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Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 10.3 miles /
16.6 km
Duration: Full day
Family Friendly
Overview:
Topanga is both extremely accessible and rugged. It is a natural park lying within Los Angeles and is within easy day-use reach of over 12 million regional residents.
This hike:
Many of the park's trails can be accessed from Trippet Ranch. Two miles from Trippet is Eagle Junction with access to the Eagle Spring loop trail. Eagle Rock is one of many boulder outcrops in the park which stands over the surrounding terrain, providing panoramic views of the surrounding country. Also hiked on this trip was Temescal Peak, an easy climb with further outstanding vistas of the surrounding ranges and canyons below.
Topanga State Park includes 11,529 acres of varied terrain, much of it rugged, steep and scenic with over 36 miles of trails. The park's boundaries extend from the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) to the hills over the San Fernando Valley. Eight communities surround the park and there are more than 60 entrances along the park's range crossing boundary. Hikers, trail runners, mountain bikers, and equestrian users will all feel quite at home here.
Topanga's vegetation is dominated by chaparral. Within the Trippet Ranch area are broad stands of oak woodlands. Coastal sage scrub, grassland savannah, bay laurel woodland, walnut woodland, and a variety of riparian habitats can also be found within the park.
These habitats support a wildlife community which includes more than 80 mammal species, several hundred bird species, and over 60 reptiles and amphibians within the park's boundaries.
Human occupation goes back at least 8,000 to 10,000 years, starting with an early Paleo-Indian culture to the more-recent Tongva and Chumash peoples.
Tips:
Location/Directions
A good access point for Topanga State Park is at Trippet Ranch, once a "Gentleman's Ranch" for getaways from the city.
From either the Ventura Freeway (101) or the PCH take Topanga Canyon Boulevard, then turn onto Entrada Road.
Keep to the left at every opportunity until reaching the park's main parking lot (approximately one mile).
Topanga, CA 90290
Latitude: 34.09282
Longitude: -118.58918
Telephone:
310-455-2465
Wild Flower Report:
818-768-3533
Information on flowers blooming in the park.
Operating Hours:
8:00 am 'til sunset
First-come, first-served hike-in only camping. Contact the park directly for information.
ANGELES DISTRICT
1925 Las Virgenes Rd.
Calabasas, CA 91302-1909
Location: 20825 Entrada Road
Topanga, CA 90290
Latitude: 34.09282 Longitude: -118.58918
Keep to the left at every opportunity until you reach the park's main parking lot (about one mile). From the Ventura Freeway (101), exit at Topanga Canyon Boulevard, drive south over the crest of the mountains and proceed three miles to Entrada Road and turn left.
Accessibility Features:
Topanga State Park features 36 miles of trails. It is located entirely within the Los Angeles city limits and is considered the world’s largest wild land within the boundaries of a major city.
Picnic Area:
Trippet Ranch has generally accessible picnic sites with accessible tables and grills. Parking, restrooms and routes of travel are also accessible.
Exhibits/Programs:
Nature Center: Most of the exhibits and cases are accessibly designed. A service road serves as the route of travel to the Nature Center.
