Great place to hike in the Santa Monica Mountains. The trailhead is a bit harder to reach than some…read moreother 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!

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

The view is absolutely gorgeous! The location provides an amazing view of the city and the sunset.read more

This is a perfect little viewing spot of the city & sunsets. The park is petite but boasts of ample…read moreparking spots & endless views of the city! I appreciated the well paved walking paths & some of the history of the location. Highly recommend visit this spot as a local or a tourist!

Beautiful hike. The hike is about 2 miles roundtrip. To get inside the cave, you have to rock climb…read moreusing a rope. Wear shoes with a good grip. Parking is residential. There re no bathrooms.

Beautiful scenery Great hiking trails…read moreAwesome cave Clean park Cool rocks Went hiking yesterday

'Happy Hikers' hikes are all led by Wendy Shugar...and it has been such an amazingly FUN and…read morelife-changing experience for me:) I am not really a fan of indoor gyms and I love being out in nature, so this is a perfect fit for me. I also don't want to feel I have to be a 'super-star' athlete and feel intimidated to hike, and Happy Hikers and Wendy's warmth and laid back but focused attitude makes ALL the difference in the world! She has built my confidence and continues to build such an important community!!! I also LOVE LOVE being motivated by people and having a good laugh with them, and with Happy Hikers I get both!!! We laugh so much together and motivate one another to get through our beautiful hikes. With the group and Wendy leading us, I feel I can really do anything!!! And the rest of the week I can really feel how important this is in my life. I have become so much stronger since I started, and confident!!! I really LOVE feeling like I'm part of such an important healing and spirited community where all are welcomed! And sometimes when we do hikes with the children my daughter has the best time. And we get to meet the most wonderful people!! Being in nature just changes you and when you combine that with a Happy Hikers experience, it makes you want to do more and more...you don't even realize sometimes how much you've actually exercised, but your body will definitely thank you for it!!!

Happy Hikers is an amazing group led by Wendy. Her passion and caring for her hikers are…read moreincredible. She does a great job making sure everybody can complete the hike safely and picks great locations every single week. Don't miss out on all the fun!

This has been my home away from home for as long back as I can remember. Basically, the park…read moreencompasses El Escorpion Canyon, a sparely wooded canyon on the south side of Castle Peak along El Escorpion creek, Castle Peak and its ridge, and Bell Canyon north of the peak along Bell Creek, all up to the Ventura County line. It is attached to the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve via El Escorpion Trail. There are a number of trails through the park, the best being the entire Castle Peak loop. There is a naming issue with this place. Basically, the two canyons are sometimes called separate parks. But recently Google maps has been showing them both as "Bell Canyon Park," and although I prefer El Escorpion Canyon, I'm willing to swallow my pride and call it all one park. Be careful throughout the park as there is lots of poison oak, bee hives, and rattlesnakes. You can also find some tarantulas and quail if you are lucky! While it is closed from dusk to dawn, this is an excellent place to go chill and look at the stars. Many a meteor shower was seen from these trails. Also look out for a sick BMX area. One of the best things about this park is that it is close to the city, yet remote. You can go out here and no one will usually bother you. But in recent years, that has been its downfall as well. More and more people are retreating out here, and there is a lot more graffiti and trash as of late. The Castle Peak Loop begins at the gate where Vanowen turns into Sunset Ridge. From there, you start hiking up the canyon. The first little part is often called Dog Shit Canyon cause of all the people who walk their dogs on this little part that is closest to suburbia. From there you head right across the creek and then straight up Castle Peak on the south side. Castle Peak is a tough hike. You can do it in less than 30 minutes if you know the terrain and are in good shape. Other than that, take it slow. There are 5 phases up this side of the peak. The first phase is kinda slippery and very steep. The second phase has this red soil and is a little more uneven than phase 1, if not as steep. Phase 3 is basically large rocks and gravel. Very slippery. Phase 4 is the section after the big white chalk part at the end of phase 3. It is rocky and has lots of smaller intersecting trails and is fairly solid. The last phase is the approach, where it gets even more rocky before you hit the top. From the top of Castle Peak is the best view of the west valley you'll find. Watch for different birds over the seasons. The swifts and the hummingbirds both do awesome dive bombs and are my favs. Then head west along the ridge. There, you will meet a fork in the trials. Head straight along the most traveled path and bear right until you end up on a very well maintained wide trail that goes down into Bell Canyon. This part ends at a little park with a baseball diamond and some picnic tables. Get some water at the park and then head down the trail along the creek, this one being Bell Creek, down to the horse trail. This horse trail along the suburban streets will take you back to the gate for the full loop. This can be done in reverse as well, duh. Interesting tidbit, where Bell Creek and El Escorpion Creek meet is the official start of the LA river. Check it out, and please help pick up any liter you see. Let's keep this park clean for future generations. Hope to see you there!

