The Backbone Trail - Ventura County Trails

PParking D

eer

Cre

ek R

d.

1

N

CAMPGROUND

0 1.0

MILES

Ray MillerTrailhead

DanielsonRanch

La JollaCanyonTrail

BigSycamoreCanyonTrail

Point Mugu State Park

Yerb

a Bue

na R

d.

Dee

r Cre

ek R

d.

DanielsonRanch

BONEY RIDGE

SYC

AM

OR

E C

AN

YON

Circle XRanch

SANDSTONEPEAK P

P

P

Rd.

Bue

na

1

Cotharin Rd.

Yerb

a

N

0 1.0

MILES MisheMokwaTrailhead

Point MuguState Park

CAMPGROUND

PParkingTuna Canyon Rd.

Topanga Canyon Blvd.

EntradaRoad

27

PP

27

Sunset Blvd.

N0 1.0

MILES

Will RogersState Park

TrippetRanch

Topanga State Park

Eagle RockLoop Trail

TemescalFire Road

Flora and faunaThe Backbone Trail cuts across seven of nine plantcommunities in the Santa Monica Mountains. Wildlifeincludes coyotes, mule deer, coast horned lizards, SouthernPacific rattlesnakes, bobcats, mountain lions, gray foxes aswell as birds such as red-tailed hawks, California quail andgolden eagles.

Early baptism: Early in the 20th century,the area is known as the Devil’sBackbone Trail.Grand plan: Notion of a foot trail acrossthe Santa Monica Mountains that spanstwo counties takes hold by early 1970s.Proposed Ridge Trail is expected to runroughly west from Griffith Park to thePacific Ocean at Point Mugu State Park.Getting a spine: In 1974, CaliforniaLegislature approves early version of(and funding for) what is now beingcalled the Backbone Trail.Goodbye, Griffith: Development ofprivate property around Griffith Park inthe mid-’70s causes plans to shrink.Easternmost point is changed to Will

Rogers State Historic Park in PacificPalisades.The U’s turn: In 1978, PepperdineUniversity sells the state 145 acres inTopanga Canyon, the first parcelearmarked for the Backbone Trail.Politicians on the hill: Backbone gets ahigher profile when Congress createsSanta Monica Mountains NationalRecreation Area in 1978.Another engine: Plans pick up steamwhen the land-buying Santa MonicaMountains Conservancy is formed in1980. Its No. 1 priority? You got it.The good book: Milt McAuley, known asthe father of the Backbone, borrowsagainst his insurance policy to print his

“Hiking Trails of the Santa MonicaMountains” in 1980.Foot patrol: With an eye toward plottingthe route, about 10 hikers in 1983 beginwalking the length of the proposed trail.Some ranching paths date to the days ofMexican land grants.United, we dig: In 1986, YouthConservation Corps builds the firstsegment of the trail on federal land, 1ƒmiles in Newton Canyon.Is that in dog years?: There’s a “goodchance” Backbone will be completedwithin five years, a National ParkService official says in 1986.Define “almost done”: With 43 miles inplace in 1990, “near completion” of trail

is celebrated. Half are newly built trails,half are pre-existing trails and fire roads.Heard it all before: Campaigning forbond money in 1990, director of SantaMonica Conservancy “guarantees”Backbone will be completed within 18months.Master of this universe: Trail blazer RonWebster, who designs and overseesbuilding of many segments, is honoredin 1992 for his work on the HondoCanyon section.Hello, Hollywood: In 1997, Gregory Peckmakes a pitch to raise money to pay forthe final 6-mile gap. Donors can buy itby the foot — at $100 a pop.Camp Backbone: In 1998, the Park

Service invites hikers to spend the nightat campgrounds along the route.Closer, closer: Closing of 3-mile gap inupper Zuma Canyon in 1999 creates 40miles of continuous trails.It’s a wonderful trail: Ghost of FrankCapra joins the saga in 1999, when hisheirs deed to the cause 160 acres thefilmmaker once owned betweenWestlake Village and Malibu.59.5 miles and counting: When will it bedone? It’s complicated. Easements, landbuys and trail-building slow finish ofplanned 64-mile trail to a crawl. Oneofficial prediction: 2007.

Birth of the Backbone

Elevation profile

3,000

(in feet)

2,000

1,000

0

(in miles)

Three standoutsRay Miller Trailhead at La Jolla Canyonto Danielson RanchFor insatiable viewmongers, the Backbone saves the best forlast. The western end of the trail starts at sea level from LaJolla Canyon then climbs quickly along a quiet path where youcan gaze at the Pacific and debate which Channel Island iswhich or look inland toward grasslands and 1,266-foot MuguPeak. Mountain bikers, allowed on part of this stretch, arediverted through Sycamore Canyon under a canopy of treesthat cover the fire road. After 8.1 miles, you can stop for waterand shade at Danielson Ranch. Load up your pack with cameragear and binoculars — it’s well worth the weight.

