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The 6 Best Post-Rain Hikes in the L.A. Area
A view from the top of Sandstone Peak in the Santa Monica Mountains (more photos here) | Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist
Relevancy makes for the best kind of blog post. And that concept is not lost on Modern Hiker's Casey Schreiner, who today gives us L.A.'s Best Post-Rain Hikes. That's because the best time to hike is after a winter storm, he says.
"The rain has a lot of effects on SoCal trails. Obviously, if it rains too much, it can cause some severe damage via mudslides and erosion, but rain also makes a lot of our coastal flora extremely fragrant and completely clears the air of smog and haze," explained Schreiner. "If you can get yourself a good viewpoint on one of the first days after a good rainstorm, you will be SHOCKED at how much of Southern California you’ll be able to see - not to mention the novelty of seeing snow lightly dusted across our local mountain ranges."
On his list, he recommends Topanga State Park, Sandstone Peak, the Verdugo Mountains and others. We'd add Towsley Canyon in the Santa Susana Mountains because of its views over the Santa Clarita Valley and of the Sierra Pelona Mountains (with the Tehachapis behind), the Grapevine and Topatopa mountain range (with the San Emigdios behind). It also has a beautiful creek that develops after the rainy season.
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