A national forest the size of a small state hides in plain sight near LA

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It’s got waterfalls and wildflowers too

Cleveland National Forest covers 460,000 acres across San Diego, Riverside, and Orange counties, and more than 20 million people live within a two-hour drive of it.

The landscape runs from chaparral canyons and high desert up through oak and conifer forests, with meadows tucked in between. A warm, dry Mediterranean climate keeps the trails open year-round.

Most people head to the mountains or the coast for outdoor time in Southern California…

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