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Topanga State Park
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
26 reviews for Topanga State Park
I saw a mountain lion! I love seeing animals in the wild so I was very excited. However, I went on a Monday so there was no one around so I guess that's why it felt comfortable lounging around. It didn't approach me so I didn't feel threatened.
I parked on the residential road before the entrance area for free. It's a pretty easy walk into the park. I decided to take the Pacific Palisades trail to get a good view of the ocean. The trails are easy to walk on as they are wide, dirt paths. However, it's still pretty hilly and very hot since there isn't much shade.
I wasn't able to make it to the Pacific Palisades (6 mile hike) but the trail was still nice. It had some nice views of the ocean and the mountains. It's not a very interesting trail in terms of varied views though.
After reading all the reviews here and elsewhere, I decided to try out the Parker Mesa Overlook trail. I would rate it as a moderate level (major incline is the first mile or so) but if you take your time, beginners will be ok. There is hardly any shade so wear lots of sunblock and a hat! It took us 2 hrs round trip (steady pace) with a 15 minute break at the end. It is 2.7 miles each way. It is not too crowded and good for joggers.
Instead of parking at the main gate, you can park in a residential area where the trailhead is. The street is called Paseo Miramar (off Sunset Blvd before it hits PCH) and it's a lovely drive. Once it ends, you will see the entrance with signs. You will see beautiful ocean views continuously and will be glad that you reached the cliff at the end. Since most of this hike is along the fire road, the trail is wide and easy on your feet (no rocks, bushes or shrubs are in your way). I should've worn shorts because I was so hot in the afternoon. I will try other longer trails at Topanga.
I came here a while ago to go for a hike with some friends. A lot of trails and awsome views of the ocean. Really hilly in some spots. Too bad it was freekin hot the day we went. I'd like to go sometime in the fall or spring.
Different terrane all around. In the lower areas, vegetation is more green and lush. Higher areas, really dry. Watch out for poison ivy which is all over the place. We found a few spots with small caves.
About a half-mile from the Inn of the Seventh Ray, on the right hand side of the road is the sign for Topanga State Park. You will meander up a winding road on which, scattered about, there are many interesting homes. About 1.5 miles up is the entrance to the park. It is $8 to park your car or do what everyone else does, park on the side of the road right at the entrance area for free.
I saw plenty of mountain bikers setting up for their day. The trails aren't the hardest I've seen or experienced. For those in Phoenix metro, this is nowhere near as strenuous as Camelback Mountain and the Echo Canyon Trail. This is a slightly harder Carefree/Go John Trail hike with plenty of amazing views.
Still, I just can't over that this beautiful sanctuary is right in the middle the the Los Angeles sprawl. I know if I lived in Santa Monica, atleast 1-2x a month I'd come out here, for the peace of mind and to recharge my brain.
Awesome....
I've got a new favorite place to hike (it's so natural for me), smell, see, hear, taste (if it's raining) and touch. All 6, yes, that's right, 6 senses are fulfilled in beautiful Topanga Canyon. There are so many options here to choose whether it's a short or long destination, a waterfall, views of the ocean, downtown and spectacular canyons enclosed in a lovely nature-y capsule, if you will.
I decided to embark on the Parker Mesa Overlook since Matthew K. suggested it. I was able to find a spot on the street but if you're not lucky, there is a good sized lot where you can park for $8. I do have one gripe, and if you know me, it's a huge one. Dogs are not allowed on any trails in Topanga. This makes me upset because my dog goes with me on every trail, but knowing that he can't, saddens me. The pooch had a lazy day at home while I took a hike on my own for once.
I started at the main parking lot and took the trail through the canyons which finally led to a view of the ocean. The weather today was overcast, therefore, I didn't have a spectacular view of the Channel Islands or Palos Verdes. But, that's ok. "Patience is a virtue," and with due time, I'll experience THAT view.
Despite the not so pleasant weather, I did manage to see some terrific views of the canyons nestled in between the valley. Too bad my camera ran out of battery, but that's alright, I'll be back tomorrow with a whole mess of people. The views of the canyons line most of the trail.
