Long Canyon Trail in Simi Valley

Long Canyon Trail is an easy to hike trail in the Wood Ranch section of Simi Valley, located at the corner of Wood Ranch Parkway and Long Canyon Road (take Wood Ranch Parkway south until it ends, and turn right into the parking lot). It is quite a peaceful place to do some light hiking with the family. And the views as you can see are beautiful.

About a .7 mile hike to the top of the canyon connects you with the Lang Ranch / Woodridge Open Space in Thousand Oaks. Great views from the top towards Simi Valley,  Thousand Oaks and beyond, towards the Channel Islands on clear days.

Technically I believe this bench is in the Lang Ranch/Woodridge Open Space in Thousand Oaks, which connects with the Long Canyon Trail. Nice view here towards Simi Valley.

Backbone Trail Hike From Kanan Road Trailhead to Zuma Ridge Motorway in Malibu

NOTE: Closed due to damage from the Woolsey Fire as of December 2018. Updates at www.nps.gov/samo/planyourvisit/backbonetrail.htm.

You've driven Kanan Road from Agoura Hills towards PCH for decades and have passed by the Backbone Trail trailhead on Kanan and Newton Canyon Road just before Tunnel "T-1" hundreds of times. But you never stopped there to check it out. Well, it's about time to give it a try!

The Backbone Trail stretches 67 miles through the Santa Monica Mountains, from Will Rogers State Park on the east to the Ray Miller Trailhead on the west. There are 12 "official" Backbone Trail trailheads and the Kanan Road Trailhead is one of them. More information on the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov/samo/planyourvisit/backbonetrail.htm.

There are two trailheads to catch here at what is also referred to as the Newton Canyon Trailhead. The Backbone Trail to the Latigo Canyon Trailhead is 2.5 miles one way headed east. The Backbone Trail to the Zuma Ridge Motorway - the one covered here - is also 2.5 miles one way headed west. 

The Backbone Trail to Zuma Ridge Motorway is a nice, moderate, winding, mostly single track, well-maintained trail. You'll encounter a creek, a view of the Upper Zuma Falls, a short bridge, some tree-lined canopied sections, wildflowers and moderately rocky sections.

Once you reach Zuma Ridge Motorway, you can continue on the Backbone Trail or turn back for a five mile round trip hike.

Ranch Overlook Trail in Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa in Newbury Park

Trailhead to the Ranch Overlook Trail starts at the juncture of Sycamore Canyon Fire Road (paved road that runs through Point Mugu State Park) and the access bridge to the Satwiwa Native American Culture Center.

This is the bridge heading the other direction from the Ranch Overlook Trail sign leading to the Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center.

The one mile Ranch Overlook Trail is located in Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa in Newbury Park.

The trail extends from just west of the Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center to the Palomino Trail in the Rancho Potrero Open Space.

The trail is about two wide and you’ll find hikers, runners, cyclists and equestrians all sharing it. The east portion is moderately flat, leading to a moderate hill. At the peak, you’ll have nice views toward the Rancho Sierra Vista main parking area and adjacent ranch structures as well as towards Boney Mountain.

Continue west down the trail to a juncture where you can either veer right towards the parking area and road into Rancho Sierra Vista, or you can continue straight until the next juncture. At the next juncture, if you take a left, you’ll soon be transitioning from Federal land (Rancho Sierra Vista) to Conejo Open Space land (Rancho Potrero). Though you won’t find a trail sign that indicates this, the trail that continues westward is the Palomino Trail.

Do be mindful of rattlesnakes back here. They want nothing to do with you, so if you come across one crossing the trail, let them make their way across.

The “peak” of the Ranch Overlook Trail, looking southeast towards Satwiwa and Boney.

Peak of Ranch Overlook Trail, looking down towards main Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa parking area and restrooms.

This is west of the peak of the Ranch Overlook Trail, a downhill section that takes you towards Rancho Potrero.

This sign is at the bottom of the west side of the Ranch Overlook Trail, facing east, if you opt to take the trail counter-clockwise from the parking area.

This ancient oak tree is adjacent to the Ranch Overlook Trail sign near the parking lot access. This was taken in September 2018. The large branch broke off earlier that summer. In the background is the parking area.

