Came here on dry New Year's eve 2 years ago. Wasn't Sespe hot springs, but still a nice experience…read moreon the way to them; nice half way point too.

So a friend emailed me last week saying he was planning an overnight backpacking trip in the Sespe…read moreWilderness to Willett Hot Springs and asked if I wanted to join on the trek. Heck yes! I had a week to research and read up about the area, and I was poking around online I felt there was no detailed directions of the trail to the hot springs, just a few nondescript write ups and summaries here and there. So this review, I hope will help others find the hot spring easier since we got lost for over an hour in rain.... Backpacked 11/2/15-11/3/15 Miles: 20 miles out and back Time took: 30 hours (we overnighted it) elevation gain: less than 400 ft Adventure Pass needed Water: there were 2-3 spots to filter water Directions: on Google maps, type in Piedra Blanca Trailhead. Piedra Blanca Trailhead and Sespe River Trail start at the same parking lot, so it pulls up and you can use the app when you loose cell service. We came from LA, so we ended up taking the 33N to Rose Valley Rd, this area is considered Ventura County Trailhead: Adventure pass is needed to park here. There are pit toilets, when I went they also had toilet paper and weren't too dirty. There's some informational sign around here talking about the local animals you can find, a trail map, and some shaded picnic benches where you can have a nice picnic. The hike: we started at 9:45 AM Monday morning, the first 2-3 miles in the trail was dry with no sight on water. Do not be discouraged, right around 2-3 miles, we didn't spot it right away, but when we hiked further up, we spotted a pool of water off the trail. So if it had been necessary, we would have gone off trail to that water source. But at 3 miles in, I heard running water. We hiked off trail and found the source and actually filtered at this spot. It's a nondescript spot, you just have to keep alert of the sound of running water. Going to this spot was unnecessary though, if you know the trail well, you know that Bear Canyon Campground is right around the corner at 3.5 miles in and there is a spring fed pond here with moving water that is easier to filter at. We talked to a guy here and he said there seems to always be water here and it's a good swimming hole. The trail is decently well beaten and well marked. About 8 miles in you will come upon a big metal trail sign. It's faded and kind of hard to read, but points you in the direction of Ladybug Campground and Hines Peak. Scratched into the sign it says Willett and tell you to stay on the trail you are at. Shortly after that sign, keep a look out for the trail sign on the right. We actually got lost here and walked past it. If you walked past it and come to a camp spot with a fire circle and shovel, you've come too far. We scrambled in the river wash for a while here having lost the trail. Back track and find that small trail sign, it makes you cross the river wash here. Once you cross the river wash, the trail keeps going. look for a fork in the trail and go left. It's a pretty small fork, we put up cairns here the other day, but it is easy to miss. We got lost here too and had to keep backtracking. You cross a swampy area right here. Right when you cross and get to the other side, you will shortly come across the house/shack/a fenced area. Woohoo! You are almost there! Go past that house. With the house behind you, you will see a stone stack/chimney, take the trail above and to the right of it. From there, it's an upward climb, but you're only a few hundred yards away from the Willett Hot Spring tub. You will first come across a small camp spot here. There was a fire ring here the other day. Go past that, and into the foresty area and go up. There you will find the tub, wedged into the crevice of the mountain. Tips: bring a water filter. Depending on time of year, be prepared for rain. Bring sandals if you don't want to go barefoot in the tub, and a towel to dry off. Don't give up. We soaked in the hot spring for a good hour Tuesday morning and had the place all to ourselves. Temp we would guess was around 108 degrees. There are scrubs left there to scrub some of the sliminess. I didn't care, I got right in. Good luck!

This is a quick little jaunt up to the waterfall which is very fun to play around in. It was pretty…read moremagical with the miss and all the little cavelets. We saw a snake swimming in the water which was super cool, but be aware! It's nice and cool and shaded as the end.

I'll echo what the other reviews say... A windy and long…read moredrive to get here- make time for it and keep your eyes on the road. My Subaru loved the creek crossing over the road. A short, beautiful hike to the waterfall, very FernGully feeling. So many birds here including Western Bluebirds, Scrub Jays, Turkey Vultures, and various raptors. The air is crisp and cool, bring a warm layer for sure. And, as always, pack it in pack it out, and leave it better than you found it.

