Now is the time of year when I try not to brag too much about how great the weather is. Soon enough, my friends back home in the South will start posting on social media about ice, snow and bitter wind. Meanwhile, here in L.
A., our fall is Goldilocks weather — not too hot, not too cold, but just right. (In our fairy tale, you should also keep an eye out for bears.
) In other words, this is the ideal season to explore, and as the weather cools, go on an epic desert hike. And you don’t need to drive all the way out to Joshua Tree to do it. I love, for example, exploring the high desert of the Antelope Valley, a 3,000-square mile region in northern L.
A. County and southern Kern County. There’s lots to love about a fall desert hike: cool crisp air, solitude, fascinating, alien-like plants and an abundance of geological wonders to observe.
Personally I find a lot of comfort and connection as a queer person in a desert ecosystem. Take the California juniper. Despite drought and harsh winters, it makes use of its resources, and can survive whether it’s 10 or 110 degrees.
Even in the harshest of conditions, it still thrives. The three hikes below are a bit of a drive from L.A.
It can take an hour and half from downtown L.A. to reach the farthest hikes on this list.
But they’re all still closer than Joshua Tree, and will probably never be as crowded. Make the day of it. If you get up early enough, you might even be able to cross out more than one hike on this list.
Just make.