This is the Palomino Trail in the adjacent Rancho Potrero Open Space, looking east towards Rancho Sierra Vista, in June 2018. These areas do green up after the winter rains in the April/May time frame….but dry up fast.

Channel Islands National Park

Channel Islands National Park consists of 5 of the 8 Channel Islands off the Santa Barbara coast. Although the islands are close to the shore, their isolation has left them relatively undeveloped.

The northern Channel Islands are Anacapa (1.1 sq mi), San Miguel (14.6 sq mi), Santa Cruz (96.5 sq mi) and Santa Rosa (83 sq mi) and the southern islands are San Clemente (57 sq mi), San Nicolas (23 sq mi), Santa Barbara (1 sq mi) and Santa Catalina (75 sq mi).

Channel Islands National Park includes the islands of San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa and Santa Barbara. Anacapa is located in Ventura County while the other four are in Santa Barbara County. San Clemente Island, the southernmost Channel Island, is owned and operated by the U.S. Navy. Catalina Island as we know with its population of 3,700 is a popular tourist destination. San Nicolas Island in Ventura County is also controlled by the U.S. Navy. On a clear day you can see two of the five islands, Anacapa and Santa Cruz.

Visitors to the islands may swim, snorkel, hike, camp, watch wildlife, sail and explore tidepools, beaches and canyons. There is no food service on the islands, so bring what you need. Take a commercial service to the islands like Island Packers, which has been servicing the islands since 1968. Landings at Anacapa and Santa Cruz islands are year-round while the more remote outer islands, Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa and San Miguel are scheduled late spring through early fall.

Visit the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov/chis to learn more about visiting Channel Islands National Park. The park is open year-round.

The Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center at Channel Islands National Park is located in the Ventura Harbor at 1901 Spinnaker Drive (805.658.5730) and the Outdoors Santa Barbara Visitor Center is located at the Santa Barbara Harbor at 113 Harbor Way, 4th Floor.

On a clear day you can see two of the Channel Islands from Newbury Park and other Ventura County spots. Here's a view from the Rancho Potrero Open Space in Newbury Park.

Anacapa Island seen from a whale watching boat.

Old Boney Trail Hike in Pt. Mugu State Park

If you're looking for a hike of about 10 miles in the Rancho Sierra Vista/Boney Mountain Wilderness area, consider the Old Boney Trail loop from Newbury Park. You can park either in the National Park Service parking lot or at Wendy Drive where it meets Potrero Road.

You can do the hike clockwise or counter-clockwise since it is a loop course. I prefer clockwise, which starts by trekking through Rancho Sierra Vista to Danielson Road. Details of this path are at THIS LINK. This path gets you to a juncture where you can continue another 3/10ths of a mile to the Danielson Monument (which you definitely should do if you've never been there) or veer a sharp right up the Old Boney Trail.

Sign at juncture of Danielson Road trail and Old Boney Trail in Pt. Mugu State Park

I love the Old Boney Trail. It is narrow and covered with growth on both sides. Kind of like running through a chaparral jungle. This makes the trail mostly shade covered for the first couple miles of this 3.5 mile stretch of trail. You'll be treated to some nice views of Boney Mountain along the way.

Although the Old Boney Trail does not reach a peak for panoramic views, you'll still find several spots that reward you with views towards the Channel Islands and west Ventura County.

About a mile or mile and a half into Old Boney Trail from Danielson Road, you'll see a turnoff sign to the right that takes you to the Fossil Trail, a mile or so drop back down to the bottom of Sycamore Canyon. The drop is about 1300 ft to 500 ft with plenty of rocky surfaces, so you'll have some fun going back down this way, for a shorter route. And of course, look closely and you'll be treated to surfaces covered with sea fossil imprints from millions of years ago.

From the Old Boney Trail/Fossil Trail juncture, you have another 2.1 fun miles to the next juncture at Blue Canyon Trail at the bottom of the canyon. You'll get some more neat views of Boney Mountain during this stretch. At the juncture is the following sign on Blue Canyon Trail.

Sign on Blue Canyon Trail at the Old Boney Trail juncture in Pt. Mugu State Park.

