Framed by tall, rugged ridges in the Topatopa Mountains, Santa Paula Creek slices through the rockbed of Santa Paula Canyon, carving out alluring pools and cascades called the Punchbowl (or Punch Bowls). Finishing with a flourish, the Punchbowl has a 25-foot waterfall and a pool that you can relax beside. The Punchbowl is located between Big Cone Camp and Cross Camp, two Los Padres... Read more.

Sisar Canyon cuts into the mountains above Upper Ojai Valley, halfway between Ojai and Santa Paula. A wide dirt trail travels up the canyon toward Topatopa Ridge, a striking bluff of striped rock. Rather than taking Sisar Canyon Trail (also known as Sisar Canyon Road) deep into the Topatopa Mountains, turn around at an overlook 2.75 miles up the trail for a picturesque day hike. Limited... Read more.

Horn Canyon Trail rises into the frontcountry of the Topatopa Mountains from Ojai, California. While you can spend a full day (and a full workout) hiking up Horn Canyon Trail, you can also opt for the shorter option described here, trekking up the trail's moderate opening mile, past multiple creek crossings and views down Ojai Valley, before venturing off trail up the canyon bottom past... Read more.

Oak Creek Canyon Trail is a rather special trail in Los Robles Open Space that is designed for the blind as well as the sighted. The all-access nature trail has a dozen and a half signs in English and Braille. While blind hikers will probably want to turn around at the end of the guide fence, for a 0.55 mile hike with 50 feet of elevation change, others may continue on to a loop trail for a... Read more.

Looking up at the orange sandstone outcroppings on the rugged slopes of the Simi Hills, you would hardly expect the terrain above to host a peaceful oak savanna. Walk through this grassy area shade by tall oaks to ascend to Simi Peak, the highest point in a mountain range that spans the boundary between Ventura County and Los Angeles County just north of the 101 Freeway. Simi Peak is 2,403... Read more.

The foreboding sounding Tarantula Hill, which also goes by the more welcoming name of Dawn's Peak, is a small, isolated mound in Thousand Oaks that hikers can summit for views over the Conejo Valley and into the nearby Santa Monica Mountains. If your spider senses are detecting pavement, that's because the entire half-mile-long trail up Tarantula Hill is paved. While Tarantula Hill Trail... Read more.

Are you looking for a hike that's an action-packed adventure? Rarely does a 2.1-mile loop offer as much excitement as the hike to the Cave of Munits and Castle Peak. You'll start with a gradual warm-up across El Escorpion Park to Upper Las Virgenes Open Space Preserve to find a fun vertical cave just begging to be explored. You won't need any ropes or gear to get through the cave, just an... Read more.

Rocky Peak is a panoramic 2,715-foot summit on the border between Los Angeles and Ventura counties in the Santa Susana Mountains. The county line-straddling peak stands at the center of a 4,800-acre park bearing the same name. The shortest hike to Rocky Peak takes Rocky Peak Trail from Rocky Peak Road through Rocky Peak Park. Oh boy, we're off to a rocky start... The first two miles of... Read more.

Want to beach camp in Ventura, California? For RV campers, the place to go is Emma Wood State Beach. The park offers 90 beachfront campsites, ocean fishing, a reliable surf break, and a 1.5-mile hiking trail loop. Ready for a beach escape? The campground in this 115-acre park is popular, booking up solid throughout the summer. The sites run along a cobblestone beach with easy access to... Read more.

Emma Wood State Beach borders both the Pacific Ocean and the Ventura River. There is an estuary where the two meet, where you can sprawl out on soft sand and watch the gathering marine birds. See the beach, the river, and the estuary on a level and easy 1.5-mile loop through Emma Wood State Beach and the adjacent Seaside Wilderness Park in Ventura. Starting within the 115-acre state... Read more.