| It's not hard to see why Lake Arrowhead
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| | of why the Lake Arrowhead area has been
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| has always been popular with the movie
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| | chosen as a backdrop for so many motion
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| stars - it's close to Los Angeles, yet
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| | pictures. There also is a special kids
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| light years away in attitude. The people
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| | trail that shows what various animal paw
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| with money are here, all right, but there
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| | prints look like.
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| is also an element of small-town America,
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| | Of course there are still more trails
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| complete with families and, yes, even
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| | just a few miles further into the
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| family values.
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| | mountains where the Big Bear Lake resort
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| We were walking the waterfront trail in
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| | community offers many recreational
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| front of the Lake Arrowhead Resort and
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| | activities of its own. There are dozens
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| ran into one of the town fathers - a guy
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| | of lodging facilities in the area as well
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| whose job it was to walk some 20 miles
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| | - many more than Lake Arrowhead -
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| around the lake, checking to make sure
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| | creating a different atmosphere and
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| the trails were not only passable, but
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| | experience altogether. Big Bear has more
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| pristine as any semi-exclusive enclave
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| | activities and lodgings; Arrowhead is
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| ought to be. He talked about the movie
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| | quieter, more residential and quite a bit
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| stars who live in Arrowhead as everyday,
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| | easier to reach from Los Angeles.
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| good people. He talked about his daughter
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| | While looking through the local
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| winning the national water-ski
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| | magazines, we noticed an ad for a place
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| championship, and how water-skiing was
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| | called Wildhaven, a ranch devoted to the
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| followed just as closely here as football
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| | rehabilitation of sick or injured
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| or basketball might be followed in the
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| | animals. It's not the kind of place you
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| Heartland.
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| | can just drop in, pay your admission and
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| Well, okay, Lake Arrowhead is not exactly
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| | see the animals. You have to call ahead
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| Des Moines, Iowa. But it does have a
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| | of time and find out when they are
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| small-town feel - in a Southern
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| | scheduling their presentations and tours
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| California kind of way.
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| | - which usually is on weekends.
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| We went to Lake Arrowhead to spend a
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| | Wildhaven is well worth this little bit
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| weekend at the newly renovated Lake
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| | of extra hassle. Located just three miles
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| Arrowhead Resort, the biggest and
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| | from the Lake Arrowhead Resort, the drive
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| best-located resort in the area that has
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| | takes you into some "backwoods"
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| just taken a quantum leap in its overall
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| | residential areas, then through the
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| appeal to getaway travelers. Prior to the
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| | forests and up some hills until you come
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| recent renovation, the resort was getting
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| | to an area that was devastated by fire in
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| a little tired and starting to show its
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| | October 2003. It's here on a hillside
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| age. But it's amazing the things you can
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| | that Wildhaven directors Roger and Diane
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| do with $17 million -- the resort's
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| | Williams saw their facility greatly
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| undergone a total transformation.
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| | damaged by the fire and have since
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| All of the 173 guest rooms were re-done,
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| | rebuilt the 30-acre compound to house a
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| along with the restaurant, bar and spa.
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| | variety of animals indigenous to the San
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| New swiveling plasma TV's, walk-in
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| | Bernardino Mountains.
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| showers and just an overall sense of
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| | The Williams offer a complete
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| luxury and class are evident in the guest
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| | presentation in a small theater where
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| rooms. Some of the rooms have gorgeous
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| | they bring out various small creatures
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| views of the lake; others look out on the
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| | and explain where they came from and how
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| alpine forests. The new restaurant,
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| | they are progressing in their
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| BIN189, also is at least a notch or two
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| | rehabilitation. Most interesting are the
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| better than its predecessor, partially
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| | personal details that Diane provides
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| due to the efforts of Stewart Redhead,
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| | about how, as a little girl growing up in
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| the new executive chef who was trained in
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| | a troubled home, she found that animals
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| New Orleans before serving in the same
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| | helped give her solace and a reason for
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| city as Executive Chef of the W Hotel.