You will turn right on Blue Canyon Trail, which will take you to the Danielson Multi-Use area and the paved Sycamore Canyon Fire Road. A left-hand turn will get you lots of fun for another day, onward to Chamberlain Trail that gets you up to some might nice peaks, and Serrano Valley.

Sign at entrance to Blue Canyon Trail at the Danielson Multi-Use area (you of course will be looking at the back side of this sign if you're coming from the Old Boney Trail).

I've never actually seen anyone using the Danielson Multi-Use area but here's the picnic area.

So you run through the Danielson area to the main paved road to the right (turning left of course will take you to PCH in about 4-5 miles). In another 3 miles you'll be back in civilization; these miles include the 800 foot, 3/4 mile ascent into Rancho Sierra Vista, which can be a bit brutal...perhaps my (and maybe your) least favorite section of this course. But once you're up the hill, you're home free! Time for breakfast, lunch, dinner or all of the above!

Sycamore Canyon Fire Road sign at the top of the hill in Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa.

Of course, you can easily reverse this course and make your way DOWN Sycamore Canyon Fire Road, turn left onto Blue Canyon Trail, left on Old Boney Trail for 3.5 miles and then left on Danielson Road, back down into the canyon and up towards Satwiwa.

Oak Park Campground in Simi Valley

Located at 901 Quimisa Drive in Simi Valley, the Oak Park Campground is a rustic 100.5 acre open space park that is surrounded by gentle, rolling hills and an abundance of coastal sage scrub brush. This natural environment supports a multitude of California native wildlife species, such as a raptors, roadrunners, sagebrush lizards, and alligator lizards. The park is ideal for group RV camping in a secluded setting.

Day use is $2 per day ($4 on weekends) (as of July 2018). Camping is $32 per day.

Plenty of things to explore in this 100 acre space! Learn more or make reservations at www.ventura.org/inland-parks/oak-park-simi-valley or call 805.654.3951.

The video shot below was on a Sunday night around 7 p.m. in July 2010. There was for the most part nobody there! What a great opportunity to camp with your kids locally! I guess my only concerns about the location would be that the park is sandwiched between the 118 freeway and the railroad tracks...though I did not encounter any noise issues in my brief drive-by.

The Punch Bowls in Santa Paula

The Santa Paula Canyon Trail takes you to the "The Punch Bowls" in the Los Padres National Forest. This is a fairly challenging hike that is definitely not for everyone. But for many, it is quite an interesting, roughly 7 mile round trip exploration. Plan on at least a 4 to 6 hour excursion.

The trail begins in the hills behind Thomas Aquinas College at 10000 Ojai Road, Santa Paula. This is a private college and thus the public is not allowed access to parking on the campus. There is a small amount of street parking and several dirt lots nearby. Make sure though not to leave any valuables in your car.

Access to the trail takes a bit of a walk on the paved road that swings to the right of the college. There are signs that point the way to the trailhead and that asks hikers to stay on the paved roadway.

The winding road to the trailhead

You will be entering private property (continue following the signs), so be mindful of that as you veer left, then past an oil rig through an avocado farm. You will be walking past a large red gate, then continue on, until you reach another oil pumping rig. Go left along the path around the rig to the trailhead, where you will be greeted by the sounds of the Santa Paula Creek.

You will be veering left after walking through this gate,  into private property. You will be walking past an oil pump then into an avocado orchard, then past another oil rig (veer left) to the trailhead.

Cross the creek (there are strategically placed stones) and you are on your way.

Veer right around this., which would seem obvious but to me it wasn't. 

From here, there are no signs that clearly say "trail this way." Perhaps the main thing to keep in mind is that for the most part, you will be following the creek to the area known as the Punch Bowls. But the exact path is not always clear, especially when you are like me and have a tendency of picking the wrong path at each fork.

Some sections of the trail are perfectly flat and scenic. Most of the trail you will hear the Santa Paula Creek.

But one thing we generally found is that someone has sprayed orange arrows in the direction you need to go. That said, it is still not always clear. Unfortunately, there is graffiti and markings of various sorts much of the way up the trail. In fact this is probably the worst example of defacing of a public trail that I've ever seen. I will not post the images here.

