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 Reporter |
Summary: A wonderful section of the Backbone Trail and superb on a clear day, this hike offers a variety of plant habitats and wildlife to appreciate and spectacular ocean views. You begin at the Backbone Trail trailhead off Latigo Canyon Road. Heading generally northeast the trail takes you way down into a vibrant woodland canyon community and then proceeds vigorously upward towards the upper Castro Crest section of the Santa Monicas. When you get to the junction at the fire road turn left and proceed up the ridge until a gate stops all progress. Here you will enjoy a panoramic view of the ocean and coastal views. Another option would be to continue on the Backbone Trail past the fire road junction described earlier for about 2 miles thru Upper Solstice Canyon. Highly recommended. Trailhead: From the 101 Fwy in Agoura Hills exit at Kanan Dume Road heading south to Latigo Canyon Road and turn left. Proceed up Latigo Canyon Road for about 2.5 miles to where the Backbone Trial crosses the road. You will see a small dirt parking area on the left hand side of the road. The trail head is to the left of the parking area. (Lat:34.09 Lon:-118.8) Trail Guides for Castro Crest from Latigo Canyon Road: Afoot and Afield in Los Angeles by Jerry Schad (Wilderness Press) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Winter, User Groups: Hikers, Bikes, Horses, Ranger Contact: Santa Monica Recreation Area (805) 370-2300 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Eric Altizer, who has posted 13 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Page 1 of 3 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by KN on 8/15/2009 I don't see a hike listed here of going the opposite way from the parking lot, which would take you toward Malibu Canyon Road, so I will provide it here. A great, amazing hike, with insane sandstone outcroppings. Go about three miles until the sign for Mesa Peak, then turn back. Continuing on will lead you down to Malibu Cnyn Rd., and you'll regret having to slog back up. Split the hike into two sections like I did, and you'll be happy. Saw a gray fox on the hike, also an American kestrel, and other birds. If you hike down toward Mesa Peak, there's a metal shed thing that you can eat lunch on and relax. 
Reviewed by KN on 7/12/2009 Very hot today. 101 degrees when I got back to the parking lot. I ran into a few people who needed water. They were really thankful, including this guy with a dog, who REALLY needed water. Saw some good birds: Nutall's Woodpecker and Spotted Towhee.
Reviewed by Dayhiker on 6/12/2009 I have done this hike in the past when you could get beyond the gate. There is nothing beyond the gate except a short piece of property evidently owned by a very short minded person (a.k.a. a real butt head) and another gate at the other side of his property (about a hundred yards or so around the corner). If you look at a map, you can see the very small strip of private property that crosses the road. If this guy were smart, he would just charge a toll and let people pass.
Reviewed by Koger on 6/2/2009 As one of the other reviewers noted, the parking lot is a devil to find. Not a single person on the trail (on a tuesday, no surprise), so that was nice. Trail meandered through a shaded canyon and then rose out into the fog/eventual sun. There were tons of flies and bees though! A good sized deer crossed my path. Lots of rabbit tracks on the trail. The gate at the end is bizarre...lots of barbed wire, 12 no trespassing signs and six or seven padlocks. Makes you wonder what's behind it. Even though it's a short hike, it still took me a while, and I worked up quite a bit of sweat. The fog cleared out around 1030. Note, if you're coming from PCH, the parking lot is about 8 miles up the road.
Reviewed by RI on 3/31/2009 Started this hike at 6 p.m. Sunday night 3/30/09 with a 20 lb. pack on my back (training for wilderness firefighting job). =) Lots of greenery, sandstone outcroppings, little streams, and even a small bunny or two on the trail. Slightly uphill so it was a nice little workout especially with the added weight. The views were minimal since it was foggy that day, but would like to come back on a clear day and take in the views. Would hike again and maybe come with a slightly heavier pack this time. =)
Reviewed by Tanya H. on 2/8/2009 We hiked this last crest last weekend and enjoyed it but the ocean views are minimal. We also picked up 2 ticks on our dog and one on my husband. It was a bit crowded with mountain bikers so be careful if you are on foot. The drive up was the best part!
Reviewed by Mike on 1/18/2009 This was my first hike so i cant say its been my favorite. Give it was a absolutely gorgeous day, the views were spectacular. From the top you can see everything from ocean views, malibu and Santa Monica. Probably the worst part is trying to find the parking lot. I had to literally google map the distance 2.5miles from Kanan Dume Rd, switch to satellite view and locate an unmarked dirt lot on the left. But i guess that just makes it less crowded more of an adventure to find. For those who want less headaches and if you have a navigation system/google maps street view, the unmarked address is 1738 Latigo Canyon Road. Enjoy! 
Reviewed by Sarah on 1/12/2009 This hike is so beautiful. I was stopping all the time just breathing in the scenery. We didn't go all the way up due to time, but I saw a bunch of mountain bikers, so I'm guessing the trail is good for that. My friend's dogs had a great time. Even the drive up to the trail head is lovely. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: California Hiking, California Trails, California Hikes, Los Angeles County Hiking, Los Angeles County Trails, Los Angeles County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||