Los Angeles: Rustic Canyon Loop
Explore the ranch estate of late cowboy humorist Will Rogers on this 5.4-mile trek among the Pacific Palisades ridgelines of Topanga State Park.
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Trail Facts
- Distance: 8.6
Waypoints
RCL001
Location: 34.0543823242188, -118.512542724609
From park entrance, scan ridge covered in sage scrub for trail leading uphill past sports field
RCL002
Location: 34.0551376342773, -118.513534545898
Straight @ 4-way; survey sprawling Will Rogers ranch, a state historical park since 1944, nestled in foothills
RCL003
Location: 34.0602607727051, -118.513664245605
R @ 3-way up fire road to Inspiration Point; in foreground, see deep folds of 50-mi.-long Santa Monica Mtns.–the only mountain range to bisect a U.S. city
RCL004
Location: 34.0596694946289, -118.513954162598
Inspiration Point (751 ft.); picnic here and overlook L.A. and the Pacific Ocean to the SE. Return to WPT 3 and go R, then immediately L @ 4-way to begin hiking a section of the Backbone Trail
RCL005
Location: 34.0700836181641, -118.521469116211
R @ 3-way down a spiny, oak-wooded ridge, descending from Backbone Trail
RCL006
Location: 34.0743713378906, -118.516288757324
After reaching oak-and-chaparral-dotted floor of Rustic Canyon, cross creekbed and go R @ 3-way near old barn along E side of Inspiration Loop Trail
RCL007
Location: 34.0634346008301, -118.506538391113
Cross cement spillway, pass through gully lined with valley oak savanna
RCL008
Location: 34.0578575134277, -118.506713867188
Go R @ trail leaving creekbed
RCL009
Location: 34.0544624328613, -118.509773254395
R @ 3-way with paved road; return .1 mi. to car