Mishe Mokwa Trailhead to Danielson RanchSolitude seekers and rock hounds take note: This may be theleast-traveled section of the Backbone because the trailhead isremote and not well signed. Here, the trail meanders throughmeadows of shoulder-high grass, climbs toward SandstonePeak, the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains, andtraverses Boney Ridge, offering wide views of the ocean and theOxnard Plain. But the towering rocks and dramatic crags reallydefine this landscape. You can hike 7.9 miles west on theBackbone or, if you want to explore, take a spur trail toSandstone’s 3,111-foot summit or do a 5-mile loop that includesa big-picture stop at Inspiration Point.

Will Rogers State Historic Park to Trippet RanchThis eastern-most stretch is 11.5 miles of Backbone bliss. Youcan peer into cha parral-studded canyons from rocky ridges,scramble to the top of a hulking sandstone slab called EagleRock (no, not that Eagle Rock) or take refuge from the heatunder sun-shielding oaks. But be prepared to share. Hikerssometimes bristle when mountain bikers appear on the narrowand steep single-track portion that starts near the beginning atWill Rogers. Don’t expect solitude — the masses flock to thiswell-signed, accessible segment.

Elevation profile(in feet)2,000

1,000

00 2 4 6 8(in miles)

Ray Miller Danielson Ranch

Mishe Mokwa Danielson

Will Rogers Trippet

P

CAMPGROUND

PParking

P

CAMPGROUND

P

PP

P

P

Trippet Ranch toTopangaCanyon Blvd.Distance: 1.1 miles

Parking: $5 parking fee atTrippet Ranch; $3 parkingfee at Dead HorseTrailhead on Entrada Road

Locating trailhead:Unsigned and difficult tofind at Topanga CanyonBlvd. Look for it acrossfrom the Greenleaf CanyonRoad bridge.

Topanga Canyon Blvd. toSaddle Peak RoadDistance: 5.2 miles

Parking: $3 fee at DeadHorse Trailhead on EntradaRoad; parking at SaddlePeak Road

Locating trailhead: Aftercrossing Greenleaf CanyonRoad bridge and before theroad takes a sharp rightturn, look for a trail thatgoes up the hill to the left.Trail is signed as it comesdown to Saddle Peak Road.

Stunt Road to MalibuCanyon RoadDistance: 2.1 milesParking: Limited on StuntRoad; lot at Malibu CanyonRoad

Locating trailhead: Trailis unsigned as it leavesStunt Road. Look for it 2.8miles from intersection ofMulholland Highway andStunt Road.

Malibu Canyon Road toCorral Canyon RoadDistance: 5.4 milesParking: At either end

Locating trailhead: Trailis signed but not visible atMalibu Canyon Road. Lookfor a lot south of PiumaRoad intersection.

Corral Canyon Road toLatigo Canyon RoadDistance: 4.1 miles

Parking: Limited on LatigoCanyon Road to turnout onshoulder

Locating trailhead: Trailis signed, but in the brushseveral feet off LatigoCanyon Road.

Will RogersState Historic Park toTrippet RanchDistance: 11.5 miles

Parking: $5 parking feeat either end

Locating trailhead:Signed at both ends.

Saddle Peak Road to StuntRoad/Schueren RoadDistance: 4.7 milesParking: On Saddle PeakRoad; limited parking onshoulder along Stunt Road

Locating trailhead:Unmarked as it continueswest of the Saddle Peaktrailhead. Look for itclimbing steeply atintersection of Schueren andStunt roads; sign for aconnector trail from StuntRoad is obscured by brush.

TrailheadsThirteen segments break theBackbone Trail into dayhikes. Hikers beware: Don’tleave home without a moredetailed map.*Hiking directions are listedhere from east to west.

Latigo Canyon Road toKanan Dume RoadDistance: 2.3 miles

Parking: Limited on LatigoCanyon Road; parking lot atKanan Dume Road

Locating trailhead: Trail issigned at Latigo CanyonRoad, but hard to see fromroad. Look for trail 2.8miles from the intersectionof Kanan Dume Road andLatigo Canyon Road.

Kanan Dume Road toZuma Ridge MountainwayDistance: 2.5 miles

Parking: Only at KananDume Road

Locating trailhead: Well-marked trail ends atunfinished segment. Walknorth less than a half-mileto Encinal Canyon Road (noparking) or return to KananDume Road.

Encinal Canyon Road toMulholland HighwayDistance: 2.2 miles

Parking: None at eitherend

Locating trailhead:Unmarked at both ends,trail is hard to find. Westend is a half-mile from theintersection of DeckerCanyon and MulhollandHighway; look for hikingsign and gate just off thehighway.

Trail gap to Mishe MokwaTrailheadDistance: 4 miles

Parking: Limited on YerbaBuena Road on narrowturnouts; parking lot atMishe Mokwa

Locating trailhead: Hardto find at Yerba BuenaRoad. Look for a smallhiking sign (no mention ofthe Backbone) 1.7 milesfrom the intersection ofLittle Sycamore CanyonRoad (which becomes YerbaBuena) and MulhollandHighway.

