I've been here a handful of times now and every time I really enjoy my hike! It's a wide dirt path…read morethat meanders through the canyon. I often see plenty of wildlife including birds, coyotes, and deer. Definitely go during cooler temps, and not over the hot summer months. The parking lot is ample with wide spaces and a pit toilet at the trailhead. I usually hike about 3-4 miles in and back, and then have a picnic lunch at the tables near the parking lot. Highly recommend this trail!

The new parking is great! There are 2 parking areas, up and down the hill, for cars as well as…read morehorse trailers. There is a covered area with picnic tables and restrooms at the top parking area. From the bottom parking there is a small creek in the spring with TONS of tadpoles! Is you want to see wildlife this is the place, coyotes, vultures, and hawks are really common to see when hiking, as well all of the horses and dogs people bring with them!

Great hike with an opportunity for a good workout and beautiful views. Take water and make sure…read morethat your shoes/boots have good tread for the trails. Keep an eye out for spring wildflowers in this area. Street parking is usually readily available and free. Lovely addition to the hiking rotation. Free admission.

Awesome short hike with a happy ending view of the reservoir. A local recommended this hike for the…read moreviewpoint which he showed me on his phone. If you take your time it will take 60 minutes round trip. Take the trail to right for the Westlake Vista trail. Take it all the way to the top to view the Las Virgenes Reservoir. I would return in the springtime to view the endangered pentachaeta flowers which would probably the trail to the left the next time I return for wildflower season.

This is short 2 mile hike. There is no restroom in the area and it's free parking. Just follow…read morethe ridge going up to Ladyface Mountain as this is a one way in and back out trail. In the beginning, there is a split, make sure to go left up the ridge. Not quite sure where the trail going right takes you. There is a bit of rock scrambling but I did not have any difficulties getting past it. As you near the top, there is a rock where the American Flag use to be located. This does require some climbing, so be careful. If you don't want to try that, hike past the rock and continue on the small trail to Ladyface Mountain. Both location offers 360 views. When done, hike back down. There is no shades on this hike, so pack accordingly to the weather and have fun.

This unofficial trail is a short and exhilarating. The trail ascends a steep ridgeline that, from a…read moredistance, supposedly resembles a silhouette profile of a lady's face. If you didn't already know this information then I apologize in advance since, from this point forward, you will forever attempt to make-out the ridgeline facial image whenever you drive by. The trailhead can be a little hard to locate since it is unmarked. The best landmark is the sign pointing towards Silver Creek Rd. Park along the side of the road on the dirt. I recommend wearing really good hiking shoes since the steep grade, combined with the loose dirt, makes the trail real slippery especially as you head down the mountain. The 2-mile out and back trail can be somewhat intimidating, especially if you are afraid of heights. It's really not that dangerous. There are some areas where the trail becomes narrow along the steep hillside. I surprisingly saw a number of families with young kids and pets. I suspect they didn't make it all the way to the end. The jagged volcanic rock outcrops make you feel as if you are walking along the spine of the mountain. I made it 0.6-miles before I decided to turn back. It was a little too steep for my liking. There was an American flag was waving to me in the distance encouraging me to continue on but I had to decline. I read that the final portion involves some rock climbing. If you're feeling less adventurous, and if you are interested in more of lower altitude adventure, then you may want to try the lower trail located one mile down the road. It curves around the backside of Ladyface Mountain. It's also 2 miles out and back. You will see signage in front of a metal gate. After a short distance you'll come across a monument commemorating David Balch who once owned and later donated this property to the state for preservation. Bear left at the junction with the monument. The trail takes you down into a canyon and then back up a mountain to the rear area of Ladyface Mountain. There are interesting rock outcroppings covered with brightly colored lichen. It's fun to explore all of the different rock formations. You'll feel like you have been transported to another county. Chances are you will also be the only one there to enjoy it which is a bonus

If you do not want to pay at this park, you can park on the road near this trailhead and take the…read moregrassland trail. Just around little over 2 miles each way to the MASH site. The parking in the street is a bit limited and mind traffic if crossing the street. Make sure you car is off the road. Note in mid December the bridge was removed at the water by the MASH site which make it too challenging to get to site now. If going there check to see if the bridge exist or the water is low enough. I'm the summer watch out for rattlesnakes. Make sure you bring plenty of water with you. Happy trails.

