Mt. Baldy

When Mt. Baldy, also called Mt. San Antonio, isn't being skied on, it's a place where hikers can scrape their head on the clouds. At a little over 10,000 ft, the mountain makes for a great day hike for residents of Southern California. It's just east of LA, and a couple hours north of San Diego. From the top, you can see many of the nearby transverse ranges, peaks, and natural features such as the San Bernardino National Forest and San Jacinto Peak, and well, pretty much all of Southern California on a clear day.

Barker Valley

If you live in San Diego and are looking for a quick, yet quiet foray into the wild, go to Barker Valley. The valley is in the northeast foothills of Palomar Mountain, and because it is not large enough to qualify as a wilderness area, requires no permitting. That's right, just show up and start hiking, no overnight passes or parking stickers required. Very few people pass through the valley, especially in the summer months, so it makes for a perfect short backpacking trip.