After a 3 mile run and shortness of breath, I finally reached the good ol' Pacific. Right there, in it's entirety, well, for the most part. There are 3 benches on the top, but most people just sit on the ground at that point. You'll get a 360 degree view on a clear day, if you're lucky. I spotted the Santa Monica Pier, a bit of Downtown LA and a strip of the ocean. I took my precious time here till I was ready to head back another 3 miles to civilization. The walk back was doable, but if you're out of shape, it will be a good workout. Actually, it's a great workout no matter what shape you're in.
When I stepped back into the real world, I looked back, smiled and appreciated my much needed time away from a hectic life. This is one reason I love hiking; it always seems to clear my mind and reminds me to appreciate the important things.These moments of content make the trek worth it.
At the end of it all, my 6 senses were sparked with pure enjoyment.
Hike: 6 miles, a great workout. Happiness.
Smell:The ocean dew tickling my curious nose.
Sight: Green canyons, the Pacific, graceful hawks gliding in the middle of the scenery.
Hear: Well, nothing, that's the beauty of it.
Taste: Perhaps in the middle of a light sprinkle, but the only thing I tasted, was an abundant amount of water.
Touch: Feeling the different formations in the canyons.
A place that satisfies MY 6 senses is a perfect day to me. I miss it already, but you know what, I'll be back in just a few hours.
Topanga State Park is one of the many reasons to love Los Angeles. Add gorgeous hiking to the list of what makes Los Angeles the best city in the States (imo).
The park is a bit hard to find. Google maps led me there -- but hubby admittedly has a better sense of direction than I do, so I may have gotten lost on my own. Parking is $8. But you can find parking outside of the park for FREE. I found parking pretty easily. The walk from our parking spot to the parking lot was fast (a couple of minutes). I advise looking for street parking.
I did the Parker Mesa Overlook hike. I was concerned about doing a 6 mile hike with a climb of 800 feet while being 5+ months pregnant (half way done with my pregnancy!) with twins. I just didn't know if I could keep up or would start having cramps. So I dragged along my husband as my insurance policy. He could turn back with me at any point (or should I say, he would have no other choice BUT to turn back with me). Love my baby daddy.
The great thing about this hike is that it's got a great mix of climb and flat land. I had the opportunity to catch my breathe on the flatter parts of the hike. I took it nice and slow. I really took in the scenery which was awe inspiring. At certain points we could see the coastline. We had a great view of the coast at the overlook (perfect place to sit down, chill and eat lunch). Everything about this hike was gorgeous -- the coast, the plants, the mountains, all of it! We took the same route back to the bottom. I thougt the return path would be easier b/c obviously we would be declining. I was surprised by how many climbs were involved with the descent, it make it that much more challenging and fun.
This will most likely be my last hike before the girls are here. My doc isn't so keen on 6 mile hikes. But this one was worth it. Even the babies loved the hiked, they kicked up a storm! My children are hiking aficionados.
Lets be totally ACTIVE and OVER ACTIVE! haha Topanga is grrreeaat!! just like To-panga from Boy meets world!love it! My best friend and I went on a perfect day..meaning clear skies, sunny sun with an easy breezy!
We went towards the overlook trails and it was just gorgeous! Nothing but scenic mountains, lizards walking side by side, deers staring at you and sweaty workout! The best part of the trail was towards the top you can actually see Santa Monica! gorgeous! love California!
The drive is beautiful! going through the pch and through the mountains is awesome! Theres plenty of parking, clean bathrooms, picnic tables if you want to get your grub on!
Trails are a little sandy and rocky..so wear good shoes and run for the Topanga hills!
Sigi the dog loves to poop here.
Plus with the wider trails you are less apt to add to your personal tick collection like at Charmlee Park in Malibu. Paying for parking always bites, and I too am all about value and absolutely flat-out refuse to pay. Get creative, bag a free spot and pocket the 8 clams.
I started hiking here in 2000'. Even became a Topanga Canyon Docent in 2001 just for kicks-and because the classes offered so much information about the area, including edible plants.
