#207: Hike to Sandstone Peak

I'm excited to tell you guys about my favorite hike this summer: Sandstone Peak in Malibu! A lot of people say that this hike is what made them fall in love with L.A. hiking, and I can see why. With each turn, you get spectacular rock formations, panoramic views and ever-changing scenery. Sandstone Peak is the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains. We hiked it as a 6 mile loop from the Mishe Mokwa Trailhead.

Mike, Michelle and I left at 7 am and did the hour long drive to the trailhead. It was completely cloudy as we drove up PCH, and I thought to myself, this will be a nice shady hike because of all the cloud cover. Little did I know that the windy drive to the trailhead climbs steadily in altitude. By the time we got there, we were well above the cloud layer and the sun was in full force. Thankfully the hike is pretty shaded if you go early in the morning, so the heat was bearable.

We started the hike at 8 am (first ones at the parking lot!) and finished at 11. As we were leaving, the lot was packed and we saw people just starting. I couldn't imagine starting at that time, since the sun was high and it was getting really hot!

Balanced Rock

Some tips for your visit:

• From PCH, turn on Yerba Buena Road. You will pass Circle X Ranch on your right. Soon after that, you will see the Sandstone Peak Parking Lot on your left. We didn't park here. We kept going a little more and parked at the Mishe Mokwa Parking Lot (also on the left).

• We made a counter clockwise loop, starting on the Mishe Mokwa Trail and then connecting with the Backbone Trail. Here's a map.

• There are tons of flies around Split Rock, for about one minute of your hike. You will descend into a shaded area with a stream running through it and picnic benches. I didn't stick around long enough to see if they were biting flies--I just ran through all of them with my mouth closed. No biting flies to be seen in the other areas.

• We encountered one questionably signed junction. When you get here, stay to the left.

Stay to the left!

• Go early in the morning if you are going in the summer. It gets hot there!

• The 6-mile counterclockwise loop was moderately strenuous. There's a shorter way to reach Sandstone Peak, but it's much steeper. You start from the Sandstone Peak Trailhead and go clockwise. I haven't done it, but I read some reviews of people saying it was too much for them.

• You will see some stairs as you approach Sandstone Peak. Take these up to a dirt path. Shortly along the dirt path you will see a rocky area. You must rock scramble a little to the very top of the peak. It's nothing too difficult.

Split Rock

Shady!

Don't miss Inspiration Point. You'll see a small dirt path on your right.

It's just a little ways along that path. Beautiful scenery here.

Taking a breather at Inspiration Point

The view of Sandstone Peak (middle) from Inspiration Point.

The stairs to Sandstone Peak

Sign the notebook at the top

The monument at the top

The view from Sandstone Peak

Photo by Shimage

Sandstone Peak Hike

#205: Rivas Canyon Trail

Don't let summer's heat put a damper on hiking; there's a fantastic shady hike right in Temescal Canyon Park. Most visitors to this Pacific Palisades park are there to go to Skull Rock (#112), but the absence of shade on that trail means that it's pretty grueling during the summer months. Instead, Mike and I took the lesser traveled and very shady Rivas Canyon Trail.

The Rivas Canyon trail is a 2 mile trail that connects Temescal Canyon Park with Will Rogers Park. We did it as an out and back hike, making it about 4 miles. The hike starts with a moderate ascent up and over the ridge, with most of the uphill being in the shade. Along the way, you'll catch this great view of Santa Monica:

All of the junctions on this trail are marked, with the exception of one near the ridge top. If you go to the right at the unmarked junction, in a few minutes you will find yourself next to the concrete platform in the above picture. Take the trail on the left if you don't want to pause at this detour.

Once over the ridge, you descend into the canyon and the scenery changes dramatically. Everything is covered in ivy, and tall trees tower over you. You'll pass this cool cave made of ivy as you descend:

Along the way, we walked through a fragrant fennel forest:

And we turned back when we reached this wall:



If you choose to continue past the wall, you'll soon find yourself at Will Rogers Park.

Tips for your visit:

• Park on Sunset for free if you don't want to pay the $7 parking fee

• As you walk from the parking lots toward the park, you will see this sign. Follow the arrow to the right to Rivas Canyon.

• Soon you will see this sign on your right. That's your trail:

• Most of the hike is shady, but it's still a good idea to be prepared for heat and protect yourself from the sun.

• Be careful to stop at the stop signs in the park. There are hidden cameras and you will get a ticket if you don't stop!

Have you been on the Rivas Canyon Trail? What did you think of it? Leave me a comment below!

Rivas Canyon Trail

#198: Topanga Lookout

High above Red Rock Canyon you'll find the site of an old fire tower which is now a graffiti covered concrete platform. This is the Topanga Lookout, a little known treasure in Malibu that starts at the intersection of Stunt and Schueren Road. Take a short 2 mile roundtrip hike to this amazing lookout.

There are no signs for the Lookout trail, but you'll see a gate near the intersection of Schueren and Stunt. Park for free on the side of the road anytime between 6 am and 9 pm.

The trailhead

Continue up the path and you'll come across this junction:

Take the trail on the left

Once you take the left trail, it's a straight shot to the lookout.

