A Guide to Day Trips Through the Santa Monica Mountains

Day trips through the Santa Monica mountains are so peaceful and gorgeous. I thought I'd write about the subject. This one is from a hiker's perspective.

My first hike was Temescal Canyon. If you want to really get some awesome pictures then this hike is for you. The entire area is filled with brilliant colors and majestic and picturesque sites. Be sure to pack the camera. Besides that make sure you bring provisions in a backpack since this is just smart. AC has great resources for how to's. Hiking and packing for a hike is probably here on this site. So check it out.

So, after getting all prepped; you are ready to head out on a great hike. The best place to start is Temescal Canyon. It is great because there are places to stop and use facilities and signs to prevent you from getting lost. I found it to be really useful. To get to trail head: From Los Angeles, head west on the Santa Monica Freeway 10 to its end and continue up-coast on Pacific Coast Highway. Turn north (right) on Temescal Canyon Road and drive 1.1 miles. Just after the intersection with Sunset Boulevard, turn left into the parking area (fee) for Temescal Gateway Park.

My favorite part of the beginning of the hike was the creek. It had an old bridge over the top of it. I found myself stopping to ponder and write about the place. It was peaceful and inspiring. I love trees so, the cover of the trees and the water running mixed with the birds was the height of coolness to me. Hiking up the ridge l climbed the path up a steep area and stopped, I was struck by the view at Skull Rock. This is a great place to snap some pictures. I was there mid-day; so the view wasn't as majestic and I think it would be towards sunset. It was gorgeous though, and worth mentioning. Look for it if you go hiking here. Some time later, up the trail I came to some incredible views of the Santa Monica Bay and Los Angeles. It was really nice to be above the place and see the whole thing from that vantage spot. The trail then headed down towards the trail head. It was pretty steep; so I really recommend your hiking shoes be comfortable and well broken in. Otherwise it could get tough on your feet.