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| | living. She knew then that caring for
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| It's no wonder that June Lockhart makes
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| | animals would be her life-long work.
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| the Lake Arrowhead Resort her home when
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| | Many of the animals at Wildhaven will not
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| she visits her childhood haunt of Lake
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| | be able to re-enter the wild because they
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| Arrowhead. Her friend Peter Henry is
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| | may have limited physical ability - such
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| General Manager at the resort, the latest
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| | as a bird's inability to fly - or because
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| in a series of upscale lodgings where he
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| | they have become too domesticated. During
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| has presided.
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| | one demonstration, the resident mule deer
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| Aside from the obvious charms that come
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| | was eating out of the trainer's hand and
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| with a mountain lake plopped in the
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| | showing no fear of the group of human
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| middle of a scenic forest, Lake Arrowhead
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| | onlookers. As Roger explained, "he
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| has a fun business district called the
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| | wouldn't last an hour during hunting
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| Lake Arrowhead Village. Not your typical
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| | season."
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| shopping center, the village somehow
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| | Owls, raccoons, bobcats, coyotes, eagles
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| combines high-end boutiques with tourist
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| | - there were plenty of species to observe
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| shops and carnival rides to appeal to
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| | during our visit. Especially entertaining
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| just about any type of person who may
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| | were the two black bears doing their
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| visit. It's a five-minute walk from Lake
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| | tricks and playing in their bathtubs
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| Arrowhead Resort to the village, where
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| | while visitors watched from just a few
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| you can also find several different
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| | feet away outside their cage. All and
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| eateries and, in the warmer months,
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| | all, this proved to be an ideal family
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| listen to live music in a fairly
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| | activity that was both fun and
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| elaborate concert area. While we were
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| | informative.
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| there, the Rockit Scientists kept the
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| | Wildhaven is just another reason why you
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| crowd rocking as they swigged micro-brews
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| | might consider Lake Arrowhead for your
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| just footsteps from the dance floor.
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| | next family vacation. There is plenty of
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| To get an even better view of the lake,
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| | luxury and ambiance for the adults, but
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| visitors can board the Arrowhead Queen, a
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| | it's also a chance to visit the Great
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| Louisiana-style paddle-wheeler that takes
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| | Outdoors - and teach your kids a little
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| guests on a 50-minute tour of the lake.
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| | bit about how it all got there.
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| On a busy summer day, you'll see lots of
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| | AT A GLANCE
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| small boats, many of them towing water
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| | WHERE: Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear are
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| skiers. And, it's fun to look at the
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| | located about two hours east of Los
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| expensive waterfront homes and imagine
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| | Angeles and reached by driving a scenic,
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| what it would be like to have a lake in
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| | albeit curvy, highway northeast out of
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| your backyard.
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| | San Bernardino.
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| There also are plenty of hiking trails in
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| | WHAT: Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear share
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| the Lake Arrowhead area - trips of
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| | the same woodsy feel and plunging winter
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| various lengths and degrees of
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| | temperatures. Arrowhead is smaller, a bit
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| difficulty. The lake is at 5,100 feet
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| | quaint and is a quiet romantic getaway.
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| elevation and is nestled in a forest of
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| | Big Bear offers a larger city, but many
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| pine, cedar and dogwood that give way
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| | more choices for dining and lodging. Both
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| occasionally to excellent views of the
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| | offer a variety of shops and boutiques.
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| San Bernardino Mountains. A very easy
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| | WHEN: Year-round. The shoulder seasons
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| trail to start with is at the Heap's Peak
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| | are less crowded, but both summer and
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| Arboretum, easily accessed on Highway 18.
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| | winter are popular because of the area's
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| This half-mile interpretive trail
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| | many outdoor activities.
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| identifies some of the 2,000 species of
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| | WHY: A complete contrast from the
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| flora and nearly 400 species of fauna
| |
| | Southern California climate and
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| found in these picturesque mountains.
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| | lifestyle, yet just an hour or so from
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| You'll enjoy views that offer a reminder
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| | balmy places like Palm Springs.
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