By Alison Seagle

Columnist

The perfect way to enjoy the new crisp fall feeling in the air is to take a day trip to Julian.

A short trip away, this small town provides many outdoor adventures. The look of the buildings on the main street transport visitors back to California’s gold rush days, but besides all of the historical sites Julian offers it also has a great deal of natural scenery too.

A walk around Julian will actually allow visitors to realize it is in fact fall in southern California when they see all of the leaves changing from green to red, yellow, orange and brown. While walking through town you might catch the scent of wood burning in fireplaces.

Several hiking trails can be found near Julian, ranging from distances of less than a mile to over eight miles. Some of the trails are paved and some are dirt, but most are well maintained. While a majority of the trails are self-guided, it is possible to find guided hikes in Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve and Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve. More information about the strenuousness, length, hours and location of trails can be found at http://www.julianca.com/hiking_nature/index.htm List of Hikes & Trails.

Of course no trip to Julian would be complete without grabbing a slice of apple pie after all of that exploring. Even just walking the hills in town can work up quite an appetite!