Local Mountains (Joel's Journeys #6)

Submitted by Bubbling Sprin… on
Waterfall in Thousand Oaks

If you go to our local mountains in the spring, there are many interesting pictures that can be taken.  The Santa Monica Mountains are green and flowers are in bloom.  This blog has pictures of many of my favorite hikes that are less than fifty miles from the city of Oxnard.  Two of my favorite hikes in the Santa Monica Mountains are to Mugu Peak on the Chumash Trail and Sandstone Peak.

Mugu Peak is 1,266 feet above sea level and Highway 1, while Sandstone Peak is farther inland and, at 3,111 feet above sea level, is the highest mountain in the Santa Monica Mountain range.  The Chumash Trail begins 2.3 miles south from Las Posas on Highway 1.  The trail to Sandstone Peak is 6.4 miles from Pacific Coast Highway on Yerba Buena Road.   

Farther north and inland is the strenuous Chorro Grande trail.  Drive 26 miles north of Ojai on Highway 33 to reach the starting point for this trail.  This hike starts at 4,000 feet and takes you five miles and 3,000 feet up to pine trees that occur from about 6,000 feet and up. Chorro Grande is more of late spring hike since snow may still be present above 6,000 feet in April!

Finally there is Wildwood Park where a short 2-mile hike will take you to a small, year-round waterfall, Paradise Falls.  Wildwood Park is reached by driving north on Lynn road in Thousand Oaks and then turning left on Wildwood Park Road. 

Happy trails to you and yours in 2017!  Remember to keep your feet on the ground and your eyes on the stars...

 

 

  

 

 

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