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 Reporter |
Summary: This hike takes you up a somewhat steep trail to the lovely China flat, an open area with clusters of oak trees. Perfect for a picnic lunch. Just a mile from China flat, you ascend to Simi Peak, with a commanding few of the surrounding communities. The hiking guide books suggest a variety of routes for this hike, with all of them being enjoyable. Trailhead: From Highway 101/Ventura Freeway in Westlake, exit on Lindero Canyon Road. Drive 4 miles north and park on Lindero Canyon Road by the China Flat Trailhead on the left. It is located between King James Court and Wembly Avenue. (Lat:34.192759 Lon:-118.775986) Trail Guides for China Flat and Simi Peak: Day Hikes in Ventura County California by Robert Stone (Day Hike Books) Afoot & Afield In Los Angeles by Jerry Schad (Wilderness Press) On The Trail - Malibu to Santa Barbara by Cathy Philipp (Cathy Philipp Publishing) Best Seasons: Fall, Winter, Spring User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Bikes, Horses Ranger Contact: National Park Service - 818-597-9192 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Jim Zuber, who has posted 105 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Page 1 of 3 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Bruce on 6/7/2008 Warm today but very doable in the high seventies and low eighties. China flats is something to see, and you will appreciate the shade after the hike up. The side trip to Simi Peak is easy and provides a good view. What is the lake bearing NW from Simi Peak?
Reviewed by M.Jinsen on 3/30/2008 My boyfriend and I went on this hike yesterday and really enjoyed it. The weather was about 60 degrees with a cool breeze which was perfect since this trail lacks shady areas. The views are beautiful especially at points where you don’t see any housing development. Throughout the China Flat trail are wild flowers, greenery and interesting rock formations. I recommend wearing some good, comfortable hiking shoes with ankle support and ample tread. Steep in some areas, but makes for a great workout!! Fellow hikers that we passed were very friendly as well as the few mountain bikers. The only complaint I have are for the people that bring their dogs to clean up after them. Other than that, this is a great trail and we will definitely go aga 
Reviewed by Droidly on 3/9/2008 My wife and I hiked this trail yesterday and it was beautiful! Because of our wet winter, the foliage is still green, so NOW is the time to go. I recommend this hike to all as it is one of the more interesting in our area. The trail is a bit challenging, but start early and bring plenty of water. Although the trails can be confusing as mentioned in an earlier post, print out an arial from google earth and you won't have any problems. The views from Simi Peak are spectacular and well worth the extra 2 miles from China Flats. There is now a logbook on the summit that is fun to read.
Reviewed by Wild Bill on 2/19/2008 This is a fantastic exercise hike. My entry point is Lang Ranch in Thousand Oaks. It's about 9 miles to Simi Peak and back. Below you will see my video of the hike to China Flat and the Simi Peak itself. Enjoy. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7036644750924118354&q=hiking+thousand+oaks&total=7&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=2
Reviewed by Steve on 1/19/2008 Up hill all the way in, but worth the trip. Cool and shady oak glen along with old "ruins" of ranch at top is the reward. Continue up to the Simi Peak with great overlook of Conejo Valley. Also nice overlook into Simi Valley. Not a hike for small kids or anyone out of shape.
Reviewed by Rebecca on 1/15/2008 Just did this lovely hike with my dogs on a hot January day. There's no shade or water to speak of on the way up, but it's still a great way to spend an afternoon. The scenery (even after the fire) is beautiful, and so are all of the neat rock outcroppings. Trails are poorly marked, so it's tough to tell where you're supposed to go - I got a bit disoriented on the way down, but just kept watching for the swimming pools I saw on the way up. (Next time I'll be bringing our GPS - it'd be nice to see how high we climbed.) We didn't make it out to Simi Peak today - it was too hot for my dogs - but we'll try it again on a cooler day. 
Reviewed by Samantha on 10/29/2007 Phew. My dogs and I hiked this on a late October morning. It was HOT. The views were absolutely gorgeous. However, the shale on the ground ripped their little paws apart, and we got turned around on the way down, and ended up walking 45 minutes the wrong way, and had to walk 45 minutes back to where we lost our trail. We ended up running out of water... It was GNARLY. I do recommend this hike, as it is so lovely. BUT: Bring TONS of water, and leave the pooches at home. Oh, don't forget a hat and some sunscreen. I'll try again in January or February when the heat won't be as much of a factor.
Reviewed by Johnny on 6/11/2007 We are from Chicago - the land of no hills - so we thoroughly enjoyed this hike this morning - 6/11/07! 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, Ventura County Hiking, Ventura County Trails, Ventura County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||