This park is a spectacular place to spend as little as an hour, or the entire day in! The trail…read moreloops in Bell Canyon take you West into El Escorpion Park and South into the larger Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (a.k.a. Ahmanson Ranch) and provide miles of trails to walk, hike, and mountain bike among ancient oaks, mesas, caves, and chaparral. In the winter, the cooler temps make the breeze sing through the mesa along the Old Ranch Road trail. There are plenty of spots to stop for lunch, but please remember to pack your trash when you leave to keep it beautiful! Many hikers bring their leashed dogs through and the majority of trails are easy for young children as well. In the summer, don't forget your sun protection and plenty of water as there is very little to no shade on several trail loops. And of course, bring your camera for pics of your visit. I posted summer and winter pics so you can see the changes.

last Sunday me and my daughter for two hours spent in the this park and is so safe and comfortable…read moreis good place for kids

Always clean and no riffraff. Love that both playground structures are shaded (wish the swings were…read moretoo). However, no bathrooms unfortunately.

On a beautiful spring day there is nothing better to do then go for a hike in the mountains! As I…read morewas up early I decided to jet out to the Topanga lookout Trail! The ride to this trail is beautiful but keep your eyes on the road! Once you get to the trailhead there is street parking. Just don't park on the street between 9-6am. Come early for a good spot near the trailhead! This walk/ hike is relatively short. The hike starts at the gate and from there stay left all the way to the end. You hike will start on a paved area and then transition to a trail. A relatively simple hike with some gradual ups and downs! The views from the trail is absolutely beautiful! Especially when the fog is rolling off the mountains! You can truly get a 360 view! And the very end of the trail you are greeted with a cement platform that has been graffiti! This Takes away from the beauty but interesting its own right! On your way back to your car, if the cloud and the fog has lifted you will be able to see the beautiful ocean from the mountain peaks! If you are seeking a quick simple hike with beautiful 360 views, then this is worth the windy uphill drive!

Came here for a quick hike to a graffitied spot. It was about a 20 minute hike to the top and on…read morethe day we went, it was all foggy so there were no views. ahhahaha Great place to just stop and think and enjoy the silence. Great for all levels and I saw some people making a bouquet out of all the beautiful flowers on the trail.

Our first time hiking the UPPER LAS VIRGENES CANYON OPEN SPACE PRESERVE and we were in search of…read morethe state flower: California Poppy!! We arrived at 6:00pm and drove right up into the dirt parking lot. Many other cars parked outside of the gate, along the curb on each side of Victory Blvd. The parking lot sign showed open from dawn to dusk, so we had at least an hour to explore before the 7:20pm sunset and potential tow. The weather was absolutely gorgeous for an evening hike!! Blue sky, cool breeze, rolling hills of green, and the sun setting made for the perfect golden hour!! After hiking down the Victory Trailhead and then up around the Ahmanson Ranch House Trail, we found the California Poppies! We also ran into a group of photographers so we didn't get a chance to explore as imagined before we arrived. However, we still enjoyed the sweeping views of an uninterrupted canyon. It was perfect! We saw many hiking with their dogs, a few benches, and various flowers. Be sure to wear appropriate hiking shoes as the trails can be uneven and rocky. I would love to return but have a feeling the summer heat will arrive sooner than later. Then the green will dry out and turn into fuel. I hope that lawmakers and fire prevention experts find ways to reduce the impact of wildfires in the state of California. This area is truly a magnificent escape from the LA city hustle and bustle.

I just did my first Ultra 54k Race here on 4/26/25…read more I have been here several times and these trails change every single time. There was a fire here in January and that changed the trails. The trails open at 7:00 a.m. and the community pays for a security to make sure the area is safe. Parking: 5/5 You can street park and walk up or you can park inside and pay $3. Plenty and plenty of parking. Trails/Views: 5/5 You can take the many trails here and the views are beautiful you will see deer, bunnies and coyotes. There is a couple of little streams to cross. The trails are rolling so it can be flat, elevation and some downhills. You will love this place it looks like Ireland. This place will make you feel energized and relaxed at the same time. You can do any distance as strava has some of the maps for trails.