Great place to hike in the Santa Monica Mountains. The trailhead is a bit harder to reach than some other trails in the area, as it's a one-lane rutted dirt road. $5 fee to park as of this writing. There's one main trail that heads up into the mountains, as well as an off-shoot that heads inland and maybe others. Well-maintained trails. This is a MRCA Park; thank you for your commitment to preserving nature and public access to beautiful spaces! read more

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I always enjoy a great hike. This is an easy more of a beginner hike. It is great for a run or if you would like to get in a good bike ride to burn a sweat or a quick run or jog. read more

A nice peaceful park. Red rock canyon park is a good place for families to come with their young kids to explore around and get a somewhat of a remote nature feel without actually driving all the way out to the sticks. There are a few mini caves to explore, cool rock formations, and a few hiking trails. One of the trails goes up to Calabasas peak where you can get a good view of the mountain range, it's a little over a 4 mile round trip hike with over 1,000 elevation gain. There's a $5 charge for parking, they have a machine that takes credit cards or cash option in the Iron Ranger box. Part of the road to the park through Topanga gets a little narrow but it's not to difficult to get through. read more

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This is a cool and elusive hiking spot with many trails, caves and fun. We always have a great time enjoying nature and getting away from the city. One of my fav spots to come unwind and be part of nature! read more

A new favorite hike. Such a great climb all the way to C.peak! The parking is 5 dollars ad you can take it to the start of the trail. Be mindful as your driving to drive slow as the road becomes one for oncoming and up going traffic. read more

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The road to get to this park takes you on a narrow path through a residential Topanga neighborhood, but don't let that intimidate you. This is a gem of a hike! The trails are wide, there's ample parking at the bottom, and there are some nice views and huge boulders to marvel at on the way up. Also, it's dog-friendly but it's NOT an off-leash park. We have been rushed by several aggressive off-leash dogs, so please keep your dogs on a leash. I take my toddler and small (on-leash) dogs here, and having an aggressive dog run up to us is not OK. read more

Definitely highly recommended place to explore.. very nice rock formations and many caves to explore. Kids enjoyed this place so much read more

Red Rock Canyon Park - Red rock canyon - Parks Near Me - Topanga, California

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Excellent place for my adventuresome kids. Make sure to turn right at the first trash can at right and follow the wooden stair case with narrow trail. The wider trail goes to Calabasas peak. read more

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Red Rock Canyon Park is a little-known hidden gem located in the Santa Monica Mountains. The park can be a little hard to get to but it is definitely work the trip. There are three main hikes that can be enjoyed on separate days. From the Red Rock Canyon parking lot you can take Red Rock Canyon trail to Red Rock Overlook (2.4 miles roundtrip) or Red Rock Canyon trail to the summit of Calabasas Peak (4.6 miles). From Stunt Rd you can also hike to Red Rock Canyon via Calabasas Peak trail (3 miles roundtrip). Of course, you can mix-and-match different combinations however you like. I hiked to Red Rock Canyon Park via Calabasas Peak Trail off of Stunt Rd. You'll start with a pretty decent incline. At the 0.7 mile point you'll reach a T-junction, make a Rt and head back down the mountain. You will be rewarded with some well-deserved shade. Eventually you will reach Red Rock Canyon Park and off to the right you will reach the grand finale, a tri-level sandstone cave. One hiking website named it Reclining Man Caves. Kids especially will have a blast exploring the caves that were carved out by ancient ocean eons ago. The middle cave has footings that allow you to easily climb your way up to the entrance. Climbing back down is an adventure in itself. Off to the right there is a path that takes you up the backside of the sandstone formation up to the summit. It requires you to squeeze your way through a narrow passageway. If you're scared of heights you may not want to try it. There is a nearby water fountain and bathrooms are located at the parking lot. It costs $5 to park at the Red Rock parking lot. I am looking forward to hiking the other trail combinations in the future. I recommend viewing a couple of well done videos on the area before your visit. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RlVjPURM87I https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=Z4fwy0veVIg read more