In any case, we didn't let the graffiti bother us too much as the trails were so beautiful, interesting and challenging. In fact, aside from hiking up Boney Mountain, this is probably the most challenging trail I've tried in the local area. There are some "perfectly flat" sections but many sections of the trail are quite rocky, narrow, lined with poison oak and challenging.

Also, be prepared to cross the creek in various sections. It wasn't always clear if we should be on the left or right side of the creek. Make sure to wear good hiking shoes as you will be making some creek crossings, which can be slippery.

I don't usually hike with a walking stick, but it definitely came in handy on this trail. The higher up we got, the rockier and more "bouldery" the trail became. 

The boulders get larger and there are more areas with loose rocks the higher you get up the trail. I don't usually use a walking stick, but it definitely came in handy for this hike.

In any case, after some crazy sections of rocks that, when we went (mid-June 2016), included sections of significant piles of rocks (including some fairly recent looking rock slide areas), you will reach the first of the Punch Bowls. This was our final destination, but there are additional pools of water higher up, on trails that appear increasingly challenging.

This punch bowl was our final destination before heading back down. Beautiful to see, though the water was not particularly deep (blame it on the drought) or clean looking. But quite a great destination to hike to nonetheless and enjoyable to relax and take it in.

I took 4th and 7th graders with me and they did fine. It was a lot of fun. Definitely not stroller friendly. Dogs are ok on leash, though I wouldn't bring my dog due to the proliferation of rocks.

Learn more about the Santa Paula Canyon Trail at www.hikelospadres.com/santa-paula-canyon-trail.html.

Paradise Falls Hike - Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

Perhaps the most popular destination in Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks is Paradise Falls. There are a variety of trails and ways to get to Paradise Falls. Here's a quick and easy 1 mile route.

Park in the main trailhead at the west end of Avenida de los Arboles. Take the Mesa Trail about a 3rd of a mile until you see the sign below, where you'll turn left.

Another third of a mile and you're at the teepee, where you'll find another clearly marked sign pointing you in the direction of Paradise Falls.

You turn right down the hill and take a short walk to the following sign.

Hike down some switchbacks and stairs and you're almost there.

And wallah! You're at the following sign, where you'll be reminded that these year-round falls are partially fed by urban run-off, making them something you may not want to jump into.

But Paradise Falls is fun to get to and see. A full-on roughly 40 foot waterfall a mile away from civilization in Thousand Oaks.

You can walk back the way you came or hike back up the trail above the falls and loop back up to the teepee via the Wildwood Canyon Trail.

Las Virgenes View Park in Calabasas

Las Virgenes View Park is located at the northeast corner of Las Virgenes Road and Mulholland Highway in Calabasas. The park is a 696 acre project of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, owned and managed by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority in cooperation with the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District and City of Calabasas.

Enjoy a 2.4 mile trail through chaparral and woodlands to a scenic vista point at 1,100 feet. It is a single track trail of switchbacks that largely parallels Las Virgenes Road. You'll enjoy all sorts of views as you head up the trail, from Malibu Creek State Park, De Anza Park, King Gillette Ranch and beyond.

Off street dirt parking is at the trailhead and across the street. More information at www.lamountains.com/parks.asp?parkid=30.

Trailhead

View from the Las Virgenes View Park Trail towards Malibu Creek State Park.

King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas

The 588-acre King Gillette Ranch (26800 West Mulholland Highway, Calabasas) is situated adjacent to Malibu Creek State Park. This scenic parkland at the lower end of the Las Virgenes Valley is a haven for larger mammals of the Santa Monica Mountains and offers a rare unspoiled view of California’s rich archaeological, cultural, and historic resources, including a Chumash settlement, and nationally significant structures designed for razor magnate King C. Gillette in the 1920’s by Wallace Neff, architect of California’s Golden Age.

View of King Gillette Ranch from Inspiration Point, south of the Gillette Mansion

A short, somewhat steep roughly 1 mile hike from the parking area south of the Gillette Mansion leads to a knoll with 360-degree views—including the famous rock formations of Malibu Creek State Park. This is referred to as Inspiration Point. You will love the spectacular views from up there.

