoHarbors/Camping.php

The ferry ride doesn't take too long, and you can just leave your car at one of the ports.

[cruelpupet]

google earth just added hiking trails.

[Freelance Superhero]

i suppose it depends on what you consider "driving distance," but if you do in fact have a few extra days, you could drive to Death Valley. i recently spent a weekend there (friday night to sunday afternoon, about 3 weeks ago), and while it was hot, it was utterly breathtaking and amazing.

http://www.nps.gov/deva/

you can reserve a camping spot (we camped at Furnace Creek), set up your gear, and then go check out the various sights. we spent saturday afternoon hiking through Mosaic Canyon, which was a fun little trek with lots of cool dry places to rest, and the sand dunes. we also visited the salt flats at Badwater (lowest altitude in north america), Artists' Drive, Dante's View, and Zabriskie Point, but there's a whole lot more to see. the one thing we didn't get to see that i really wanted to was Racetrack Playa with its famous Sailing Stones. i dunno, i loved it there, despite the heat, because the natural scenery is incredible.

the only thing is that Death Valley is about 100 miles further away than Joshua Tree.

anyway, it's just a suggestion. :)

[attgig]

i suppose it depends on what you consider "driving distance," but if you do in fact have a few extra days, you could drive to Death Valley. i recently spent a weekend there (friday night to sunday afternoon, about 3 weeks ago), and while it was hot, it was utterly breathtaking and amazing.

http://www.nps.gov/deva/

you can reserve a camping spot (we camped at Furnace Creek), set up your gear, and then go check out the various sights. we spent saturday afternoon hiking through Mosaic Canyon, which was a fun little trek with lots of cool dry places to rest, and the sand dunes. we also visited the salt flats at Badwater (lowest altitude in north america), Artists' Drive, Dante's View, and Zabriskie Point, but there's a whole lot more to see. the one thing we didn't get to see that i really wanted to was Racetrack Playa with its famous Sailing Stones. i dunno, i loved it there, despite the heat, because the natural scenery is incredible.

the only thing is that Death Valley is about 100 miles further away than Joshua Tree.

anyway, it's just a suggestion. :)


hey man. thanks for the suggestion. I think you sold me on your description, and how much you loved it there! time to grab my camelback and nalgenes! :)

[cheapie]

what about yosemite?

[zenbooty]

what about yosemite?
That's gotta be a good 8 or 10 hours from So Cal I think.

[cheapie]

good point. i was thinking SF.

[attgig]

FS. thanks for the suggestion. spent 3 days there, and it was absolutely gorgeous. First night was rough because there were high winds picking up sand and rain while I was trying to pitch my tent in the dark.

but that died down, and I was able to spend some good time there. Of course i had gotten sick a couple days before then, and I had to spend an afternoon to recover.

but yeah, ridiculously gorgeous. I highly recommend it to anyone else thinking about it. Next time, I want to go in a 4x4. it looks like they have tons of 4-wheelin trails.

[Freelance Superhero]

hey, i'm glad you enjoyed it!
which of the landmarks did you visit? were you able to obtain one of the tour maps? any pics?

[attgig]

i stayed at furnace creek campsite, hiked fall canyon (wasn't worth it), stopped by the sand dunes near stovepipe wells (wish i went to mosaic canyon).

went to badwater, devil's golf coruse, artists drive.
hiked golden canyon, and did the loop (hiking up to zabriskie's pt along the loop) and checked out dante's view.


wanted to hike to telesope peak, but the ranger there told me not to. me being a bit sick, decided to listen to him. partially glad i did, because i did conk out that afternoon, but partially wish i just did it anyways.