01
Best close-to-town escape
Mojave Narrows Regional Park
Along The Mojave River In Victorville • Lakeside Desert Park With Easy Trails • Local Favorite For Relaxed Walks
Gentle riverside paths, ponds, and birdlife make Mojave Narrows the easiest way to trade pavement for nature near Mountain View Acres.
Just north of Mountain View Acres, Mojave Narrows follows a rare year-round stretch of the Mojave River, with flat dirt paths winding past ponds, cottonwoods, and open meadows. It’s a great spot for low-key walks, birdwatching, and letting kids roam without committing to a big hike. Go early or late in the day for cooler temperatures and a better chance of spotting herons, ducks, and other wildlife along the water.
02
Best off-the-beaten-path river walk
Mojave River Forks Regional Park
Summit Valley South Of Hesperia • Quiet River Canyon With Wide-Open Views • Best For Peaceful Weekend Walks
Less developed than Mojave Narrows, Mojave River Forks offers wide horizons, sandy riverbeds, and quiet trails where you’re likely to have the desert to yourself.
Tucked in Summit Valley, this park feels a world away from the freeway even though it’s only a short drive from Mountain View Acres. Informal paths wind through scrub and along the river corridor, with big sky views and a sense of open space you don’t get in town. Pack water, sun protection, and sturdy shoes—the terrain is sandy and exposed, but the solitude is the payoff.
03
Best all-day lake and mountain outing
Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area
San Bernardino Mountains Above Hesperia • Mountain Lake With Pine Forest Trails • Best For Mixed Hiking And Picnicking
With shoreline paths, short view hikes, and access to the Pacific Crest Trail, Silverwood Lake is a go-to spot when you want cooler air and forested terrain.
Climbing out of the desert toward Crestline, you’ll feel the air cool and the scenery shift from creosote to pines as you approach Silverwood Lake. Trails range from easy lakeside strolls to more moderate climbs that tap into the Pacific Crest Trail for bigger views of the reservoir and surrounding ridges. It’s an ideal choice if your group wants options—some can hike while others set up a shaded picnic near the water.
04
Best adventurous trek
Deep Creek Hot Springs (via Bowen Ranch area)
Deep Creek Canyon Northeast Of Hesperia • Rugged Canyon Trek To Riverside Hot Springs • Best For Experienced Hikers
A steep desert canyon trail drops to Deep Creek and its famous hot springs, rewarding prepared hikers with clear pools and dramatic rock walls.
This is the area’s classic “earn your soak” outing: a hot, exposed descent to the creek followed by a stout climb back out. The scenery—boulder-studded canyon walls, clear flowing water, and a string of soaking pools along Deep Creek—is about as good as it gets within day-trip range of Mountain View Acres. Start early, carry plenty of water, and know your limits; this route is best saved for cooler months or strong hikers used to desert conditions.
05
Best high-elevation day trip
Big Horn Mine Trail
High Country Near Wrightwood • Alpine Mine Trail With Big Summit Views • Best For A Mountain Escape
The Big Horn Mine Trail offers a moderate mountain hike to historic ruins with sweeping views of Mount Baden-Powell and the high ridges above the desert.
When summer heat settles over the Victor Valley, locals often head up Highway 138 and the Angeles Crest Highway toward Wrightwood for cooler mountain air. From there, the Big Horn Mine Trail traces a mostly shaded path along the slopes of Mount Baden-Powell to an abandoned gold mine perched above a deep canyon. It’s a manageable half-day hike with a big payoff—alpine scenery, historic relics, and a completely different side of Southern California than the desert around Mountain View Acres.