Such a beautiful, peaceful and moderately easy hike. A large group of us went to enjoy the views…read moreand they did not disappoint. It was our first time visiting, and we were all impressed by the breathtaking scenery. There are porta potties and even some areas for people to rock climb. I'd definitely recommend, especially if you want to see the MASH set. Lots of Kodak opportunities and great sights.

I was in the area so I looked at Yelp what is near and saw the Trailhead so I drove over. I was…read morenot prepared for hiking, this was very spontaneous, so I had regular shoes and no water, but I still decided to walk the trail knowing my limits and knew I could turn around anytime. I brought my umbrella that I keep in my car to protect me from the hot sun. It was only 9am but the sun was already beating down, without my umbrella I wouldn't have lasted. I parked at the Bark Park dog park and initially I couldn't find the trail and almost left. As I was about to drive away there it was at the edge of the dog park right before exiting, so I parked again and went up. The trail is easy to follow and actually not too hard, considering my lack of appropriate hiking shoes I just walked a little slower and watched my steps carefully. The trail is overgrown so these sharp bushes are poking your arms and legs periodically but I really had the urge to move so I kept going. About halfway I scared myself since I was alone so I ended up downloading the app All Trails and immediately I was assured that I was going the right way and that I was at the halfway point. Little did I know this trail Also has a Kobe Bryant memorial. A little further from the halfway point of the trail I thought I saw a pile of trash, but as I got closer I realized it's a small memorial, but it has allot of old bottles and cans it doesn't look so nice. The photos and jersey have faded. I paid my respects and kept walking up the trail to the end. At the end of the Bark Park trail is the Millenium loop trail. I would have kept going on that trail if I had appropriate hiking attire but this is where i decided to turn around and head back. Going back is downhill and relaxing. One thing though is that the entire way back and forth it felt like an animal was following me. I heard something in the bushes to my right behind me and it seemed to always be behind me. I saw lizards, birds, giant flying insects, grasshoppers, etc, but the sound I heard sounded bigger. Maybe I was just scaring myself because I was alone LOL. I didn't see a single person on the trail either. Overall a nice trail that got my heartrate going and some fresh air and scenery. I'm sure it's much more beautiful when everything is green!

There's free parking at Bark Park. The hike starts off at the dog park and is an easy to moderate…read morehike up to the Kobe Bryant memorial where nine people lost their lives in a helicopter crash. The memorial is one of the reasons people hike this trail as we ran into people asking which way to the memorial. If you start your hike early there's hardly anyone on the trail. Expect no shade from the lack of trees so bring a good sun hat.

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.

Los Robles Trail in Thousand Oaks provides easy to moderate hiking trails. Trails provide some…read moreelevation to get your heart going but nothing too drastic. The trail provides opportunities to catch some great sunsets at the top. Plus the trail provides some shade under beautiful Oak trees. The trail does get a lot of mountain bikers so be prepared. Plus in the summertime stay alert to potential snakes. At the trailhead there is a small parking lot. Additional parking can be found on the street. Happy tails!

What a gorgeous trail!…read more Birds, beautiful trees, lovely trails and of course, nature itself. You'll get some great elevation work in and your body will thank you for the workout. You'll be refreshed and clearheaded after your adventure. Mountain bikers also use these trails so keep your ears open. On the day I was hiking, we came across quite a few who rang bills as the approached and were super polite and courteous. No bathrooms, just incase you were wondering although there is a parking area or street parking for your car if the lots are full. Remember to use your sunscreen and have a time!

My wife's favorite local hike. Hilly and can be slippery in some spots, but otherwise wide pa th…read more Nice views. Mile markers every quarter mile, bike tool station at fork to Butterfly trail. Nice rock formations ie Turtle rock and oven mitt rock.

One of my favorite short little hikes in the area. And if you seek a longer hike, this hike…read moreconnects to other routes. If you want a hike that goes straight up gradually with great views along the way then this is your hike. At sunset it offers great views of Simi valley and at sunrise you can see great views of LA county. Plus you get see cool rock formations and some caves a long the way. The hike does get busy on the weekends. It is a well traveled hike. The parking lot at trailhead is small but across the highway there is a larger parking lot. Just be very careful crossing the roads to the trailhead: the crossing are very dangerous with fast traffic.