The hiking options are endless and some of the trails offer stunning views. You can pretty much choose your own adventure.
You wanna easy stroll? Plenty of trails that require little to no commitment with plenty of spots to rest a tired body.
You wanna go for days? Damn, the options are endless.
You want hills or something a little tamer...just ask for a map when you drive or walk in to the parking lot and point yourself in the direction of your choice.
Rainy day hikes here are my favorite! It is quite, it smells spectacular, and spider webs, belonging to orb spiders, glisten and mesmerize.
Enjoy!
Oh, one word of CAUTION: sometimes there are some pretty rude mountain bikers who would happily run over your grandma, so keep and eye out and an ear open for them.
what do you do after eating an in and out cheese burger, animal style fries, and a chocolate shake? you freakin' jiggle your booty up a mountain, that's what.
i LOVE the hikes here. lurves it. i always go to the parker mesa overlook trail because it's really pretty up there and a great way to chill with your green apple for a snack break. the hike is normally pretty hot because of the lack of shade...kinda explains all the lizards i see scurrying across my path...and the random snake or two to avoid. there's also a lot of inclines on this trail to work your flabby butt cheeks and is about 6 miles round trip once i get back to my car. if you have a love of food like i do, i suggest you try this trail as well. there's parking on entrada if you don't want to pay $8 for parking and remember, if you input this address on your gps, it will lead you astray. the only two streets you need to remember are topanga canyon and entrada. all the b.s. directions your garmin spews out is just god's way of effing with you.
and you know what is the best thing about finishing this hike? going to get me some korean bbq afterwards. yeah, the cycle is vicious.
This really is one of my favorite workout places in and away from LA. What a wonderfully beautiful and remote (well sort of) area up in the mountains! There are a couple great trail running options here and you can go for as many miles as you want. My longest up there was a 9 miler to Mulholland Dr. and back but if you're really hard core there's a 16 miler to Will Rogers and back. The trails are well maintained and dry as hell so have water with you. One of the highlights of this trail is Eagle Rock which is 1.8 miles from the trailhead and is a fairly steep climb but worth every bit of it. Run early in the morning if you can as the trails are super sun exposed and you're trying to have fun, not cook yourself.
There's a parking lot at the trailhead for a small fee or you can park for free on the road just before you enter the actual gate to the park, which is my suggestion. It's only a short walk from there to the trailheads and you're off on your adventure. If you're lucky you'll see some wildlife; I've seen plenty of deer and a huge 10-point buck that I thought was going to eat me, but he could care less- guess I hadn't burned off enough fat yet.
Beware: NO DOGS. There is NO written indication of this, only a photo with a "dog" that looks like a fucking horse crossed out. Some phoney ass park ranger with her fancy hat tried to chew us out pretty badly but I pissed her off enough & luckily, she fled on her steed into the sunset. Literally. It was great.
Anyway, also beware of ticks and ringworm. Because I just got back and my fiancee found a tick in his hair while he was driving to CVS to get me jock itch cream for my ringworm.
Other than that, have a good time!
This is my back yard!
There is something magical in early morning hikes through the canyons and along the hills. I finally broke down and bought a map (recommended) to see if there was any thing I missed over the last few years. As it turns out I did miss a lot. We did the hike to Pacific Palisades (10 miles RT) this time. The beach views are amazing!
Spring time brings out the wild flowers and lots of cute WILD critters. The animals are most active in the early a.m. or on overcast days. With all the rains over the last two years the vegetation is very lush and the flowers are amazing. Bring your allergy medications and a camera! Packing in a lunch or light snack as well as plenty of water is a great idea even on a cool day. Wear comfortable hiking shoes and loose clothing. AND DON"T FORGET SUNSCREEN!
You are allowed to mountain bike on many of the trails but the terrain has taken a beating with all the storms so be prepared for a rough go and lots of muddy patches. I saw lots of people walking their bikes out :(
This is one of the best day trips inside LA county!
Absolutely gorgeous! It's been years since I've gone hiking, and two days ago, I hiked to Eagle Rock. My glutes are still screaming right now, actually, so even though I want to head back and check out the other trails, at the moment I can barely handle the walk from the parking lot to my office.
