Date of the hike: 3.19.2011 According to my friend's GPS, we hiked 8.2 miles round trip with an elevation gain/loss of 2,000ft. We kind of just winged it and parked right at the end of Wendy Ave when you exit on the 101fwy. I think other websites out there say to park somewhere else. The hike itself had a couple signs here and there but we were still a little confused on which path to take. There's a nice waterfall about a mile into the hike and you'll have to cross a little stream. There's a lot of shade near the waterfall so it's a perfect area to rest or have a quick snack. I wish I read the description on LocalHikes.com (http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/BoneyMountainOverlook_4472.asp) a little better. Instead of making a left towards Danielson Monument we took the other path which had a gradual incline, no switchbacks here. We did get to a different hill that has a good view and found the correct way to go to the overlook. If it wasn't for our time constraints, we would have back tracked and went up the right way. We'll have to go back and see the view from the top. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lamb1028/sets/72157626248248337/ read more

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I don't really know how far this hike is. I'd say is around 8 or 9 miles. You're not really hiking when you go here. I see it more like as if you're climbing up a big rock. IT's nice. Pretty popular. And, sometimes you see horse poop on the trails. I'd say 1/4th of the way in, there's a beautiful waterfall you can hang out at. Walking up the trail, you're surrounded by big green mountains. At the top of Boney Mountain, there's a 360 view of the city. Really nice. It just takes awhile to get up there. It's not too bad though. Parking here is free. read more

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Overall, nice long 7 mile hike. We went in Sept, so there was little to no water. We'll be back. read more

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GETTIN' BONEY ON TRIPEAKS! STATS: Distance: 9-10 miles, 5-7 hours Elevation Gain: 2700 ft. Rating: Fairly strenuous Trail: Loop Another beeeautiful morning for a hike with The Crew. This route took us out to the Newbury Park area for a dirty, rocky, hands and knees adventure. Gloves were a much needed essential. This loop hike took us along some beautiful and isolated trails in the Boney Mountain State Wilderness Area of Point Mugu State Park to the spectacular rock formations of Tripeaks and then just a quarter mile further to the Boney Overlook. Crawlin' in some spots to Tripeaks, lunch was served. The view while we grubbed was such an added bonus. After lunch we headed down via the Upper Cabin Trail after a moment at Boney, past the old cabin site. The Western Ridge trail gets quite a bit of use, but is not officially maintained, so it is very narrow in places. Overall, it is quite steep, climbing 1200 feet in 1.2 miles, and it has some short and very steep sections. Long-sleeved shirts and long pants are strongly recommended to help protect against scratches aka Honor Badges from the chaparral. The views from the west and south are spectacularly stunning. Tripeaks is a hodgepodge of sandstone formations with huge boulders, caves and a groovy crevice to traverse. We could have spent hours exploring just this little area, but we will save that for another time. Boney offers sweeping views of Ventura County, Westlake, Malibu, Point Mugu State Park and the Pacific Ocean. On a clear day the Channel Islands are visible to the west. Despite its low elevation, Boney Peak rises dramatically from Sycamore Canyon near Camarillo. A good deal of its northern and western aspect is marked by a 1,500 foot precipice lined with jagged formations and rocky crags. DISCLAIMER: Hiking is not something that can be taken lightly. It can be life-threatening as you see and hear on the news, people die or get lost all time. Please, if you are going to hike, never go alone and prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Remember when going for a hike, no matter how short you think it may be, always be prepared. Carry at least two liters of water for every five miles (more if the weather is warm), protein bar, nuts, and electrolytes. Wear sturdy lug sole shoes and protective clothing. Some areas the weather can change quicker than a fireman can put on his gear. It is also very important, always always always let a family member or friend know where you are going and when you expect to be back. Lastly, have fun when you hike it up. read more

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One of the toughest hikes I have ever done. Here are the stats: 7.5 roundtrip turn around trail 1600 elevation gain (tough gain though) The hike has spectacular views of mountains, Channel Islands, the valley, and the Pacific Ocean. The entire hike took our group about 5 hours with a 40 minute lunch break included in those 5 hours. It starts off nice and mellow, but getting closer to the peek there are some steep rocky portions. Dogs are not allowed on the last leg of the hike, passing the old fireplace I think. I did see people with dogs on the trail but I was told they would get a nice little ticket if they were caught by the ranger. This hike definitely made me want to purchase a walking stick. Enjoy! read more