My husband Matt B. and I spent our twelfth anniversary in Ojai, away from our kids and dogs. We…read morewoke up from an uninterrupted night of sleep with no one to take care of, and used that surplus of time and energy for a morning hike at the Valley View Preserve. I'm a reluctant hiker, but I admit that it can be nice to go outside, especially if it makes your husband happy. This was a lovely hike, scenic and mostly relaxing. We didn't go as far as we could have, but we made it pretty deep, hiking at a leisurely pace for a little under two hours. It was peaceful, with great views, and we got ideal weather. A very Southern California paradise kind of morning. The trail was rocky and sometimes slippery, so I'd recommend hiking shoes if you have them. I wore my regular sneakers and almost slid to my demise a couple times. It would've looked bad for Matt if I'd died in a hiking accident on our anniversary. My friends would've been like, "Steph doesn't even hike." I'm glad we visited the Valley View Preserve and would recommend it to anyone looking to enjoy some outdoor time in Ojai. The trails are easy enough for a novice level hiker. Just bring water and good shoes and maybe a spouse who doesn't want to kill you.

The hiking trail is located near the end of signal road, and make sure you don't park at permitted…read moreresidential area. I've learnt that Ojai Valley Land Conservancy has protected open space through direct ownership and conservation agreements, and found the hiking very rewarding with specular valley view.

Managed to cross the river thigh deep and had a fantastic climb up Kennedy Ridge. So many…read morewildflowers the higher I climbed. I watched bird of prey soar from the heights on the thermals. A delightful day and the water was so refreshing!

Walked this hike with my sister and it had a beautiful view of the mountain side. If you have…read moreissues with any hard incline, this is the place for you. Most of the trail was flat lands. Very peaceful but can also get pretty dusty. So for all of you allergy buddies out there, bring your meds. There are many trails to choose from and could spend quite a while here. Don't forget to bring your shades and water since it could get pretty hot out. The trails are also pretty easy, you can bring your kids here. Overall it was nice and would go again.

You know how you or your friends see a gorgeous photo on social media of a hike and are amazed by…read morethe way it looks and somehow aren't phased by the fine print? This hike can be added to that category. Ten miles. Pfft. We thought. It showed us. Parking here requires you to show up at sunrise because the lot can respectfully hold 12 cars maximum. This is a bonus however, because you do NOT want to start this hike in the heat, during the afternoon sun. This hike will have you asking "am I there yet?" repeatedly, as you follow a stream of varying water levels. Promise, you'll know when you're there. There are trail markers but they're either spray painted onto rocks, or stacked rocks. That's all you've got going for you, so pay attention! You're going to need lots of water, and sunscreen. Water shoes are incredibly helpful too. This is NOT for kids, or dogs. You're going to be scrambling over rocks and reaching. Yes, you see snakes around - the ones I saw were completely harmless garter snakes and some went for a swim. They aren't water snakes ,they just cooled down. Leaves of three. You leave them be. Once this trail kicks your butt, you'll be rewarded with the falls, so don't give up!!!

This summer, I'm chasing waterfalls! I'm proclaiming waterfall chasing to be thee best unofficial…read moresummer sport during these COVID-19 times :) . As it's possible to socially distance on the trail, wear masks and enjoy the beautiful outdoors! Wasn't too busy here this past weekend -possibly because weather reached 100F degrees. Very limited parking, so come early -we arrived at 7:30AM and it was packed! There's always more than one way of getting to the falls, although I recommend the path of least resistance. As when you follow the dirt path, stay to the path on the left. Pass all the private property and you'll eventually hike through a wood archway/fence that'll have you pass a private ranch with apple orchard. You can follow the river all the way up to the falls (I hear), but if you follow the cleared path you'll hopefully get to the dry part of a riverbed where you'll see a round, concrete piping. The concrete piping "thing," will lead you to a clear trail that will go up the mountain. I would suggest hiking up the mountain a bit, as it's a clear path and less rocks to dodge. Keep going left, stay to the left side of the mountain -as there is a path to follow. I'm grateful to have a friend who is familiar with most of the trails, as she volunteers for LA Forestry services and got us around. Total hike is about 10-11 miles to see both of the falls. The third falls, I didn't get to -as I was too chicken to repel down the rock to reach it. The red rope to repel down to the 3rd falls, looked sketchy (had duct tape enforcing some parts of it together). Bring gloves, for extra grip to climb the ropes and gloves will be useful as you'll be doing a bit of rock scrambling too. Bring lots of hydration during the summer heat and especially bring sun protection: hat, sunblock and/or sun protective clothing. You'll be exposed to the sun, most of the time hiking -minimal shade. Tons of poison oak along the trail and I saw a water snake peep his head out of the river, when my friends and I took a splash to cool off a bit.