There's a parking lot ($5), but also plenty of parking just outside the gates. It's free, and if you're going to be walking 5+ miles anyway, why not?
Make sure to bring plenty of water. We didn't get started on our hike until lunchtime, unfortunately, so it was pretty warm out. Luckily, there's still a cool breeze running through, so I didn't completely melt. It was also quite lovely to sit near the top of Eagle Rock and snack on my trail mix while enjoying the awesome view.
Make sure to wear comfortable clothes. This isn't exactly your normal walk in the park. On our way down, we saw two guys huffing and puffing their way up while wearing nice slacks and polo shirts. This also might not be the best activity for taking your young kiddies. As we were almost back at the parking lot, we say one family with two little boys, and one of the boys looked at us and said, "How much farther?" Yikes! They were probably only a quarter of a mile into the hike.
Oh yeah, if you see what looks like a small pile of brown pebbles, avoid it! People do take horses up here!
Topanga is a wonderful state park accessible from anywhere in Los Angeles. There are numerous hiking trails and interesting views. When in season, the wildflowers are spectacular. If you are at all into photography, be sure to bring a camera for unexpected flora and fauna. There is also some typical Topanga zaniness, such as drum circles during the full moon.
I've hiked here dozens, if not hundreds, of times and never been disappointed. I do remember once thinking, "If something happened to me, no one would find me for months!" Hiking here might be a bad idea for you if you are allergic to bees or scared of snakes.
Topanga State Park is fantastic. Every year during the hottest part of the summer, we head out to traverse the length of the park to get from the Valley to the Ocean.
Some of the cooler aspects of this park are all the random little things within its bounds. First off, Eagle Rock, also known as the most dangerous lunch spot on earth. Really though, it is a lot of fun. Tons of little caves, some are a bit father down that others. Watch out, cause sometimes they will be bees getting water out of random nooks.
The hub isn't all that interesting in of itself, but the fact it has so many trails arriving there is pretty impressive. Look for the information sign there. If you hang out here, you see all sorts of people passing by.
Another sweet spot in the park is Musch Camp. It's like a little spot under some trees. There is water and a restroom here. Apparently, you can camp here, but I doubt they allow fires, and what is a camping trip without a camp fire?
Trippet Ranch seems cool. I dunno what is here really though that is all that interesting. Saw some deer here once.
And then the trails. We take a 14 mile winding route each summer. There are fat fire roads and skinny little foot paths. You would be fine on a bike on most of the fire roads and bigger paths.
Anyway, very highly recommended hiking spot.
I discovered the Dead Horse trail here a year ago and have returned many times since. This last time a group of friends joined me on the hike up to Eagle Rock. Some of us are from the Studio City area, others from Santa Monica and it took no more then 20 minutes to get to the park for any of us.
Topanga Canyon is such a nice escape from the city, nicely wooded and once you get into the park the views are incredible. The terrain goes in and out of the woods, across streams and up the side of the mountain. Once you get to Eagle Rock, it is a 360 degree view from the valley to the ocean, it is breathtaking and a great place for a picnic. The hike from Trippet Ranch is about 2 miles there and 2 miles back. If you park inside the parking lot, it is 8 dollars, which I think is pretty steep, but I've never had trouble finding free parking alongside the road right outside the entrance. Also, this park has some of the nicest and cleanest park bathrooms I've ever been in (automatic everything!)!
This last time we ended our afternoon with mai tais and fish tacos at Dukes Barefoot Bar in Malibu, which was a short 15 minute drive, it felt like we were on a tropical vacation that was only a short drive away!
Every time we go hiking here, its been beautiful. we're done the Eagle Rock loop and the Santa Ynez Canyon trail to the waterfall. granted when i saw it, the falls were pretty small but there was still plenty of water and happy froggies.
the views are amazing on clear days but a cloudy, misty day is just as beautiful. on top of eagle rock it looked the world disappeared into the mist - kinda spooky. we saw lots of deer grazing in the meadow and plenty of songbirds.
there's a campground and parking is available for a small fee (support state parks!!). you'll be sharing some trails with mountain bikers and horses so just be aware. none of us had cell phone signal here but once you get back into town you may get some bars.
