Points of Interest
Backbone Trail, Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles County

The trail is part of Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. It is reknown for its spring wildflowers and its outstanding views. The predominant natural plant communities include coastal sage scrub at lower elevations and chaparral at higher elevations. There is some oak woodland.

Wildflowers of Southern California, A photographic gallery of the chaparral recommended by Burt Elliott. Thanks, Burt!

Point Mugu State Park/La Jolla Canyon/Ray Miller Trailhead to Point Mugu State Park/Danielson Multiuse Area - 7.9 miles. Map.

• Point Mugu State Park features ocean shoreline with rocky bluffs, sandy beaches, sand dunes; rugged hills and uplands; river canyons; and wide grassy valleys dotted with trees. "Mugu" is derived from a Chumash word meaning "beach".

• These La Jolla Canyon pictures show the remarkable diversity of scenic vistas: beach, grasslands, and canyons. "La Jolla" refers to a hollow in the mountain in Spanish according to Gudde's California Place Names. Others interpret the word to mean "the jewel". The valley contains one of the few remaining native bunchgrass prairies in California.

• Sycamore Canyon pictures show views of Boney Mountain. This canyon contains one of the finest examples of sycamore riparian woodland in the state and is home to many Monarch butterflies in the fall and early winter.

• Circle X Ranch, named for the Exchange Club symbol, was originally established by that organization as a ranch to help youth learn self reliance. It was later used by the Boy Scouts of America, then sold to the state of California. The National Park Service purchased the property in 1989.
  • The Environmental Assessment has much detailed information and a map.
  • Circle X Ranch Site Trail Information

• Sandstone Peak at 3111 feet is the highest peak in the Santa Monica Mountains and is made of volcanic, not sandstone, rock.

• Boney Peak, 2830', and Sandstone Peak are found on Boney Mountain, a popular hiking destination.

• The view from Triunfo Pass, 2227'

• Calamigos Ranch aerial photo of area

• Castro Peak, 2824': antennae farm

• Castro Crest vegetation cover and view

• Malibu Creek State Park, named from a Chumash word meaning "the surf sounds loudly", was used extensively by the film industry.

• The Backbone Trail crosses Piuma Overlook about 1/2 mile from the intersection of Las Virgenes Road and Piuma Road.

• Stunt Ranch, homesteaded by the Stunt brothers, Harry, Walter, and Ernest and their cousin, Sidney, from England in the late 1880s, is now part of the University of California's Natural Reserve System. Ecology and history.

• Saddle Peak, 2805'/Saddle Peak Road

• Musch Ranch hiking trail information

• Topanga State Park The name "Topanga" means "the place above" in Shoshonean or "the place where the mountains meet the sea" in the Tongva/Gabrieliño language or "the place of green water" depending on what book you read.

• Topanga Canyon Nature and Wildlife

• Temescal Canyon was named from the Spanish word for the Tongva/Gabrieliño "sweathouse.

• Will Rogers State Historic Park reflects the humorist's many interests such as polo. This is the eastern end of the Backbone Trail.

Further reading:

• Richard Nichol's Coastwalk Hikes the Backbone Trail May, 2000

• Guide to the Backbone Trail by Milt McAuley (1990, B/W, 143 pages, ISBN 0-942568-23-0, ID#74G2514, $7.95)

• Hiking the California Coastal Trail, Volume 2, Monterey to Mexico by Bob Lorentzen and Richard Nichols, Bored Feet Publications.

• Hiking Trails of the Santa Monica Mountains by Milt McAuley (1998, Canyon Pub Co; ISBN: 0942568281, $11.95)

• Mountains to Ocean--A Guide to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area by Randolf Jorgen (1995, Color, 100 pages, ISBN 1-877856-52-5, ID#74S1074, $12.95)