Red Rock Canyon State Park is a nice place to stop along Highway 14 if you're headed up to the Easter Sierra. There are a few hiking trails here that meander through the dramatic Red Cliffs. If you're into geology, this is a place you'll want to stop! I wish we could have explored the area, but it was over 100 degrees. It was a nice, scenic place to stop, get out of the car and stretch our legs before heading up the 395. There are also some vault toilets here as well.
This past Sunday we drove 90 minutes outside of LA to the Western Mojave desert to Saddleback Butte State Park. Our destination was a short climb up the 3,651’ Saddleback Butte Peak. This butte dates back to the Cretaceous period about 70 million years ago. The hike was a short but sweet 3.7 miles round trip with an elevation +/- of 1,020’. I think the hardest part of this hike was walking through the desert sand. Once you start climbing up the butte, the trail fades in and out a bit. There are also some rock scrambles, but they’re pretty easy making the hike a lot of fun. In the spring, this area will be covered in wildflowers. It was a nice relaxing day. I’m looking forward to seeing this area again in the spring.