We had an hour to kill in Ojai and decided to bike to the Ojai Meadows Preserve. It was the last…read moremorning of a relaxing weekend, and this was a great, easy activity--a scenic walk on level terrain. The weather was fine, the sky blue, the land around us green and gold. The trail was so smooth and flat I wouldn't even call it a hike, really just a leisurely stroll with pretty Southern California views. At some point, we strayed from the preserve onto the Ojai Saddle Trails, on Krishnamurti Foundation of America land. It all felt of a piece, though, with the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy managing the Saddle Trails. I'd recommend the Ojai Meadows Preserve, especially if you're looking for an outdoor activity with low physical demands. It's a lovely, peaceful place, ideal for a quiet morning.

This is a nice little getaway spot that you can walk around and enjoy the nature and outdoors…read more It's not too far from the downtown of Ojai. Parking is a little tricky. There's striped lines in front of the meadows on the main street that's designated for parking. It looks like you can't park there but you can. The park itself is wonderful. Beautiful walk in the park as they say. We even saw a little gopher. The further you go inside you are greeted with beautiful flowers and wildlife. The park itself looks like a loop so you end up back where you park. Definitely a nice bit of outdoor life.

We went to Ojai for our twelfth anniversary and took a romantic bike ride on the Ojai Valley Trail…read more And by romantic, I mean that Matt B. is 42, and his mid-life crisis has taken the form of an intense interest in biking and hiking and other forms of being outside, and no matter how sedentary I am in my natural state, I can't risk him leaving me for a 26-year-old with a more active lifestyle. So we borrowed bikes from our hotel and set off on a ride: him with his year's worth of cyclist muscle, me with traumatic memories of huffing and puffing behind him in Copenhagen, senior citizens passing me easily on every street. The trail runs nine miles, from Ojai to Ventura. We only did part of it, turning around at Mira Monte, for fear that I might break on our way back. The way there was so pleasant and easy that I got flashbacks to a bike ride I took nine years ago with my monstrously fit friend Melissa K., from Santa Monica to Venice. I called Matt from the beach, surprised at how pleasant I'd found the ride, only to have him tell me, ominously, that the path to the beach went downhill. I barely made it back to Santa Monica, and I was only 30 then. To my relief and astonishment, the Ojai Valley Trail was different. Maybe it was the smooth, well maintained pavement, or a bit of Ojai magic, a little push from the universe for the health of our marriage. While the ride was occasionally challenging, there were nice places to stop and sit, and the trail seemed to be 90% flat or downhill both ways. It was also extremely pretty, scenic and peaceful, a perfect way to spend a temperate September afternoon. If you are at all capable of riding a bike, I'd strongly encourage you to check out the Ojai Valley Trail. It's a beautiful way to experience Southern California, and I promise it requires only the lowest level of fitness.

Ojai Valley Trail-Ventura Trail A bucket list to do since…read morefirst learning of it. It was so much fun if not humbling. I am an older back of the pack athlete but felt confident going in since elevation isn't too high(approx 800 ft). We set off on our bikes two miles west of Ojai and it was all fun and games going to Ventura as we rode through beautiful oak canopies, flew up and mostly down past meadows of mustard flowers and CA poppies; petroleum fields; beautiful home gardens; steel framed wooden bridges; and sections of Highway 33. A wonderfully cloudy day made it so much more enjoyable. We got off at Main Street only to realize I had punctured my tire so we walked our bikes over to the pedestrian promenade in Downtown Ventura to look for a bite to eat and locate a repair shop. Once we enjoyed our wonderful breakfast at Immigrant Son Cafe we walked our bikes with the idea of going to Bicycle Hub to unexpectedly findi Shigy's Bike who replaced my destroyed tire in 5min($54)! We were back in action now, fed, caffeinated and sporting a brand new front tire. We rode past amazing murals to head back toward Ojai. That coffee and carb loading prepped me well but it couldn't spare me the effort it took me to go up those small inclines and the slope of the Ojai Valley. I raced against my fitness and the clock as I tried to get us to Oak Creek Winery before last pour(4:30), but my body couldn't pull off this miracle plus I later learned there isn't bike-friendly access to this winery from the trail as I originally thought( hint hint). A must try for biking enthusiasts of all levels (I saw many e-bikes on trail even though signage states no motorized bikes should be on it).