You'll pass this radio tower on your right

The hill to the lookout

As you can see, the hike is largely unshaded, so plan accordingly. There used to be a sofa on the platform--can't imagine how hard it must have been to get it there--but now it's gone.

Have you been to the Topanga Lookout? What did you think of it? Leave me a comment below!

View Larger Map

Topanga Lookout

Subscribe to 365 LA

Follow 365 LA on Facebook!

#196: Rubio Canyon's Double Waterfall

What does this mean??

It's so beautiful! Double Waterfall all the way!

The Eastside has its share of stunning waterfalls (see Eaton Canyon Falls (#169) and Sturtevant Falls (#170)) but sometimes the throngs of people on these popular hikes can make you a little nuts. If you're hungry for a one-two punch of waterfall with few to no people, Altadena has a little secret; a spectacular double waterfall accessible via an unmarked trail.

the "trailhead"

This out-and-back hike is only 1.3 miles, and provides some fun rock hopping as you approach the waterfall. The hike is mostly unshaded and takes you past the foundations of the old Rubio Pavilion, which was operational from 1893 to 1936 as the starting point for a tram ride up to a resort on Mount Lowe.

Just past the concrete foundation you'll come across a junction in the trail. The trail on the left takes you up a steep incline while the one on the right continues along the stream. Take the right trail and keep going along the stream. Soon the trail will turn rocky and you'll rock hop across small streams until you reach the waterfalls. If you lose the trail, just keep following the water and you'll reach the waterfalls--it's not very far!

I came here on a weekday afternoon with my friend Charles and we saw only a couple of people on our way to the falls. The whole hike took us about an hour, including resting time at the falls. Wear good shoes since you will be walking on potentially slippery rocks.

Follow these tips for your visit:

• The trailhead is located on Rubio Vista Drive in Altadena between houses numbered 1351 and 1342
• Dogs are allowed
• Park in the neighborhood for free. No passes needed.

Have you been to Rubio Canyon's Double Waterfalls? What did you think of it? Leave me a comment below!

Rubio Canyon's Double Waterfalls

Subscribe to 365 LA

Follow 365 LA on Facebook!

#194: The Tar Pits at Towsley Canyon

My friend Mike hikes all over L.A., so when he told me that Towsley Canyon in Santa Clarita was one of his favorite hikes in the area, I knew I had to check it out.

Towsley Canyon used to be an oil drilling site. Native Americans were the first humans to use the oil in the canyon. In 1865, a settler named Darius Towsley filed the first placer claim in the canyon and other settlers soon took over. Although the wells are now gone, oil still seeps up through the earth, forming rivers and pits along the trail.

Mike and I started the hike at 3:30 pm last Saturday, thinking that we would beat the noonday heat. Unfortunately, the sun was still blazing hot. I think that 5 or 5:30 would have been a much better start time. After walking on a dirt road for a mile, we came to the Narrows--an area where the canyon walls... well.. narrow.

Out of the Narrows, we went up a series of switchbacks for about 1.5 miles, then went over the ridge of the mountain, and descended. Near the end of the hike was a clearing with a large tar pit on the left.

Ever since my visit to the La Brea Tar Pits (#25), I always wondered what tar felt like. Without the restriction of a fence here, I giddily grabbed a stick and prodded the viscous black liquid, which bubbled and gurgled in response. Note all of the other twigs stuck in the pit; apparently I wasn't the first one with that idea.

We also encountered my arch nemesis, biting flies, after the Narrows. Those buggers successfully bit me a couple of times before I stuck my arms in my shirt and hiked the remaining 3.5 miles without arms. Anytime a fly landed on me, I shouted "Get away! I hate you!", making Mike uncomfortable whenever we encountered other hikers, lest they think I was directing those insults at him.

Besides the flies and the heat, however, Towsley Canyon was a gorgeous and enjoyable hike; I can see why it's one of Mike's favorites. Just be sure to go early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

Tips for your visit:

• The Towsley Loop hike is 5.1 miles, but if you don't want to hike that far, you can do about a 1 mile out-and-back hike to the main tar pit. If you wish to do the shorter hike, be sure to go in the clockwise direction via the first trail head on your left. The pit will be on your right.

• There's a gravel parking lot when you turn in. Park here--it's free. If you go just a bit farther down the road, you will see a sign indicating a lot for which you must pay a parking fee. It doesn't make any sense to park there since the free lot is so close.

• Since it's a loop, you can either go in the clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. We did the counter-clockwise loop. Both directions require steep ascents, but the counter-clockwise ascent is shorter and has switchbacks. The clockwise ascent is longer and steeper.

• When you walk along the dirt road from the parking lot, you will see a sign for Towsley Loop on your left. That trail takes you in the clockwise direction. If you continue down the dirt road, you will soon see another sign for Towsley Loop directly in front of you. This trail takes you in the counter-clockwise direction.

See that sign on the left? That's the trail to go in the clockwise direction.

• When we were descending, the trail forked a few times, but the forks met up with each other later. Just remember to keep going down.

• We encountered about 10 groups of people during our hike, which took about 2.5 hours.

Have you been to the Towsley Canyon Tar Pits? What did you think of it? Leave me a comment below!

Towsley Canyon

Subscribe to 365 LA

Follow 365 LA on Facebook!