UP THE HILL AND THROUGH THE BUSH, OVER THE ROCKS WE WENT! (Repost...posted on the wrong "business") BACKGROUND: Red Rock Canyon Park is situated in the middle of the Santa Monica Mountains off of Old Topanga Canyon Road. The riparian canyon walls are laced with huge red sandstone outcroppings, reminiscent of Southwest canyons and gorges. Special rockland micro-habitats reside among the many beautiful red, tan and pale purple rocks and oak and sycamore trees at the bottom of the gorge. The park provides a key habitat linkage between Malibu Creek State Park and Topanga State Park. STATS: Distance: 6-7 miles Elevation ~2000 feet Single track trail & fire road Bush Whacking Boulder climbing ESSENTIALS: At least 3 liters of water Know your limits Comfy hiking shoes with good lugs Layered Clothing Gloves with gripage High protein food/snacks Electrolytes Camera Hat (optional) Sunscreen Trek poles (optional) OUR ROUTE: Where some hikes start with the words "let's go", this one started with "up we go". The Calabasas Peak Motorway leads up a fire road through slopes blanketed with Toyon, laurel sumac, mountain mahogany, bush sunflowers, and Ceanothus to Calabasas Peak, offering dramatic views of the Santa Monica Mountains. Following a single track trail up and away from civilization, we found several shallow caves where animals take refuge from the elements. Heading off trail we found ourselves climbing some crumbling rock masses, as well as some tame bush whacking as defined by The Crew until we made it to the highest point of this adventure. The views from the top were spectacular and never ending, greenery as far as the eyes could see. We pulled up a rock, sat down and had lunch. No, not really. Most of us stood while snacking on a few munchies we brought. What goes up eventually goes down. Descending from the peak the trail narrows to the cool bottom of Red Rock Canyon. It then meanders through fascinating sculptured rock formations in colors ranging from chalk white to rich red. If you are observant you may see some fossils embedded in rocks, rattle snakes in the warmer months, and a drinking fountain for two and four legged creatures. This is a great hike for those looking to get away without a long drive, from the LA area. It provides a nice full body workout and awesome views. 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. Review 38 Yelp 100+ Challenge 2015 read more

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For a California winter, the weather was in such good condition that my girlfriend and I were in dire need to embrace Mother Nature's true forms of greens, rocks and the mountain. To get to Red Rock Canyon is an adventure up the Topanga Canyon Road; be ready for one windy road trip! To get to the actual Red Rock Canyon is another adventure itself - rocky, very narrow roads that has you feels if you're part of a thrill ride quest. Once you reach your destination, you will see a small lot and a little park, most often one person or two practicing yoga or at peace for the day. [ t i p ] : parking cost is $5 so bring cash to be ready The hike is nearly 4-5 miles up, so be aware that you could be on the trail for a good 4 hours. We came across caves, fossils, gorgeous mountain fews, endless turns, and stunning rock formations off the cliffs that simply entices you to climb up for better views of the Calabasas canyons. Consider coming here if you want peace and quiet; it was quite secluded during my visit with very little foot traffic x read more

Red Rock Canyon Park - a gorgeous sunset x - Parks Near Me - Topanga, California

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As I was driving to out to try this new hiking trail I was on the phone with my mother for one of our weekly updates: Me: "Mom, I may lose you, I am back in the Santa Monica Mountains getting ready to go hiking." Mom: "Oh no Beth! I hope you aren't going alone! What about people who will kill you???" Me: "Mom, I think you don't have to worry about people so much as maybe mountain lions" Mom: "OK, this is when you stop telling me what you are doing so I don't worry" ---------- Mom need not worry about people or mountain lions even as this is a pretty well-traveled trail. In fact, it's probably the busiest trail I've been on since I started hiking. I am continually amazed how only 20 minutes outside of a loud bustling metropolis there is this piece of natural beauty and serenity. Its quiet and the landscape is very un-southern-cal. In fact, I believe its why they call it red rock - most of the trail takes you through a canyon with rocky formations traveling high above you. The rocks are red in color and there's even a few caves carved out in one set. The trail itself is easy - a short but steep climb takes you up around the bend and down into the canyon. The rest of the walk is almost level (more descending than anything) but when you turn back and head the opposite way, this is when the work really begins -- its much more of a climb. Luckily you get a bit of the sea breeze to keep you cool and the views are well worth it though, I couldn't stop taking pictures of the beauty. You can also get to Calabasas Peak from this trail head but I opted for the longer walk. Bring lots of water for the return climb and don't forget the sunscreen as a good portion of the trail is open. No mountain lions seen and a populated-yet-un-busy trail. This is one of my faves, mom would love it - if she could make that steep first climb. Hiking Distance: 4 miles RT Hiking Time: 2 hours Elevation Gain: 700 ft. read more

