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 Reporter |
Summary: An adventurous loop hike on poorly marked trails through one of the most rugged areas of the Santa Monica Mountains. The hike starts out south along a densely wooded creek running into Rustic Canyon, that is quite lovely after recent rains. A side trip will take you to the blue gorge, a 6 foot wide, 20 foot high slot cut into the granite by the stream. Our loop then heads west along Bay Tree trail, named after a Bay tree with a small spring bubbling out of its roots. As the trail begins to move northwest, stop and have lunch at Cathedral Rock, near the junction of the Backbone and Temescal trails. A fun spot to climb on the rocks. The trail then double backs northeast along the Garaptio trail back to the car, with lovely mountain views along the way. Take a compass, a good map, and the directions from the guide book referenced for this hike. It's a full day outing, so bring water and food. Thanks to Eric Altizer for showing me this great hike! Trailhead: From the San Fernando Valley, take Reseda Blvd south to where it dead ends into Mulholland Drive. Walk a short distance up Reseda Blvd, then turn left on Mulholland. About a half mile up Mulholland, go a few hundred feet past the trail head to Timescale Ridge Trail, and bear right on a trail paralleling Mulholland. A short distance along this trail, you will see an unmarked, but distinct trail on your right dropping down into Rustic Canyon. This is the start of the adventure! (Lat:34.12914 Lon:-118.55326) Trail Guides for Upper Rustic - Garapito Loop: Afoot & Afield In Los Angeles by Jerry Schad (Wilderness Press) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Winter, User Groups: Hikers, Ranger Contact: Topanga State Park 310 455 2465 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Jim Zuber, who has posted 104 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Page 1 of 3 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Scott on 2/7/2010 I am reposting my review as it gave me an arror prompt the last time. I must have used one of the invalid characters. :) I found the trail from dirt Mulholland down into Rustic Canyon, and followed it no problem to the west fork. I went beyond the west fork to find the Blue Gorge, but eventually the canyon just narrowed and became enclosed by brambles, so I turned back. Tried to find the Bay Tree Trail from the west fork, but was unsuccessful. Watch out for ticks coming down from dirt Mulholland.
Reviewed by Scott on 2/4/2010 Error: Reserved Word Found: ; 
Reviewed by Jan L. on 1/11/2010 I loved this hike. A group of hearty souls trekked down into Rustic Canyon from Mulholland Dr. We easily found the turn toward the Bay Tree Trail as someone had marked it with a light orange/pink ribbon. We continued to follow the creekbed and found another ribbon marking the Bay Tree Trail. A false start up the hill to the left was a fun climb, but soon realized we hadn't gone far enough to the portion of Bay Tree that climbs out of the canyon. We rolled back down the mountain and then proceeded to follow the creekbed until we found the trail to the left that leads you out of the canyon. Easy to find once you know where you're going. I love this trail and will go back. Looking for the Blue Gorge next time.
Reviewed by RS on 1/3/2010 We followed the GPX track (in reversed direction, we went to Garapito trail first) and found out it is very useful... if GPS receiver can pick up signals... Our GPS receiver stopped working for a while when we were in Bay Tree Trail and we were almost wanted to turn back. Fortunately it resumes and we were able to track the trails. Bay Tree Trail is not for those who have faint of hearts. We keep on looking for trail marks and got lost a few times. Those devil bushes! But it is so fun and we want to do it again. Thanks for posting this wonderful trail.
Reviewed by mountainman on 12/12/2009 Great Topanga hike! Shortest trailhead is the extreme south end of Reseda Blvd. Go up to Mulholland and turn left and proceed for about a mile. Where the Bent Arrow Trail veers to the right, pick-up the trail past the fenced area, turn right, and start to look for a steep narrow trail down, again on the right. Reachs bottom in about 10-15 min.and continues on a downward slope, toward Will Rogers SP. Gets real tricky here. After about 25 min. the trail veers to the right. Hard to find this junction. All my markers have vanished. Look for the "five fingers" on the left (sycamore tree with five distinctive upward branches). Follow this canyon for 20 minutes until reaching the faint Bay Tree Trail on the left. Climbs steeply until Rogers Ridge.
Reviewed by Don T. on 5/26/2009 It was an adventure, but I'd repeat with more research. I eventually lost the trail and bushwacked out of the canyon up to Mulholland. Probably above my abilities and scratches to show for it, but still a fun experience. 
Reviewed by Jessica on 3/21/2009 Got COVERED IN TICKS! I have never seen so many ticks in my life. We found the trail although it is very overgrown but turned around immediately due to the tick crisis. Yuck!
Reviewed by Tom K. on 10/27/2008 Did part of this loop yesterday. I came from San Vicente Mountain Park. I had some trouble finding the trail. A short length of fence lines Mulholland at the gorge 50 feet or so to the west of the trail down into Rustic Canyon. The trail down isn't easy to see from the road, but someone has placed a small sign that says "Rustic Canyon" with an arrow pointing the way down. The trail at the beginning is clear and easy to follow. Farther down it gets more difficult. Once you hit the stream bed keep following it to the right. I picked up Bay Tree Trail not long after I followed the stream bed west. A dirt wall will begin to rise up on the left. It's easy to miss, so keep your eyes peeled. Oh, and bring mosquito repellent! 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||