A great place for hiking and expending the calories accumulated by my gluttony every weekend. The drive to the park along Topanga Canyon blvd off the PCH is really beautiful as the roads winds along the canyon. Parking is $5 and make sure you get exact change as it is a self pay system.
I went to Eagle Rock and took the Musch trail, though a lot of people prefer to take the Eagle Springs fire road. The Musch trail is longer and a bit more strenuous than the fire road, but worth the effort. The trail starts off on a paved road and then takes off into the mountains. The path is well marked so you don't have to guess which way to go. The path winds along some meadows and occasionally gets into dense vegetation and shrubs. The whole area was pretty dry but nevertheless beautiful. The later part does get strenuous as you gain elevation pretty quickly. The view up from Eagle Rock is pretty good,but the ocean was covered by a haze. Hiking back I took the Fire Road from the Eagle Rock junction and it was not much challenging as compared to the Musch trail. The whole loop was about 5.5mi and it was a good workout.
This is a good place to plan a day long hike and I will definitely be back here to do the remaining trails.
Took the hike to Eagle Rock when there was morning cloud cover that lasted the whole way up. The first time going up so I tried the firetrail and decided to take the Musch trail down. The overcast made for a different hiking experience. You felt like walking in clouds. I knew that I would not see anything but that made it the more fun. So lesson learned is to get out there regardless of the weather.
Incredibly beautiful!
This is what California is all about, or at least this is how Los Angeles SHOULD be! Topanga Canyon is hidden slightly in-land and south of Malibu, quiet and isolated, yet close to EVERYTHING. There is NO CELL reception, so it's actually a refuge from the mayhem of life.
I spent one of the best weekend in my recent memory doing NOTHING in Topanga. I would go back in heartbeat.
Rattlesnakes. I have seen about ten of them here. Babies to huge six footers. This is a nice place for reading or hiking. It is nice to bring a blanket and have a picnic. There are a lot of trails and the mountains have a good energy to them. There are clean bathrooms and tons of benches. You can barbecue here too. I think this is one of the better parks in la. There is a five dollar price to enter the park (not that bad) or you can park a little down the road and walk in.
Isn't it nice in this city that some of the greatest activities are free? Great to just picnic or take any type of hike you're up for. Hot tip: go on a windy day when the air is clear and views are stunning due to a lock of haze/smog.
This is a great weekend place to hike. I usually enter off Sunset Blvd and Paseo Miramar from the Pacific Palisades side. The top of the ocean hike is great. The trail runs along a fire road and is about 5 miles round trip with a steady incline. At the top of the trail is the most magnificent ocean and city view of Santa Monica, Westwood, and Century City. There can be a ton of rattlesnakes so stick to the middle of the path and keep an eye out.
I went on the Los Liones Trail. Once you reach the top, there's is a bench and it overlooks Santa Monica. On a clear day you can look out into the ocean or you can pick out every building if you recognize the neighborhood.
Absolutely lovely. Memorial day, after a couple days of drinking and overindulging in various sins, my friend Eveli and I decided to do something healthy. That is, something other than consuming massive amounts of alcohol followed by nasty, greasy food. That really left us with only a few options. One was a big ol hike. We ruled out Runyon Canyon because it still seemed very much part of the city, and we liked the pics we saw online of Topanga Canyon. We drove there and the traffic was not too terrible, and we parked and started the walk to Eagle Rock, about a 4 mile hike round trip. It was uphill, and both of us were somewhat out of shape, but it was a great hike, because it was challenging at points, but not to the degree we got totally winded. The views were amazing.....as we climbed higher the area below was completely surrounded by ocean. As we reached the top of Eagle Rock, we both felt a sense of accomplishment, and hung out at the top for a while and enjoyed the view. It would have been a great place for a picnic had we planned in advance. I plan to come back here again to explore other grails, there was a 10 mile one to Pacific Palisades that I would like to take as I slowly begin to get used to hikin again.