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If you like Coors light they run out constantly never have it Owner doesn't care if he has menu items or not take what you get

What a hike, what a hike! This is one of the tougher hikes that can have you sweating and but burning all the way through. It starts off gradually in the beginning as it takes you to the waterfall and old burnt cabin. Once you pass the old burnt cabin, be prepared because the steepness has a significant increase. There is steep, and there is climbing steep. This is climbing steep. There are three stretches in which you are using a lot of your legs and your hands. After you conquer the three leg of climbing steep, then you go a couple of more miles, past the false peak (you think your done but your not), then you reach a nice leg burning climb to the top. Once you reach that point, your see one of the most beautiful views in the state. This is a tough hike, not for beginners, but well worth it because the views are better and better as you continue up. Once up at the top, you appreciate why you pushed through. Be careful going down, and it is steep, and you can have a few slips. read more

Not a day goes by where I am thankful for where I live, which is roughly 100 feet from this area... We do a nightly hike here and on weekends well do boney or the blue mountain trail. The Camarillo springs fire really ravaged the area but with the recent rain it is regrowing quickly to its previous beauty. This is a mecca for hikers, bikers and just casual walking, and the sycamore road (also known as the black bitch, you'll understand if you go up it) will lead you straight to the beach for a nice 9 mile jaunt. read more

Here are some suggestions I wish I knew! 1. Avoid windy days! The old boney trail is all dirt road with lots of rocks :) 2. for the waterfall hike, you must make a left at the first fork you see! If you continue forward, it's the hike to Channel Islands. 3. Without any waterfall, the hike to the area is still quite gorgeous! 4. After hiking places in Orange County such as Crystal Cove, this hike is a lot of initial downward trails... Then toward the end is a lot of upward. It's not spread out with ups and downs like I'm used to. 5. If you want to see the "forest"y mountain area which is past the waterfall area, be sure to continue going all the way up past where you can see the ocean! Overall, quite a nice adventure :) read more

Boney Mountain Overlook - Waterfall area without water close to thanksgiving time :) - Hiking Near Me - Newbury Park, California

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Great trails! My family and I enjoyed the views and the hike. Great experience through California.

Nice scenery good place kill some time.few nice towns close by the park.big lake and dam at park seen a lot hikers

I did this hike a few weeks back and it was just OK.. maybe that there was significant fire damage, was super dusty, and it felt like you were walking through kind of a sad, burnt landscape. Maybe it was prettier before the fires? As far as difficulty, I agree with other reviewers that it isn't for beginners. There are steep-ish inclines with a significant elevation gain towards the end. Bring lots of water (I did this in 95degree weather and went through 3 bottles of water, was still super thirsty at the end) and a snack. I saw people with walking sticks as well so maybe that's a thing too, since some of the trails are definitely not smooth. read more

LOL. Mine is now the most updated review. And I must say, this hike was EH, in the beginning, but FUN, in the end. Definitely hard to figure out what trail to take, there's like a million. I was really expecting a butt burning hike but was saddened for the first four miles. We went to the "waterfall." It was lame. Maybe because of the lack of rain, it was like a waterfall for ants. We trekked backwards and went to the left up a mountain. We had no idea where we were going but finally ended up at the fireplace. YES. NOW the butt burning began. Being 6'2, the sharp bushes on the trail began to take its toll. As we got higher and higher, my lower back hurt more and more. We got to the rocky part, man that was so much fun. It was steep, had to use the hands, but it wasn't deathly steep. Overall, minus all the horse poop in the beginning and flies, this was a fun hike. Not a nature hike to really enjoy the scenery, but overall, a fun hike, to get a good workout in. Bring water! And wear deodorant. read more