Ventura County has a few Landmarks. Two Trees, the San BuenaVentura Mission and the Ventura Pier to…read morename a few. One the most distinguished is the looming mountain range visible from all points north of the Grade, known as the Topa Topa Bluffs. The granite cliffs mark pronounced diagonal etches across the mountains face. Often when one thinks of going to the mountains, these are the mountains one had in mind. Usually when venturing into the Los Padres National Forest the highest Mecca available is Reyes Peak atop Pine Mountain road, and that is where we often end up. Indeed Reyes Peak is a sight to behold, and arguably one of the best campsites in the tri counties. But to truly reach "those mountains" the Topa Topa Bluffs, you have to do your homework. You cannot simply drive up the "33" and get there like you can with Reyes Peak. Access is available by permit only, through the Ojai Ranger station. The road to the bluffs is OHV access only; therefore a locked gate bars access from the general public. The ranger district only allows 15 vehicles up per day. Unbelievably, after roaming these mountains for decades, I had never been to the Bluffs. But a year ago, I did some research and found the way to get to the Bluffs. Once I had my permit, and access code, I headed into the forest. Arriving at the gate, I felt like a kid with a backstage pass to Disneyland. As I unlocked the gate, headed thru and locked from behind, I felt the puzzled stares from other less fortunate campers. They didn't have access! Huahhhh...Hauuhhhh! Only I did, I alone had domain over this sacred land! Sorry, back to reality. I engaged four wheel drive, and proceeded to tear up the road. There are miles and miles of off road travel to be enjoyed, steep ascents, and uneven road abound. Off the main road it splits to the left or right. To the right the road leads to a old fire watchtower. Convivebly you could camp here, but there is one site with a fire ring and bench a few miles before you get to the tower. Taking the road to the left your journey hugs the mountain edge then dips into the valley for unspoiled views of Pierda Blancas, and Rose Valley Lake. Once on the mountain edge the road ends at a trail head that will take you directly to the Topa Topa Bluffs. A mile before the road ends there is the one singular campsite. From the site, you have clear views of the Oxnard Plain, the Ojai Valley, and the Bluffs themselves, so close you can make out the diagonal ruts visible form the city. On May 23rd 2008 I visited the Bluffs for the second time. The weather did not cooperate and while we did stay the night, the temperature stayed at an icy 36f degree. Visibility was only 15-20 feet, so we did not get the views I have loved. I cannot wait to return. The solitude of the place inspires meditation, with only 2 campsites off the entire road, you can be assured privacy and silence. Just you and the bluffs.

Great views. We climbed up the Pratt Trail which gave us great views all the way up. Be sure to…read morelook for the geological stamp while you are up there . Views are spectacular. You can see the Channel Islands and Topa Topa on a clear day. Breath taking. We took the Gridley back and that was a nice and less steep trail back down.

A day trip in this beautiful part of town included going for a quick hike in hopes of finding a…read morespectacular view before sunset. Parking near the trailhead was around a local neighborhood, meaning potentially limited spots in a slightly narrowing road during the weekend and busy season. This trail is fairly simple with some incline though nothing major. While the road is pretty well maintained, there are some bits of rocky and uneven areas to be aware of. If I recall correctly, it's a little more than 1.5 miles one way along the mountain over to where vehicle traffic continues. Along the route, the view is lush and tranquil with the town below and the air was refreshingly light. Most of the others on the trail stopped where we planned to for the sunset. It's a simple spot but has a clear view of the sky and several stones nearby to sit down. The sunset was awe-inspiring, and just as quickly as the sun disappeared from the horizon, we too decided to head down.

Fantastic hike from Gridley Road all the way to signal Street on shelf Road trail. It was a…read morebeautiful morning with the clouds lifting and then descending throughout the entire hike. Nice cool temperatures before the heat comes on for the week starting tomorrow. Plenty of wildflowers blooming in a small stream at the river crossings in the canyon. Such a delightful way to spend your morning in Ohio.

Beautiful trail within Lake casitas…read more This trail is relatively easy with about 5.7 miles (total) of beautiful scenery and some up and down small inclines. The single path makes it easy to follow without worrying of wondering off the trail and getting lost. The end of the trail rewards you with a beautiful view of the lake below. If you're lucky you'll get to see a deer or two crossing. Some cotton tail rabbits or see some of the birds of prey or Turkey vultures flying by. Good for running or walking and open year round, except when it's too muddy after rain. They try to preserve the trails. No bathrooms in the actual trail but at the beginning of the trail (where the large parking area is and a basketball court, too) they have restrooms that are kept up.