The Santa Barbara County chaparral shrublands form my best-loved hiking region, also called Los Padres National Forest. However, the much higher “alpine” areas also summon the soul to breathe free ...

Or do you pick the easygoing coastal town with a nearby airport, nice cafés and sandy beaches – and accept that your ‘hiking’ ...

I keep a list of “hikes to do” on my desk, written on a fading sticky note. Taped down at the corners, it’s been there long enough that it feels like a permanent fixture among my work supplies. It ...

Outside, the popular outdoor and recreation magazine, named the nation's 24 best mountain towns. One Sierra Nevada town made ...