Backpacker Magazine – June 2005

Ultimate Summer Escapes: The Best Dayhikes and Backpacking Trips Near You

Coming soon to your city: far-out adventures that are shockingly close to home.

by: Melissa Wagenburg

PAGE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Tags:
• Feature stories
|
• California
|
• Paddling
|
• Florida
|
• Everglades
|
• New york
|
• Illinois
|
• Washington
|
• Mount rainier
|
• Texas
|

©Peter Bennett Mishe Mokwa Trail, Santa Monica Mountains

Daytrip

Santa Monica Mountains Take the kids or just take it easy on this low-effort, big-view hike.

Some lucky hikers stumble upon Sandstone Peak by the cardinal rule of L.A. hiking--if the parking lot is full, keep driving--and then credit serendipity for their discovery of one of the area's best moderate dayhikes. With only a few steep climbs, this 6-mile loop has landmarks that make it fun for kids: a giant boulder split in two; another house-sized boulder balanced on a small rock; and a picnic-perfect streamside oak grove. Start hiking on the Mishe Mokwa Trail, then pick up the Backbone Trail about 3 miles out; take the short spur to the top of 3,111-foot Sandstone Peak. The highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains, the peak is actually composed of volcanic rock. But you won't mind the misnomer when you're enjoying its wraparound panorama of Ventura County, the Channel Islands, and hills sloping all the way to the Pacific.

Get There From Malibu, take CA 1 to Yerba Buena Road and travel 6.3 miles east to the trailhead.

Get Info Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area, (805) 370-2301; www.nps.gov/samo

PAGE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Name:
Address 1:
Address 2:
City:
State:	- Select - APO/FPO Americas APO/FPO Europe APO/FPO Pacific Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Massachusetts Maryland Maine Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana North Carolina North Dakota New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York Nebraska Nevada Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Vermont West Virginia Washington Wisconsin Wyoming American Samoa F.S. Micronesia Guam Marshall Islands Mariana Islands Puerto Rico Palau Island Trust Territories Virgin Islands Wake Island
Zip:
Email (req):

Offer valid in US only.
Canadian subscriptions | International subscriptions