Mishe Mokwa Trailheadto Danielson RanchDistance: 7.9 miles

Parking: At Mishe MokwaTrailhead on Yerba BuenaRoad; no car access atDanielson Ranch

Locating trailhead:Rerouted to continue fromMishe Mokwa to aconnector route that leadsto Sandstone Peak Trail.This segment is not signedat each end as BackboneTrail.

Danielson Ranch to RayMiller Trailhead/Point Mugu State ParkDistance: 8.1 miles

Parking: $5 fee at RayMiller Trailhead

Locating trailhead:Backbone Trail designatedat west end.

0 2 4 6 8 10

Riparian woodlandsStreambanks; western sycamores,Fremont cottonwoods, California bay,big leaf maple, white alder.

Coastal sage scrubWestern slopes above beaches;coastal sagebrush, coyotebrush, buckwheat and threedifferent sages.

ChaparralWidespread on inland slopesand ridges; chamise, ceanothus(known as California lilac),scrub oak, toyon.

Oak savannasOpen grassy areas; valley oak,at its southernmost limit.

Oak woodlandsPrimarily in Topanga and Malibucanyons; coast live oak, brackenfern, at 11 feet tall believed to bethe largest in the U.S.

GrasslandNot extensive, mostly in La Jolla Valley atPoint Mugu State Park; many non-nativegrasses, but some natives, such as purpleneedlegrass, survive.

Freshwater marshesEdges of ponds and lakes; sedges,tules and cattails.

Graphics reporting by Mary Forgione , Leslie Carlson Times staff writers, and Bill Sharpsteen , for The Times

1

PacificOcean

Malibu

1

23

27

27

11

N9 N1

N9

N1

SantaMonicaMountainsNationalRecreationArea

Malibu CreekState Park

Topanga StatePark

1

1

Santa Monica

Sunset Blvd.

10

405

2

Castellammare

Brentwood

Topanga Canyon B

lvd.

Malib

u Canyon R

d.

Kanan D

ume R

d.

Decker R

d.

Encinal C

anyon Rd.

Mul

holla

nd H

wy.

Yerb

a Bue

na R

d.

LeoCarilloStateBeach

CharmleeCountyPark

Dee

r Cre

ek R

d.

Mulholland Hwy. Mulholland Hwy.

Latigo Canyon Rd.

Kanan Dume Rd.

Mulholland Hwy.

Cornell R

d.

MalibuLake

Calabasas

Monte Nido

Old Topandga Canyon Rd.

Stunt Rd.

Saddle Peak Rd.

TunaCanyon Rd.

Las Flores Canyon R

d.

Piuma Rd. Schueren Rd.

Ram

bla P

acifico

Los Angeles

PacificPalisades

LasFloresC

anyon

Corral Canyon Rd.

SolsticeCanyon

Encinal

Canyon Rd.

Little Sycamore

Cnyn. Rd.

YerbaBuena Rd.

1

Latigo Canyon R

d.

Detailed

Wes

tlak

e B

lvd.

VENTURA COUNTY LO

S ANGELE

S COUNTY

0 1

MILE

Mul

holla

nd H

wy.

* Trail segments rounded off to the nearest 10th of a mile account for the discrepancy in total mileage

It’s 59ƒ miles of canyons and ridges stitched together with a few urban seams. And it’s not done yet.

The Backbone Trail

Elevation profile(in feet)

1,000

00 2 4 6 8(in miles)

The western end of the trail from La Jolla Canyon climbs steeply.

Oaks provide shade along a stretch of the trail near Trippet Ranch.

Sources: “Guide to the Backbone Trail”; National Park Service, “Flowering Plants: The Santa Monica Mountains, Coastal & Chaparral Regions of Southern California”; California Native Plant Society; Times files.

Leslie Carlson Los Angeles Times

Photographs by Al Seib Los Angeles Times

View at sunset from Sandstone Peak looking northwest toward Camarillo.

0 0.25

MILE

A smaller gap is an existing trail that runsa mere half-mile through Zuma andTrancas canyons on private land. The ParkService has made offers to the landownersand are awaiting their decision.

A section between Mulholland Highway and YerbaBuena Road passes through private land. TheNational Park Service is waiting for Congress toapprove the funds needed to purchase the land.

KEY

Trail exists, butpublic right-of-wayneeds to be secured

Trail construction required

Trail open to the public

Missing linksCurrently the Backbone Trailis missing about five milesthat straddle the border ofL.A. and Ventura counties.

Ray MillerTrailhead

Point MuguState Park

TrippetRanch

WillRogersStateHistoricPark

SANDSTONEPEAK

MISHE MOKWATRAILHEAD

DANIELSONRANCH

LittleSycamoreRd.

Mulholland Hwy.

Decker Rd.

Encinal Canyon Rd.

LOS ANGELESCOUNTY

VENTURACOUNTY

Yerba Buena Rd.

ZUMA RIDGEMOUNTAINWAY

Pacific Ocean

123

Oxnard

Thousand OaksLosAngeles

5

405

10

0 10

MILES

Detailed

118

101

101