This joint is hard!!! Don't do this unless you ready to die, my dude. It's a fun one tho. I stopped midway, ate a clif bar & questioned my life. Just keep going, once you get into bootleg heaven you'll be able to say you tru milly rock ON ANY BLOCK. the view is incredible. I noticed people review this place after the fire & yeah, okay it did look like Mordor or the elephant graveyard in the Lion King where the hyenas lived but it's gorgeous now. I'm saying, it's worth doing whether you are experienced or a novice hiker ~~~~ read more

5 hour hike round trip, leave early during the summer to avoid the heat. If you're allergic to bees, so am I, there weren't that many when I went in March. read more

Boney Mountain Overlook - The view from the top of boney on what was a cloudy morning in newbury park. Above the clouds! - Hiking Near Me - Newbury Park, California

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This hike is by far the hardest I have done in the Santa Monica Mountains, and I have done most of the highlights (Mugu Peak, Sandstone Peak,Saddle Peak, etc.). Some are longer, none anywhere near as tough. Confusion stated in other reviews about which trail to take is understandable at just two points. Begin at the main parking lot off of Lynn Road, turning left into the park at the intersection with Via Goleta. From there, the way to go is plain. After descending into Sycamore Canyon, then climbing back out again on the southern side, once at the top you wind to the right around a corner and start a gradual descent. After just 50 yards or so there is a junction. One path, uphill to the right, goes to the Fossil Trail (there is a sign). Straight ahead goes to the Danielson Monument. If you want to climb to the top of Boney Peak, go straight. When you come to the monument (on the left), there is a skeletal stone fireplace and chimney to the right, and the path to the top goes just to the left of that. This is where the real work begins (although the climb out of Sycamore Canyon is no pleasant stroll). At this point in the hike you are about to start an arduous, nearly unrelenting climb. The only meaningful break from this is when you are near the top and come to a downhill stretch you would rather not have. That only means you need to climb longer to get to the goal. The grade on this stretch is one thing. The footing is another. Lots of loose stones on a trail that is really just a wash for rainwater running downhill (on those rare occasions when it does rain in this part of the world). Some sections require climbing, though most reviews that talk about this overstate what is needed in that regard. Take care, pick good footholds, and the way up is fairly safe and easy. There are stretches where you can walk through the wash or walk instead on somewhat level but narrow ledges above it. Your choice. I do some of both. You eventually get high enough to see the peak ahead. To get there, you need to go down about 150', maybe more (just an estimate) then head back up on a trail that is mostly exposed rock, so the footing is good, except in places where there are lots of loose stones. Once I reached this point and turned around. Today I forged ahead, and I got to the top. In some ways that last quarter mile is the hardest part of the hike. Today, the wind was blowing hard (I'd guess 40-50 mph). The grade is the steepest. But when you get to the crest and can see the Pacific, the Channel Islands, etc., then you know you have done a good thing. With most hikes reaching the top is the hard part. Not so with this one. The tough footing on the way up is even harder to deal with on the way down. I had two minor slips that caused some pain, no injury. In both cases I was not looking down at the spot my foot would fall. My fault. The difficult footing means that the way back, even though mostly downhill, is only a few minutes quicker than the way up. Fatigue also played a role, I'm sure. In all, this hike took just under 4 hours. If it had been any warmer, that would have been longer. Whatever the absolute elevation gain/loss are, you need to add 4-500 feet for the times that you go down before you go back up. In sum, if you want a hike that will test you and lead you to some great views in the midst of almost pure solitude, this one works. read more

This is an awesome hike! Not for beginners. I would rate the first section (up to the monument) as a 5/10 difficulty. And the second half (monument to peak) as 9/10. It gets very steep at times and is sure to be a very exhausting hike to get to the peak of Boney. Make sure to pack at least 80oz of water and a nice lunch because this hike can last anywhere from 3-6 hours depending on your speed. (My record is 2:57) The second half of the hike is very overgrown. I like this because it makes it feel more natural, but tall people (I'm 6'2") will have to crouch through some dense overgrowth. read more