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Excellent place to visit. 30 million year old scallop fossils... Check Caves... Check Remote and secluded feel... Check Red sandstone rock formations reminscent of Sedona... Check Handsome shirtless guy trail running and fit peope... Check Horseback rider without poop along the trail here... Check Very LA proper trendy crowd here with fancy European cars including a Bentley with its top down (meaning less risk for riff raff and theft here maybe)... Check I loved this trail and will be back at around 7 am next time. It was too hot hitting 90 degrees at 11 am , I had to call it quits after an hour or so. It's hidden and secluded that you don't get crowds of people such as at Fryman Canyon and Runyon Canyon. There's two trails. One small hidden path to the right and longer one straight along the dirt road. Check online for the map. There's a port-o-potty there and a $5 lot you pay by inserting in a slot. You can park on along the unpaved one way dirt road before the paid lot as I did. Read the signs. It's peaceful and great place to be alone and have time to clear your head. read more

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Wow! This trail is really hidden deep within the Santa Monica Mountains off of Old Topanga Road. My friend I went this past Easter Sunday and I was really amazed at how long it took us to find the actual trail. We ended up getting a bit lost, but I quickly asked someone where I could find the canyon and a nice man directed me up Red Rock Canyon Road. When you turn onto this road, it is all gravel and you come upon the sign that reads "Red Rock Canyon ahead." Alright, I kept driving for about ten minutes and passed several houses. I felt that I was already driving on the trail because it just didn't feel right that I had to keep driving deeper into the mountains. I'm so used to Runyon and Bronson Canyon lol. Finally we found the parking lot! Be sure to follow directions and pay the $5 or you will get ticketed. There was only one other car in the parking lot and I think it was probably because of the holiday. The trail was empty! We only ran into a couple of people who were all very friendly. I love the fact that you can bring your dog here (on a leash only). There are a lot of caves and different rock formations. It's nothing like other trails I've been to. My friend and I almost stepped on a snake that was sun bathing in the middle of the fire road. Watch out for snakes! The whole hike took us almost three hours because we stopped a lot for breaks. The views from Calabasas Peak are so beautiful and we were able to take a lot of pictures. It's worth it! Keep on hiking up! I definitely want to come back here and hike the other fire roads. You must go! read more

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Even with the rain, which made it more mystical with the misty fog and trickling of the rain drops, this hike was one of the most serene, beautiful jaunts through the Santa Monica Mountains. 8 miles. Start at the Red Rock Canyon trail head, rock scramble up to Topanga Ridge --- What a view from the top!! Graffiti and couch included. Yes, I said couch. --- and down into the tree covered trail through Hondo Canyon. Not to be missed. If you have a free day, its definitely worth the drive to hike in this area. Spectacular. Breathtaking. Peaceful. Easily one of my favorite hikes in Southern California. read more

Great park. Found it more challenging to get to the entrance. Bumpy and narrow road to entrance. Not many spots to park. No clear signs on direction to entrance. Just take the dirt road slow you'll get there. My time, two young girls helped point us the way. 5 stars for them. You look lost.. maybe they'll be out there to help you . Once you get to entrance and are able to park.. then you'll be very pleased from that point. Nice scenic trail. Very wide trail. Not to taxing on the legs to walk. Family friendly. Really enjoyed the park. Will sure to make it back again. Other than the challenge to get to park entrance, all else is AOK. read more

I love love love this little park. I discovered it years ago but never wanted to share it with the world but today I will go on a let you all in to this little paradise. The Red Rock Canyon is its own piece of natural beauty. All the times I have come here, I have hardly seen the park crowded. Red Rock is tacked away in old Topanga canyon and can be accessed through old Topanga road or red rock road. Its quiet and the landscape is very beautiful and in a way the rock formation/color reminds of Kolob canyon,Utah.The rocks are red in color plus there are even a few caves at the start of the hike. The trail itself is easy (short but steep). The views are well worth the climb. Take a moment to take in the views before you pull out the phone/cameras cause the views are way better seen with the naked eye that through a Lens. If you're a mountain biker, this would be a nice place to ride since there are hardly any people to run over plus if you love endless climbs, this is definitely your place. read more

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Finding trailheads for the first time is usually a challenge. There are two ways to access the Red Rock Canyon Trail. You can park on Stunt Road at mile marker 1.00 and walk up the dirt road originally graded as the Calabasas Motorway about 1.4 miles to get to the red sandstone cliffs and caves. This entrance is what is depicted on the map of this Yelp posting. I think it's easier to access the park from Old Topanga Road and Red Rock Road as some other Yelpers indicate. Here's an address and GPS coordinates if you prefer to try that.Trailhead address: 23601 West Red Rock Road, Topanga Canyon, CA 90290 Trailhead coordinates: 34.106015, -118.637138 to go to official entrance with $5 parking lot. There is an iron ranger here, a chemical toilet, and running water. It's much easier to access the red sandstone cliffs and the Red Rock Canyon trail from this trailhead. Saw vey few people in the trail. Quiet park. Disclaimer: The sandstone cliffs are unique and a great change of scenery from the chaparral lining every hike in Southern California. Don't expect Utah and you'll be delighted. Envision yourself navigating aeolian slot canyons and it may be a let down. read more

