Mapleton Preserve Trail
Deer, wild turkeys, foxes, eagles…. they’ll be startled by you in this tranquil, precious collection of trees and pathways. Several building relics and countless intriguing tree species stand tribute to…
Summerland Lookout Park Trail
Poised atop a seaside cliff, this place would be marvelous even without the bocci court, ping pong tables, grape trellises, nice playground, clean toilets, and dog washing kiosk (not kidding).…
Emma Wood River Trail & Seaside Wilderness
The shrubby, duney, jungled wild space between Emma Wood State Park, Ventura River’s estuary, the freeway, and the ocean is etched with footpaths. There are two jumping off points from…
Leonard Buck Garden & Trail
This verdant gorge with a lake at its heart and wooded slopes around its perimeter is bursting with blooms, rock gardens and footbridges in all the spaces between. Leonard Buck,…
Hartley Botanica Garden Paths
A beguiling marriage of the natural and the unnatural, of hummingbird baths and peacock paths and sculpted caves under waterfalls – this secret garden rewards eager feet and keen eyes.…
Duke Farms Trail
How privileged we all are, with our open invitation to step into this timeless, seemingly boundless, no-expense-spared, aristocratic park at our leisure (Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30am to 6pm). From the…
Crystal Lake Park Trail
Dense woods, open meadows, bike paths, horse riding trails, hawks, herons, lake views, water lilies, fishing nooks, level pathways, steep plummets, rhododendron groves, wistful benches…. few places let you choose…
Manning Park Pathways
A congregation of wonderlands connected by stone steps and zigging pathways is tucked into one of Montecito’s verdant canyons. There are rose-lined lawns, colonades draped in vines, a picnic meadow…
Harmon Canyon Trail
A fire road forges the main path through Harmon Canyon, alongside and across the creek to a lookout, ostensibly 3.5 miles in – and up. But we got happily distracted…
Arroyo Verde Park Trail
Wedged amidst Ventura’s foothills, Arroyo Verde Park is the launch pad for trails of various lengths and climbs, though a lovely view with fragrant, pretty flora is guaranteed. Trails start…
Bates Road Railroad & Rincon Tidepools
From the same parking lot, you can hover high above the ocean with the paragliders where trains whiz past, or you can crouch close to a sea anemone and watch…
Franceschi Park Pathways
Floating on the Santa Barbara Riviera, this enchanting antique estate and garden provide an unparalleled panorama of Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands. From the parking lot, paths and stone…
Rocky Nook Park Trail
Rocky, oaky nooks abound in the wonderful trail scramble at the back of the park along Mission Creek and behind the picnic sites and playground. Minimal in acreage, but with…
Greenway Meadows Trail
If the great meadow were the entirety of this preserve, it would be a phenomenal destination. But instead, that marvelous sloping pollinator extravaganza/ sledding paradise presides over: an allee of…
Reichler Park
Though technically you could footpath along the pipeline, paralleling the train tracks – you don’t even have to leave the parking area to take in the full wonder of this…