Category: Central Coast of California

Sawmill Mountain & Mt Pinos

Sitting at 8,822 feet, the summit of Sawmill Mountain is the highest point in Kern County and the second highest in the Los Padres National Forest.  East Tumamait Trail – 21W03 to Sawmill Mountain is closed during winter and opens on May 1. I gave it a couple of weeks before I led a group

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Mt. Pinos

Mt Pinos is located in the Los Padres National Forest on the boundary between Ventura and Kern counties. At 8,847 feet, Mt Pinos is the highest point in Ventura County. This hike is near Frasier Park (74 miles northwest of Los Angeles). The drive to Mt Pinos from LA was pretty easy and nice. It

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Santa Paula Punch Bowls

Hiking Girl with Dog

This popular hike is near Santa Paula, CA. It begins from the Santa Paula Canyon Trailhead, and half the hike is in Los Padres National Forest. National Forest Boundary Line starts 1.5 miles from the trailhead. You don’t need a permit to park or hike to Santa Paula Punch Bowls. The parking lot at the trailhead

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Coquina Mine Trail

This hike is located in Marr Ranch Open Space in Simi Valley, CA. First, a few things to keep in mind. Although this hike is open year-round, I don’t recommend hiking here with your dog during summer. And since it’s Simi Valley, it can go up to 80 degrees even in cooler months. Check the

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Secret Passage to Coba Arch

Adventure Dog

This was our first hike of the year on Xena’s birthday. Another name for this hike is Secret Passage to Simi Peak. I had to take a photo of her morning face to share. She’s never been a morning dog. When I used to be motivated for super early hikes, I had to carry her

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Valley View Loop in Ojai

Valley View Preserve in Ojai

On this gorgeous morning back in January, we took a day trip to Ojai, CA. Ojai is about 1.5 hours northwest of Los Angeles and east of Santa Barbara. Located in Ojai Valley, this area is too hot for hiking for us during the summer months. However, this hike makes a great hiking option this

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Jacks Peak to Rhus Trail Loop

Adventure Dog Photography

A trip isn’t complete without exploring a trail or two for outdoor-loving girls like us. Considering how extremely dog-friendly Carmel was, I found it hard to believe that it was difficult to find a dog-friendly trail nearby. I managed to find one in Jacks Peak County Park in Monterey, CA, so off we went. I

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