Today, I went hiking. Why? Because I was curious. I hear a lot about hiking here in Southern California. Especially, because there are so many mountains! (I’m from Florida where it is all flat land.) Here’s how the whole thing went down 🙂

The Beginning

So during one of my life groups, I asked Jorden, who is an avid hiker, for some information on this whole hiking business. It just so happens that she runs the hiking group for Expression 58, the church I attend. She invited me to come on their next hike because it was a beginner’s trail. I laughed because I’ve heard the words ‘beginners trail’ before and it did not feel like a beginner’s trail at all. Mind you that was at Zion National Park.

But the other members that were listening to our conversation informed me that Jordan can be trusted when gauging the difficult level of trails. But of course, having a bad experience I gave her all sorts of excuses but she just had to blow them all away with knowledge and facts. So I thought, ‘what the heck I’ll just try again, and whatever happens, happens.’

I made plans to meet up with the hiking group at Monrovia Canyon Falls! Quick information about this trail: You can start this trail from the base of the mountain or drive up to one of the parking lots they have. Parking at the base of the trail is free and using one of their parking lots will cost you about $5-$6 depending on the day of the week. The parking lots are about 10 to 20 spots so they are no guarantees that you will always find parking. This trail is children and pet friendly and it is open from sunrise to 9 pm for Pedestrians.

One of the reasons I was a bit iffy about going hiking is because once you start you have to commit because if you stop or quit halfway you still have to hike all the way back down. 

Tips:

Here are a few things I observed once we got on the hiking trail.

• Hydro Backpacks; a backpack filled with water.
• Hiking Sticks; to help balance out your weight.
• Hiking Pants
• Long Sleeves Shirt / Tank Top
• Hiking Shoes Men / Hiking Shoes for Women / Running shoes; great for traction.
• Thick Socks; when going downhill your toes will be pressed up against the toe of your shoes. The socks act as padding and will keep your feet extra warm if needed.
• Hat/Cap and sunglasses; for sunny or cold weather.

The list above is just suggestions. I saw a man wearing jeans and a polo on that trail. But I will tell you to get proper shoes. This is coming from the girl who went in Converse. Your shoes will get dirty, dusty, and if they aren’t tight enough pebbles and gravel will get into them, not fun trust me. Check out my Hiking Essential post for more tips.

Picture time!

Below are some of the photos from the trail.

Closing thoughts

In the shaded areas, I was extremely cold and in the sunny areas, I was extremely hot. I sweated a ton, took frequent breaks, and tried to remember to drink water. All in all, it was a fun time and the group was filled with newbies and veterans alike. We all went at our own pace but left no one behind. I would definitely do another beginner trial again. As a matter of fact, I have my eyes on Eaton Canyon. Until next time! Thanks for reading!

Read More: Mt Zion | Grand Canyon | Eaton Canyon | Hiking Essentials
Check out The Mountains are Calling and The National Parks series.