There are so many places in Southern California that are just waiting to be explored. For example, this stunning trail tucked inside Joshua Tree National Park will lead you straight to the most majestic setting you’ve ever seen: a towering rock arch that will make your jaw drop. Here’s a closer look at this slice of paradise that can be found in SoCal. It’s the perfect trail to daydream about now so you can carve out some time to experience it later.

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What a beautiful place to explore! Have you ever had the chance to hike the arch rock trail in Southern California? If you’d like more information, visit the National Parks website.

If you’re looking for more trails in SoCal to add to your dream list, here are 12 more hiking trails in Southern California that will take your breath away. They are truly some of the prettiest hiking trails on earth.

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National Park to Visit in Southern California

What are the best hiking trails in Joshua Tree National Park?  

According to our friends at AllTrails.com, there are more than 100 wonderful trails to traverse while visiting Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California. AllTrails rates them based on real reviews from real hikers, and the #1 most popular trail at the park is Ryan Mountain Trail, a three-mile trek through amazing geological formations and very unique desert landscape. If you’re looking for something shorter (or a little easier), you could try the 1.3-mile Barker Dam Nature Trail, which is rated as easy and treats hikers to some amazing California scenery that you won’t find anywhere else (other than maybe Arizona, anyway). Other Nature Trails we’re big fans of are the Hidden Valley and Arch Rock trails, both of which are short and sweet. But, as we said, there are more than 100 trails here – you're sure to find something perfect for your specific needs. To read more about the park and the plentiful things to do there, check out this article. 

What are some fun things to do outside in Southern California?  

Southern California is an outdoorsy person’s paradise. There’s so much to do, see, and experience, and it can seem kind of intimidating at first while trying to figure out what to get out and do. Of course, the most obvious answer to this question might be – duh – the beach, but Southern California is so much more than just coastline. Sure, Venice Beach can be super fun (and it’s outdoors), but you should also check out places like the above-mentioned Joshua Tree National Park, as well as any of our other amazing parks. Camping, boating, and fishing are very popular around here (and for obvious reasons), and if you play your cards right, you can tube some of our rivers during the hottest months of summer. In winter, there are even places you can go for a ski resort trip – Bear Mountain, Mammoth Mountain, and Mountain High are all excellent examples of this.  

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