View from Inspiration Point west towards Malibu Creek State Park.

Other activities include strolling, bicycling, photography, and picnicking. King Gillette Ranch is owned and managed by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority in cooperation with the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area unit of the National Park Service, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and California State Parks.  More information at lamountains.com/parks.asp?parkid=670 or call the Anthony C. Beilenson Interagency Visitor Center at 805.370.2301.

Directions from the Conejo Valley: Take Hwy 101 (Ventura Freeway) to the Las Virgenes/Malibu Canyon exit. Head south on Las Virgenes Road and continue to Mulholland Hwy, about two miles. Turn left onto Mulholland Highway and immediately look for the King Gillette Ranch entrance on the right.

Prickly Pear Trail in Newbury Park

The Prickly Pear Trail is located in the Dos Vientos section of Newbury Park. The entry point is at Del Prado Playfields, 402 Calle Del Prado, Newbury Park.

This is a short, roughly one mile in total, family-friendly hike at the east end of the Dos Vientos community. 

The entry point is on the south side of the parking lot in front of the park. It is quite clearly marked, as shown below. The first straightaway is about 1/4 mile, at which point you have the decision of which direction you'd like to take the loop. If you go left (clockwise loop), at the first fork in the trail take the left trail (if you take a right you'll be going back to where you came from). Then continue the remainder of the loop veering right until you're back at the straightway you came from.

This is a convenient little family hike as there is plenty of parking at the park, restrooms, a newer playground for the kids, pickleball and tennis at the park.

About 1/4 mile into the hike, looking back towards Del Prado Playfields.

Views toward the protected pond behind Cypress Elementary, along Via Rio.

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park in Agua Dulce

The 932 acre Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, owned and managed by the County of Los Angeles, contains ancient rock sculptures created by 20 to 25 million years of earthquake movement along the Elkhorn Fault, an offshoot of the San Andreas Fault. The park is located in Agua Dulce off the Antelope Valley Freeway. Click the image below for more information.

Sandstone Peak to Inspiration Point and Tri Peaks in the Santa Monica Mountains

On everyone's local area bucket list should be the hike to the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains - Sandstone Peak. That hike is about 3 miles round trip.

If you're looking to extend that hike, you can do the Mishe Mokwa Loop trail in reverse. Or you can explore several other peaks not far away - Inspiration Point and Tri Peaks. Hiking to Tri Peaks and back is about 6 miles round trip from the Sandstone Peak parking area.

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Just north of the Sandstone Peak staircase/final ascent is a sign that indicates the trail to Tri Peaks. The trail is clearly marked and about 3/4 of a mile west you will come to the Inspiration Point spur trail. Do check it out as frankly I think the views towards the ocean are better here than at Sandstone Peak. Inspiration Point is 2,766 feet in elevation.

Follow the trail towards Tri Peaks from Sandstone Peak.

Sign on the Backbone Trail towards Tri Peaks signifying you are at the Inspiration Point spur trail. Sign indicates 2,800 ft elevation though I've read it is actually 2,766 ft. Close enough.

The view from Inspiration Point towards the ocean. The road below is Yerba Buena.

Inspiration Point dedication sign to an Eagle Scout who lost his life much too early.

Another 3/4 mile or so of hiking gets you to Tri Peaks, which is 3,010 ft elevation, not too far behind Sandstone Peak. Tri Peaks is northeast of Inspiration Point and there are a number of signs that tell you you are getting close. The final sign before reaching Tri Peaks says you are .2 miles away. But after that, to my knowledge there is no official sign that says you have reached Tri Peaks. The final 1/2 mile spur trail to Tri Peaks is much more narrow than the main trail.

You have reached your destination - Tri Peaks.

Personally when I went I was alone and in running shorts and t-shirt. Had I been wearing more appropriate hiking gear and long pants, I would have explored the peaks and caves a bit but without being properly equipped I opted to stay safe. But on the west side you can get some pretty sweet views of the Santa Monica Mountains towards Point Mugu and beyond.

Also, be careful to pay attention to the trail you came in from. There is no signage indicating the trail back, and the trail is not particularly clearly marked. 

View towards the Oxnard Plain from Tri Peaks.