**3.25 miles** **out and back, 600′ gain, Easy Intermediate.**
Let’s celebrate the Fourth of July with a great potluck and fireworks!
We’ll start by entering the Los Padres trail, through a spooky oak covered section, then climb until we reach the fireroad at the 1/2 mile point. We’ll stop and regroup here.
We’ll turn right up the fireroad and climb for about a 1/2 mile to another junction, where we’ll turn right onto the Los Robles trail. After 500 feet, we’ll take a split off to the right and continue along the Vista Loop for another 1/2 mile until we come to a bench at the top.
We’ll have a **potluck here and watch the fireworks**.
You may wish to bring something to sit on, such as a camp chair or a blanket. The bench and area around it will be used to place our pot luck items.
We’ll follow the reverse route back to the cars sometime after the fireworks. It will be dark on the return trip, so please bring a light.
Please bring something to eat and drink, we’ll [share snacks and drinks](https://www.meetup.com/Hiking-Plus/messages/boards/thread/50879772).
If your item requires it, bring plates and utensils to share.
If you wish to leave early, please study the map posted with description so you are able to navigate the return without the host.
Hike Distance: 3.25 miles
Gain: 600′
Distribution: Most of the incline well distributed in the first half.
[Difficulty](https://www.meetup.com/Hiking-Plus/messages/boards/thread/50879781): Easy Intermediate.
Shape: Out and Back
Pace: approx. 2.0 mph.
Trail Type: Fire Road, Single-Track, and Double-Track.
Trail Variations:
Several extended inclines of 1000 steps.
Several steep sections of 300 steps, but no hands required.
Duration: 3.0 hours
Dogs: Yes.
Restrooms: No
Drinking Fountains: No.
Parking: Free along street.
What to bring: 1 liter of water for every 3 miles.
Hiking shoes/boots
Flashlight or headlamp.
Sunscreen and/or hat as needed.
Snacks and/or beverages to share.
**Hosting**
*Route:* The host knows the route. **A pic of the route** [LINK](https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/f/1/a/highres_504907962.jpeg)
*Navigation:* Host memory, enhanced by GPS navigation as needed
*Hike type:* Social.
We won’t be hiking at a fast pace because this is a social hike, not a conditioning hike. There is nothing wrong with stopping, even if it means every 50 steps.
*Stops:*
The host may designate stopping points to let others catch up. We will stop at junctions to make sure everybody makes any turns or chooses the correct direction at splits, else something will be used to mark the direction, usually a large arrow made of baking soda. There may not always be a sweeper designated to be the last hiker.
**Interesting Notes**
These are a couple plants you are likely to see on this hike:
*[Yucca](https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/a/f/5/9/highres_501944889.jpeg)*
White flowers on stalk. Stalk is often missing, leaving only the spires from which it grows. Stalks are very strong and light, so they make good walking sticks. Needles on end of spires. Chopped up root can be uses as shampoo or soap. Roasted root can be eaten like a potato. Illegal to remove live stick in CA.
Pronounced with short u. Dried leaves make good tinder. To eat root, remove skin and core, boil 15 minutes. Then fry or bake. Flowers are mildly sweet. Adam says they taste like radishes. The fruit is also edible, but bitter if not ripe. To access fibers: Soak for a month in water, lightly pound leaves with rock or club, or scrape off skin. Roll between hands, then pull and separate fibers. Weave into cordage.
*[Wild Cucumber](https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/a/f/5/9/highres_501944889.jpeg)*
Toxic. Boil fruit in water to make spikes easy to remove. Inside is a natural luffa. Tubars (thickened part of a stem, usually underground, like the potato) can be crushed and thrown into water to immobilize fish.
Almost the entire plant is poisonous. Although wild cucumbers are related to the familiar, domestic vegetable, the prickly “cucumbers” consist not of fleshy fruit, but of two seed chambers containing lacy netting.
**Directions**
Los Padres Trailhead
15 Los Padres Dr.
Thousand Oaks, CA, 91361
From I-101:
West of CA-23, I-101, exit S. Moorpark Rd.
South on Moorpark Rd. north for 1000 ft.
Left on Los Padres Dr.
After 200 ft, trailhead on the right.
Park on the street.
[FAQ](https://www.meetup.com/Hiking-Plus/pages/23772638/Frequently_Asked_Questions/)
[Release of Liability](https://www.meetup.com/Hiking-Plus/pages/29622459/Is_Hiking_Dangerous/)
