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Summary: This is a tremendous place to take the family for an outing. Wild, multi-hued sandstone slabs jut our of the ground at a 45 degree angle, rising almost 150 foot in the air. This site was used to film episodes Star Trek and Bonanza. The rocks are actually pretty easy to climb around on if you bring a good pair of hiking shoes. Note that there really is no defined trail system in the park, just a maze of paths leading around the rock formations. Just pick out a good landmark near the parking area and enjoy wandering around the spectacular landscape. Trailhead: From the Antelope Freeway (14) near Canyon Country, exit on Agua Dulce Road. Head north 1.5 miles. Agua Dulce swings west and you join Escondido Canyon Road, proceeding 0.25 miles to the signed Vasquez Rocks County Park entrance on your right. (Lat:34.48596 Lon:-118.31394) Trail Guides for Vasquez Rocks: Afoot & Afield In Los Angeles by Jerry Schad (Wilderness Press) Easy Hiking in Southern California by Ann Marie Brown (Foghorn Press) Day Hikers Guide to Southern California by John McKinney (Olympus Press) Best Seasons: Fall, Winter, Spring User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Horses Ranger Contact: Vasquez Rocks Nature Area - 661-268-0840 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Jim Zuber, who has posted 104 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Page 1 of 5 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by M&M on 1/23/2010 My Husband and I come to Vasquez Rocks every weekend with our Pit Bull doggy. It is our favorite place to come when we want to escape hectic city life. We even came hiking in the rain and had a blast! You discover something new every time you hike the different trails, It's great because there isn't many places in the city to take dogs and allow them to be free and enjoy themselves, it's also great exercise and alot of fresh air.
Reviewed by Ro on 12/10/2009 Explored Vasquez Rocks yesterday afternoon (made it just before closing at 5 p.m.) What a beautiful landscape! Amazing what "25 million years of earthquake activity" can do! I enjoyed climbing up the rocks and going on a self-guided tour of the geology and greenery in the area (including CA buckwheat, juniper, and sagebrush). They are all labelled nicely at the park. There is also a path that leads to the Pacific Crest Trail. This is a great place to take friends and family to. Supposedly the spot is a major archaeological site as well w/ petroglyphs but I ran out of time to explore. Hope to come back again soon with friends and family! 
Reviewed by 150mph on 5/5/2009 Don't miss the south canyon - some of the most awesome formations are there. Bring plenty of water and plan on exploring the park for 2-3 hours - it's hard to get lost. The tunnel mentioned in a previous post leads out of the park to a small canyon with some unique rock formations, but it's not even close to being as interesting as the park side. For lots of photos, panoramas and trip report, see my site: http://planetrambler.com/150mph/090208_vasquezrocks Enjoy!
Reviewed by Dominic I on 3/15/2009 Went to the park today with my Dad and brother. Climbed to the top of the big rock. Lots of trails and cool rocks to climb. My Dad worked there on NCIS. They were building a movie set there when we visited. I would like to go back again and climb more rocks.
Reviewed by Andrea on 3/6/2009 We hiked this area today 3-6-09 for the first time. My oldest daughter (19) and husband enjoyed climbing on the rocks while my youngest daughter (11) and I explored and played with walkie talkies. The trails are not clearly marked but we did eventually stumble upon part of the Pacific crest trail on the east side of the park. Past the grassy flat part toward the freeway. We followed it for a little way but didn't know how long it would be and turned back. Next time we will do the whole loop. After reading some of the other reviews I would also like to go back and find some of the waterfalls that people mention. The park was very clean and practically our own.
Reviewed by DeaconBlues on 12/21/2008 Went out to the Vasquez Rocks for the first time today (12/21) A bit chilly with a breeze from time to time but I had on a long-sleeved shirt and long pants. I was out there for about 90 minutes just exploring where the various trails went. At one point on the way back to the parking lot I walked along a dry creek bed. There was still patches of snow here and there where the sun couldn't get to melt it. Will return in the coming months to hike the trails that go toward the freeway.
Reviewed by Stretch on 8/18/2008 There are tons of small trials to wander around looking at rock formations. However, for those wanting to get out more, head straight down the parking lot and follow the trial till you come out on top of a ridge. Go left and follow the trial till it goes down, at the bottom there is a Y, I tend to go left, explore this way, go straight, but keep exploring to the right, you will find a tunnel going under the hwy 14. This opens up a whole new area of trials. This can be apx a 10 mile loop. I usually out there running.
Reviewed by Rose on 8/12/2008 The first time we went here we ended up staying for almost 5 hours! We took occasional breaks underneath some very amazing rock formations and enjoyed the view from some of the rocks up top. Our boxer dog had no problem climbing the rocks and really enjoyed herself. Definitely recommend lots of sun-block and water since shade is limited and it can get very hot. A very enjoyable place to just walk, hike, and/or climb! Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: California Hiking, California Trails, California Hikes, Los Angeles County Hiking, Los Angeles County Trails, Los Angeles County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||