If you only take one hiking trip in 2012, make your destination Sandstone Peak, the highest summit in the Santa Monica Mountains. If you are a veteran hiker, Sandstone Peak is likely to rank among your favorite trips, and if you’ve never been on a hike, this is one that’s worth training for. more ›

It's no Mount Whitney, but hiking to the top of Sandstone Peak is truly satisfying. Your journey to the top, elevation 3,111 feet, has sights and sounds different than the Santa Monica Mountains we know closer to Los Angeles. Forget the city noise below Runyon Canyon or the families splashing about at Malibu Creek--the trails of Circle X Ranch on the western part of the range are mostly quiet with lone birds heard echoing through the canyons and the sights of sheer cliffs dropping off into deep canyons is exhilarating. more ›