Glorious vistas if you're willing to put in a hard effort. For a run, this terrain is no piece of cake, but it's a great place to go to build mental toughness--lots of steep climbs and solitude. Trail markers are few and far between though, making it easy to get lost. I did. It can feel remote out there and you won't pass many people to help you with way finding. I highly recommend carrying a small flashlight or headlamp regardless of the time of day you go. For some reason the trail gets dark really fast as soon as the sun starts to set. By the time I hit the last mile, I was running pretty hard to get out of there while I could still see. read more

I've hiked this now two times. We park in the dirt parking lot off of Portrero and start the trail there. It took us four hours round trip and clocked 12.4 miles to the peak and back. Definitely do not do this hike on a warm day. It is fairly strenuous. The views at the top are glorious!! read more

Boney Mountain Overlook - Hiking Near Me - Newbury Park, California

I love you, Boney Mountain. If you weren't a big, dirty mountain, I'd probably let you get to second base.

I was prepared for a butt-kicking hike, especially since I rarely do "hikes" more of a hit the beach to walk kind of person or play sports for exercise. However my softball teammates decided to do this trek on Sunday and it was an overcast day so I knew it wouldn't be too hot, which is good with me. I wanted to sweat, but not die. I packed 3 tall bottles of water, a gatorade, trail mix, beef jerky and had a metal walking stick. Showed up at 10:30 and we started from the parking lot off Lynn and Via something or other...I want to say Corina? Anyways, first part was really nice through a nice meadow like from a Van Gogh painting except there's a large mountain with rocky peaks in the background and not a blue night sky. Life was going great until we reached the fireplace. (it's the remnants of an old house that once stood there)...now's where we started the climbing. For an experienced hiker it's probably a pretty good workout, but manageable. For me, it was asking a lot. I am not in that kind of shape. I'm also 6'7" with about 15 pounds on my back. So I fell behind. The trails weren't clearly marked, though you can pretty much figure out where to go. For the most part. There was plenty of poison oak out as it's that time of the year, but most of it was back enough from the trail so as not to detract from the scenery. Eventually my group got ahead of me to the point of me losing them (I like to stop and take pictures. They were on a mission to get up and get down, and I don't mean dance. Needless to say, with the fog and me going up one of the paths that split (I chose the harder more sketchy path being it was my first time there and I had no clue)...but I eventually made it to the peak. If there wasn't any fog it would have been amazing I'm sure as far as the view cause just under that when I could see out, you could see the ocean, the cities in the distance..etc. But I did it. And I managed to make my way back and find my friends who were worried they'd lost me up there. I ended up only drinking one bottle of water and part of my gatorade. I didn't need the food until I was done (I ate before). It took me til just before 4:30 to get back. My only negative besides the lack of signage, is that this is tough hike for taller people. I'm 6'7" so I know I'm not an average person, but I felt like Gandalf through half the hike having to duck through many passages of overhanging trees/bushes. But it was worth the butt-kicking. Even without the full view, it was beautiful and peaceful. There was a few dog poops and horse droppings here and there, but that didn't make it a "crappy" hike by any means. Definitely not for first time hikers. Unless they want to think of every other hike from that point on as weaksauce...looking forward to tackling it again someday when I can see. read more

If you live in Newbury Park you need to get to the top of Boney. The mountain just stares at you all the time. For me it said climb me! So I did. The hike is not bad, on a scale from 1-10, I'd give it a 7. Its long, there are a few very rugged sections and most of time you are exposed to the sun. Its low elevation, and the first 60% is pretty mello, then the steep part and then another 15% mello. Go early,bring plenty of water and food (like any hike). Wear hike boots if not hiking shoes. The rugged part will ruin most other shoes. You'll see very few people generally speaking after you get 1/2 way up. Only good for older kids, its long and rugged in places so can't imagine it would be good or little ones. read more

Total ~8.5 miles. Took 5.5 hours for us, including lunch time on top. Not marked well so don't be shy to ask for directions. Follow the sign for Danielson Monument. When you get there you will see a chimney; then you can find the trail behind it. The real hike starts from there and the elevation gain is pretty tough. Bring plenty of water and snacks. I want to give 3 stars for the scenery. It wasn't the prettiest after the fire (2012) and there are mountains that have better views in SoCal. Good training hike though. Very few people we encountered. read more