Gorgeous day out. Beautiful colors in the rock abounds everywhere. All the way to top peak in about an hour ( go to the right once you're at the "T" in the trail where the bench is). Be sure to take extra time on some of the side trails where you go rock hopping and bouldering... also take time to say hello to your local hippie. read more

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Spectacular! My friends and I found Red Rock on accident. We actually had no idea how to get there... we were driving rather aimlessly through Topanga Canyon, looking for another park we'd heard about, with no luck in sight. We saw a young girl walking on the side of the road, so we pulled over to ask her for directions. She didn't know where our park was, but she lived near Red Rock and was walking down to it now. We offered her a ride, something we'd never normally think to do, but Topanga is hippie country and we were lost. The map above is totally incorrect, incidentally. Red Rock Canyon backs up to Stunt road, but there's actually a Red Rock Road off of Old Topanga Canyon which boasts a small parking lot off of a dirt fire road. Bring a truck or an SUV if you can, it's worth navigating the small, well-worn path. At the entrance to the park, there's a huge rock cave perfect for eating lunch in on a hot day. Bring five dollars, cash, to pay the Iron Ranger, as well as a lot of sunscreen- it's hot and sunny once you start hiking. My friends and I took the main trail, but there are a few smaller trails you can take if you'd like to feel like you're the first person to step foot into some deep foliage. As I mentioned above, you can take the trails that start at Red Rock up to Saddle Peak, Calabasas Peak or Stunt, all of which are incredible hikes. As a matter of fact, it's so beautiful and so amazing out this way, it almost makes me reconsider my choice to wear clothes and live in civilization... read more

I've wanted to hike this trail for awhile now, and I recently went out with my friend (and my trusty dog), and we had a great time! It is beautiful as others have mentioned - the red rocks are imposing and impressive, and some have caves you can explore. Some tips: The parking lot to the park is a bit in the cuts. You do have to keep driving off Old Topanga Road, and as a blog I found described it, "question yourself and your directions at least once." There will be signs that say, "Resident Parking Only" that might confuse you... just keep on going until you see the sign soon for the park entrance. It's $5 to park, and you put it in one of those envelopes. We did one of the first trails we found off the main fire road. Dedicated to the Boy Scouts I think? It was off to the right. Thought it wouldn't be very long, but we ended up all the way to the nature preserve on the other side, and down into a really cool private ranch-residence further below. The owner was out and said we could continue on up the road, but we were pretty tired and still had to turn around to go back. It does get hot and there's not much shade in places, so bring water and if you bring your dog, think about that. My dog used her hiking booties and seemed to enjoy not having to worry about burnt paws. It is leashed dogs only. And even if you decide to go free on the trail to prevent tangle-ups or falling, I'd recommend leashing the dog on the fire road. I didn't see a ranger waiting at the entrance, but I saw one driving by. There weren't that many other dogs around, but the ones I did see were all on leash. Anyway. It's a beautiful hike worth the drive. Plus you can bring your pup, which is what I look for in a good hike. read more

The drive here was more of a challenge than the hike itself. Lots of twist and turns the last 8 mile of the drive (and some cyclists). Dont be sleepy lolz! Also, keep in mind that the road becomes a SINGLE LANE path, the last 0.8 miles, so just beware of the cars exiting the area. We got lucky no one was driving the opposite direction. Its also a rocky dirt road, hopefully you wont get a flat. Anyways, use google maps, keep going straight, and you won't get lost, don't mind the Residential parking only signs. There's no reception once you get to the parking lot. We arrived at 8:30am, it was already hot, but half the trail was shaded plus the breeze was cool, so it wasnt that bad. Lots of friendly hikers with kiddos, and dog owners; there was only a few bikers. There's only like a couple picture worthy spots. Its an okay hike overall, nothing too special. Its a bit lackluster imo. Not really worth the trouble with all the rough drive, just to get to the parking lot LOL (Parking fee is $5) read more

I accessed this hike from Stunt, which is one hell of a climb. I'm fairly certain that it's steeper coming up that way than up Red Rock. But either way, they come to the same point and it's beautiful. Lots of rock formations to explore (carefully, as there are some with vertical drop-offs that you do not want to tumble over), which pretty much make the hike - well, that and the views and the excellent leg workout! Expect to climb half of this from any direction (peak, duh!) Bring lots of water, your camera and willingness to climb up. Oh, and if you do come up from Stunt, stick around after to do some extra miles on Stunt Trail, which is just off to the left of the parking area. read more

