![]() ![]() Southern Pacific rattlesnakes can be numerous in early spring, particularly along Temescal Ridge in the eastern section of the trail. Lizards, seven species of which inhabit areas surrounding the trail, are particularly numerous, and can be easily found on or alongside the trail. More than 450 vertebrate species have been observed within the Santa Monica Mountains NRA, including more than 380 species of birds. Relatively few trees line the trail, an essential consideration for travelers looking for shade.įauna A lizard seen on the Backbone Trail. Main article: Flora of the Santa Monica Mountainsįor the majority of its length, the Backbone Trail passes through terrain occupied by the ground-hugging bushes and shrubs that characterize the coastal sage scrub and chaparral ecosystems. A wide range of flora and fauna can be observed from the trail. The California chaparral and woodlands and California coastal sage and chaparral ecoregions supported Indigenous people for tens of thousands of years. Cold Creek Canyon Preserve - owned by the Mountains Restoration Trust.Ĭhumash villages once stood throughout the Santa Monica Mountains.Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.The following national, state, and privately administered wilderness areas are traversed by the Backbone Trail: Parts of the trail lie within the city limits of Los Angeles and Malibu, California the rest sits in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Both points overlook the Pacific Ocean, the Channel Islands, and the surrounding mountains. The return route on the Backbone Trail leads to Inspiration Point and culminates at Sandstone Peak, the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains. ![]() There are views of the sculpted caves and crevices of Echo Cliffs and a forested streamside picnic area by a huge split boulder known as Split Rock. The Mishe Mokwa Trail in Circle X Ranch follows Carlisle Canyon along Boney Mountain past weathered red volcanic formations. Scenic views of Ventura County are seen from the six-mile loop trail, starting at the trailhead off Yerba Buena road. From its lowest point, the sea-level Ray Miller Trailhead at Point Mugu State Park, to its highest point, Sandstone Peak (which, at 3,111 ft (948 m), is the highest peak in the Santa Monica Mountains), the trail is more frequently graded than level. Topography and geography The Backbone Trail as it passes through Mishe Mokwa.Īs the Backbone Trail passes over the peaks and through the canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains, it climbs and falls in elevation nearly constantly. The Backbone Trail fully reopened in July 2019. Other trails and several parks were also closed as 88% of the federal parkland within the Santa Monica Mountains burned in the fast-moving fire. Portions of the trail were closed after the Woolsey Fire in 2018. The official opening ceremony for the Backbone Trail was held on Saturday, June 4, 2016, at Will Rogers State Park, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at 10:00 am. Upon its 2016 opening, the Backbone Trail was designated a National Recreation Trail. In May 2016, a new section of the trail was completed on the east side of Yerba Buena Road in support of these acquisitions. In 2016, the National Park Service completed land acquisitions from former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and fitness pioneer Betty Weider to enable right-of-way for the trail. The range of conditions found on the trail - ranging from flat, wide fire roads to narrow single-track trails - reflects the trail's origin as a series of unconnected paths and backcountry roads, connected to form the Backbone Trail System. History Ĭonstruction on the backbone trail began in the early 1980s and involved the cooperation of the National Park Service, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and private parties interested in connecting existing trails within the Santa Monica Mountains NRA into a single trail spanning the length of the park. ![]() Dogs, mountain bicyclists and horseback riders are only allowed on portions of the trail as posted. The trail is open to hikers throughout its length. Its western terminus is Point Mugu State Park, and its eastern terminus is Will Rogers State Historic Park in Pacific Palisades. The Backbone Trail is a long-distance trail extending 67.79 miles (109.10 km) across the length of the Santa Monica Mountains in the U.S. Point Mugu State Park / Will Rogers State Historic Park Los Angeles County / Ventura County, California, USA The Backbone Trail between Will Rogers State Historic Park and Trippet Ranch in Topanga State Park ![]()
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