7 miles, 1200′ gain, Intermediate
Join us at the Ray Miller Trail in Pt Mugu to escape the heat. Expect the temp to be about 75° at 6:00 p.m today.
This is a 7-mile loop, with a picnic table at the halfway point. We will be taking the Ray Miller Trail up, and the Scenic Trail down. The last 1.5 miles of the hike will be a walk along the PCH from Sycamore Canyon to La Jolla Canyon. We have the option of walking along the road or the beach.
Most of the trail is exposed, so bring sun protection and lots of water. 2-3 Liters per person is recommended.
We will meet on the cliff side of the PCH right outside the La Jolla Canyon entrance. DO NOT PARK IN THE PARKING LOT as it closes at 8:00 p.m. Parallel park on the PCH, being mindful of parking signs. Parking on the PCH is only until 10:00 p.m., so we will plan on finishing the hike before 10:00 p.m.
Directions:
La Jolla Canyon/Ray Miller Trailhead
(Near) 9000 Pacific Coast Hwy
Malibu, CA 90265
From Los Angeles
Take the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) north, 22 miles from Malibu Canyon Rd. Across the street from Thornhill Broome Beach is the entrance to La Jolla Canyon. It is very clearly marked. Park on either side of the PCH being mindful of paring signs. DO NOT PARK IN THE LOT as it closes too early.
From Ventura
Take PCH eastward, continuing 4 miles past Las Posas Road, before Thornhill Broome Beach. Park on either side of the PCH. You may need to make a U-turn, if you’re parking on the cliff side of the PCH.
Do not leave anything of value in your car, at this or any other trailhead.
This hike is on the harder end of the intermediate spectrum, based on distance and elevation gain. Fit beginners will do fine on this hike, but this hike may be too hard for fresh beginners. If it becomes too hard, they can always turn around and go back the way we came. Nearly all of the elevation gain is in the first half.
The event host will be stopping at various points to let people catch up. Those that wish to move ahead at a faster pace, are welcome to do so if they know the route but are on their own regarding navigation.
The Hike
We will meet at the intersection of the PCH and the La Jolla Canyon entrance. After our usual 15-minute grace period, we will walk about 2/10ths of a mile to the actual trailhead, which is the Ray Miller Trailhead. The next 2.7 miles of the hike will be a steady uphill, with ever expanding ocean views. This hill is not too steep but will likely get your heart pounding. There, we will turn right on the Overlook Trail. After another 0.9 miles, we will arrive at a picnic table where we will have our social event. We will likely cut it shorter than usual in order to finish the hike on time. After the social event, we continue down the Overlook Trail to the Scenic Trail. Then the Scenic Trail will take us down to Sycamore Canyon Campground. Finally, we will take the road back to our cars for about 1.5 miles. We have the option of walking along the road the entire way or walking along the beach for part of the way.
The Social Event:
This is a pot-luck hike. We’ll be stopping at the 1/2-way point at a picnic table, so please bring food and drink to share, and any utensils your items might require. However, we will likely limit it to 30 minutes this time in order to finish the hike early enough to move our cars before 10:00 p.m.
Details
Distance: ~7.2 miles
Gain: ~1200′
Distribution: 90+% of the incline is in the first half.
Difficulty: Upper intermediate spectrum.
Shape: Clockwise loop.
Pace: Moderate, depends on the group.
Trail Type: Fire road, double track, and single track.
Duration: 3.5 hours (hike)
Dogs: This is a state park so dogs are not allowed.
Restrooms: Yes, porta-potties.
Drinking Fountains: Yes.
Parking: DO NOT PARK IN THE LOT. The lot closes early. Park on the PCH, being mindful of parking signs. We will meet at the entrance to La Jolla Canyon, not at the trailhead. We will only walk to the trailhead after waiting for everyone to arrive.
Navigation: Host memory and GPS navigation as needed.
Track can be found here:
Hike type: Conditioning/Social.
We won’t be hiking at a very fast pace because this is a conditioning/social hike, not a true conditioning hike. There is nothing wrong with stopping, even if it means every 100 steps.
Helpful Links
Official Info
Rules and Regulations
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