on the slopes. He teaches yoga and is an Ayurvedic counselor.
Santa Barbara, Ojai, and the Los Padres National Forest
The region around Santa Barbara and Ojai is filled with tree canopies,
expansive vitas, and trails for all levels of trekkers. I really love Tunnel
Trail to Inspiration Point, even though it’s Santa Barbara’s best-known
and child- and dog-friendly trail. It provides so much variation and many
options along the way. You can opt for a leisurely hike along the first
paved section, which still provides beautiful views of the canyon below,
a trek past majestic, sheered-off boulders, and in the early evening, the
sounds of crickets softly chirping. Or if you’re feeling more energetic,
you can venture over the stream and climb further up the winding paths
all the way top of the mountain, where your reward is the breathtaking,
sweeping views of the city and ocean below.
Of course, there are so many spectacular trails throughout the region,
including trails leading to secluded beaches, El Capitan Canyon along
the Gaviota Coast, and back-country trails along Paradise Road and
Figueroa Mountain.
—Karna Hughes is an avid hiker who is also the Communications
Director for the City of Santa Barbara.
Sequoia National Park
It is something of a miracle that giant Sequoia trees exist at all. They
only grow naturally in a tiny strip of elevation in the mountains, between
5,000 and 7,000 thousand feet. And only on the eastern slope of the
Sierra Nevada Mountains, and only in a latitudinal range of 260 miles.
Oh, and fire is necessary for the seeds to be released from the cones,
which as you can imagine, doesn’t always work perfectly. But when all
those conditions are met, then the largest living organism in the world,
the Sequoiadendron giganteum, can flourish. There are very few of these
living wonders left, and for any hiker, these groves are a must.
Here’s what you do. Yosemite is great. Every Californian should go
there for the majesty of that valley, the waterfalls, the lovely hiking and
the beautiful Sequoia trees in the Mariposa Grove. But there is also a
LOT of people. So, if you want to hike among these giants and not see
another soul for hours, head to Sequoia National Park. Three hours
north of Los Angeles, and then one hour into the mountains, you will
find the largest concentration of Sequoia trees in the world and miles and
miles of hiking among them.
There are also couple of easy strolls on paved paths that are informative
and take you by historic trees, namely the two largest, General Sherman
and General Grant. Both of these trees were just tiny seedlings when the
Great Wall of China was being built, and 2,200 years later they are almost
as tall as the Statue of Liberty and weigh more than three 747 airplanes.
Going just a little bit further into the park pays off. Head to Redwood
Canyon, the largest Sequoia grove left in the world. Pack a lunch. Spend
all day, or even the night, amongst towering Sequoias in the canyon (per-
mit required).
Lodging and camping is available in and around the park (book early)
Here are a few of my favorites: Montecito Lodge and Resort - Wuksachi
Lodge - Dorst Creek Campground Grant Grove Lodge and Campground
—Julie Hale is a psychotherapist, yoga teacher, and workshop lead-
er who teaches and leads retreats at Montecito Lodge and Resort: ju-SANTA BARBARA, CA
PHOTO BY MARK WEBER