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Santa Ynez Canyon Trail - 1 member in 4 triplogs has rated this an average 3 ( 1 to 5 best )
4 triplogs
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Jun 25 2021
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 Guides 1
 Routes 209
 Photos 1,231
 Triplogs 196

male
 Joined Mar 14 2015
 Phoenix, AZ
Santa Ynez Canyon TrailLos Angeles, CA
Santa Ynez Canyon Trail
Los Angeles, CA
Hiking avatar Jun 25 2021
astrobrewer • Triplogs 196
Hiking7.92 Miles 1,704 AEG
Hiking7.92 Miles   3 Hrs   28 Mns   2.36 mph
1,704 ft AEG      7 Mns Break
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Found a few hikes in my old phone that never got posted..

This area had burned in the Palisades Fire just a few days earlier, and I wanted to see the fire damage. There was no fire damage at the beginning of the trail. The first sign of fire was around the fork to the waterfall trail. Beyond that there were some burned areas along the trail. Once up on the ridge the fire are could be seen to the East in areas that are not really accessible due to step terrain and heavy dense chaparral.

Between Trippet Ranch and Eagle Rock I saw a lot of burned areas. Kudos to the fire fighters for stopping the fire before it got to the houses in Topanga Canyon!

Addendum: I forgot to write about the most amazing thing that happened on this hike. On the way back I was thinking about some deer I saw in the area a couple years ago and was looking around to see if I could find them again. When I am almost back at the trail head I hear this loud CRASH! and then a moment later another CRASH! Something heaving is crashing through the chapparal. I froze in my tracks and all of a sudden two large deer land on the trail just ahead of me, then leap into the overgrown chapparal off the trail making a loud CRASH! They leap and crashes through the brush a couple more times and reach the dry stream bed and then run off quietly. I guess they heard me coming and decided they wanted to be in the stream bed to get away from me. I have never heard loud chrashes like that, and between the sudden loud sound and deer going full speed towards me just a few yards away left my heart pounding. I wish I could have gotten a picture or video, but there was no time for that. One thing is for sure is that those deer must have tough skin! If I somehow jumped into that thick underbrush crashing through the bushes and branches I would be badly cut up if not impaled. Anyway that was a very cool and exciting thing to see.
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  1 archive
Jun 02 2018
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 Guides 1
 Routes 209
 Photos 1,231
 Triplogs 196

male
 Joined Mar 14 2015
 Phoenix, AZ
Santa Ynez Canyon TrailLos Angeles, CA
Santa Ynez Canyon Trail
Los Angeles, CA
Hiking avatar Jun 02 2018
astrobrewer • Triplogs 196
Hiking10.16 Miles 2,038 AEG
Hiking10.16 Miles   3 Hrs   51 Mns   2.64 mph
2,038 ft AEG
 
Linked   linked  
East Topanga Fire Road
Partners none no partners
As usual the bottom of the Santa Ynez Canyon trail was very shady and cool. The tall grasses and plants were encroaching on the trail in places, but it was still easily passable. Also there was lots and lots of poison oak growing in the shade all over the bottom of the canyon. I definitely kept my eyes down on the trail as I was walking instead of looking all around because I didn't want to accidentally step off the trail and end up in the poison oak. It was a relief when I got to the switchback that starts the climb out of the canyon and into the sunny trail up the ridge. Lots of lizards all over the place. Also lots of butterflies which seemed to be attracted to my day-glo yellow HAZ shirt. The bright HAZ shirt also got comments from some of the hikers I passed ("Hey Arizona!" "Grand Canyon!" and "Camelback!").

After getting up to Trippet Ranch I decided follow the East Topanga Fire Road back towards the South for a couple of miles towards the Parker Mesa Overlook. This was the last major trail section in the area that I hadn't hiked, and now I can check that off. The fire road was not very exciting and had quite a few people since it was a nice day. I followed the fire road to the junction to the spur that goes to the Overlook, then I turned back. I thought about going to the Overlook, but it was a bit hazy and the view wouldn't have been very special so I skipped it. On the way back I turned off the fire road at the interpretive nature trail near Trippet Ranch. A California King Snake crossed the trail and disappeared into the underbrush before I could snap a picture with my phone.