I was able to hike Red Rock Canyon Trail last month and it was such an incredible experience. Earlier that morning it had rained which almost made me stay home but by the time we arrived it was clear and the sky was beautiful. We started our 11 mile hike off Mulholland and the first 30-45 minutes (depending on your speed) are of great elevation gain and the trail was a total zig zag. As we kept going up, the views just became more and more beautiful. I was not the hike leader so I will not explain where we turned and which trails we took but I'm sure that any of the various trails will take you to very nice areas in these mountains. Our group was going rather fast but I still managed to take some time and enjoy the views and take a lot of pictures. I was here on a Saturday morning and did encounter a few other groups of people hiking the area. Our leader also took us to the Zuniga pond which was totally dry but was still a nice rest area. We parked off Mulholland on a very small parking lot which was free. There is a sign that indicates there is a trail ahead. As we were heading back to our cars, some ladies asked us how far in this trail was and I remember our leader said that like any other trail you can turn back whenever you want. For those who are brave and adventurous there is a lot to explore here. The rock formations are huge and gorgeous and there is a lot of elevation gain which makes it a great workout. read more

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Had a great time doing this trail! It's quite difficult in the beginning since it starts off steep, but keep on trekking and it will definitely be worth it! Once you get to the first bench it splits off 3 different ways, we took one path probably less chosen and I'm glad we did, we got to the very top at sunset and it was surreal. Nature at its finest!! read more

Red Rock Canyon Park - Sunset.... - Parks Near Me - Topanga, California

I'm giving this one star because the directions linked to this Yelp listing are completely wrong and leave you in the middle of nowhere.... today I will try Google maps which give completely different directions. read more

Good place to go during the weekend, a lot of young kids go there to "foook", I caught couple of them there!

What a killer hike !! Came here with our dog. Soooooo hard!! Both of us were huffing out of breath. So nice to do a hike without the usual lala scene peeps and annoying people taking selfies. Will be doing this hike weekly now. Highly recommend dressing light and taking plenty of water. read more

This place is a very nice hike and a get away from the fast pace city life. Although difficult to find, but not impossible, hidden deep in old Topanga canyon. In order to get here you must go through a dirt road, so if you have a low car don't try driving through, it's real bumpy, rocky and after a good rain, real muddy. Also there is a parking fee you must pay, a few bucks. It's well worth the drive, if you can afford the gas to get here and the parking fee, a few bucks for some serenity. You can have a nice picnic at the start of the trial or even along the way there is a few nice spots. Warning! there is no cell service what so ever, so if you can't be without your phone for at least an hour or more then I suggest you don't bother......For better directions to this place you can visit lamountains.com or just ask me. : ) read more

This is my favorite trail. It has a hard steap beginning and maintains a curvy walkthough. There's also a small lake that's great for a swim. My favorite trail here is the mash trail, but also there's a all day trail that takes you to the top of one of the mountains it's a ten mile trail it us beautiful. read more

#1 of 8 · I like Red Rock, but I like hiking and exploring. Hoover dam has excellent tours and you will see the inside of the dam and be lead to the bottom, where you will appreciate the effort the staff takes to manage the dam effectively. I perfer Ellis Island eating over the fancy places, the wait may be longer at Ellis Island. Whatever choice you make, plan on an all day event. read more

This place is Awesome. You have thru drive the secluded vibe road to get to the parking lot. Just keep going lol. This place is so amazing that we only walked a quarter on the paved trail and then took an awesome detour lol. We went to the right where the big rocks are. We hiked all the way to the very top. Did some crazy rock climbing. Quiet and awesome views at the top. Will go again to follow the actual trail lol. read more

I rode my bike to Red Rock Canyon From Calabasas Peak trail. I didn't get to do any hiking or explore all the caves, but next time. There is a nice shady spot with a picnic bench at the entrance. Nice place to rest from the heat. http://www.multiusetrails.com/calabasas-secret-trail-calabasas-peak-trail-red-rock-canyon-park/ read more

It was a really nice hike. Easy enough to do with little kids ages 6+. I had to carry my 4 year old for some of it but if you start on the Calabasas side, it is a very quick walk to the caves and you can see seashell fossils right away too. read more

Great hike with the dogs, but go early, lots of sun. Dirt road for the last part. Most cars can make it, but take it slow.