Hikes and Outdoor Spots Nearby
It’s easy to spend an entire day indoors during graduate school. Between classes and hours spent studying in the library or at a coffee shop, it’s easy to forget to get outside. I think a big part of succeeding in graduate school is maintaining a balanced lifestyle, and for me that includes making time to be outdoors. Whether it’s going for a hike or spending time at a local park, getting outside is a great way to recharge and take a break from school. Here are a few places I recommend when you need to step away from studying and enjoy some time outdoors. (I really recommend downloading the app alltrails for finding hikes in all of these places!)
1. Fullerton Arboretum: Located just right across the street from campus, the Fullerton Arboretum is an amazing place to go to destress after an exam or just take a study break. Admission is free and there's a ton to check out!
2. Carbon Canyon Regional Park: Located in Brea, this park is massive and has a great 3-mile hike to a grove of Redwood trees. Tons of parking and is very easy/relaxing hike but bring water since there's not a lot of shade.
3. Puente Hills Preserve: Located near Hacienda Heights this Preserve has tons of great hikes like Schabarum Loop which you can easily find them all on alltrails!
4. Mount Baldy: Located about an hour away from campus, Mount Baldy has some amazing views and tons of streams on the many hikes located on the mountain. My personal favorite is the Ice House Canyon Trail. Overall, a great place to day trip to hike but be careful due to potentially dangerous conditions and easily being able to get lost.
5. Seqouia & Kings Canyon National Park: Located a little over 4.5 hours from campus, this national park is truly stunning and such an amazing weekend trip. You can’t go wrong getting friends for a quick trip and doing any hike you find on alltrials.