All in all a great day for hiking. It was pleasantly cool with an occasional breeze. Lots of different plants in bloom.
 Flora
 Flora [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Banana Yucca  Bladderpod Mustard  Bracken Fern  Dodder  Pacific poison oak  Wild Strawberry
 Fauna
 Fauna [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Variegated Fritillary Butterfly  Western Fence Lizard
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Trail Signs and Markings
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Jan 14 2017
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 Guides 1
 Routes 209
 Photos 1,231
 Triplogs 196

male
 Joined Mar 14 2015
 Phoenix, AZ
Santa Ynez Canyon TrailLos Angeles, CA
Santa Ynez Canyon Trail
Los Angeles, CA
Hiking avatar Jan 14 2017
astrobrewer • Triplogs 196
Hiking7.54 Miles 1,451 AEG
Hiking7.54 Miles   3 Hrs   44 Mns   2.09 mph
1,451 ft AEG      8 Mns Break
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
My main intent was to get back to the Santa Ynez Waterfall since my last time up I turned back just shy of the actual waterfall. There's been significant rain in So Cal these last couple of weeks so I expected the waterfall to be flowing well. Sure enough, there was water in the normally dry stream bed not far from the trail head. On past hikes I hadn't really noticed that the trail crosses the stream bed multiple times because there was never any water flowing. This time there was water. It was only a few inches deep, but I had to find rocks to step across on to keep my shoes dry. Anticipating water I brought along one of my trekking poles to use as a hiking stick to help me balance on the slippery stones, and I'm glad that I did. Even though there was a lot more (than none) water flowing in the stream on the lower part of the trail, the upper part near the waterfall was about the same as in December. But there was water all over the place seeping out of slopes and the dirt trail was moist everywhere. Curious. Anyway, I made it to the actual waterfall. It's about a 16' foot fall that runs down a rock face into a little pond. It turns out that it was only maybe 100' past where I turned around last time.

After seeing the waterfall I took the canyon trail up to Trippet Ranch to get a little workout. Along the way a little mole was on the trail heading towards me. I tried to get a picture, but the little guy kept moving closer and I only got a blurry shot. He was only about 4" long and looked very soft and fuzzy with his little naked mole nose and front paws. I turned left at the nature trail to go to Trippet instead of staying on the main trail and having to hike on the fire road. Lots of people out today.
 Flora
 Flora [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Coral Fungus  Gilled Mushrooms
 Fauna
 Fauna [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Broad-footed Mole
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Trail Signs and Markings
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Aug 13 2016
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 Guides 1
 Routes 209
 Photos 1,231
 Triplogs 196

male
 Joined Mar 14 2015
 Phoenix, AZ
Eagle Loop from Sta Ynez TH, CA 
Eagle Loop from Sta Ynez TH, CA
 
Hiking avatar Aug 13 2016
astrobrewer • Triplogs 196
Hiking8.46 Miles 1,708 AEG
Hiking8.46 Miles   3 Hrs   48 Mns   2.42 mph
1,708 ft AEG      18 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Santa Ynez Canyon Trail
Musch Trail
Partners none no partners
After a couple week hiatus from hiking due to work demands I made it to a trail in Cali. The first mile from the trailhead follows the bottom of the canyon and was shady and pleasant. The next mile climbs up out of the canyon and it was hot. Not Arizona hot, but hot nonetheless. A lot of the climb up to the fire road was in the hot sun with head reflecting from the ground and no wind. There were a few spots that had a clear view down the canyon and the sea breeze was cool and refreshing.

Just before reaching the fire road a little garter snake dashed across the trail right in front of me. He was much too fast for me to get a picture. Oh well. I followed the fire road to Eagle Junction and then took the Musch trail back down. This was my first time on the Musch trail and it was good to get off the big (and hot) wide fire road and walk on a single track trail. The trail goes past the Musch campground which was empty, and then ended up at Trippet Ranch where I picked up the fire road back to the Santa Ynez Canyon Trail.
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average hiking speed 2.38 mph

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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