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Summary: The hike starts out with stunning views of the mountains as you gain 1600 foot of elevation along the somewhat overgrown Malibu Springs Trail. After about 2 miles the trail levels out and views of both Nicholas Flat and the lovely coastline emerge. There are a number of trail options to traverse the meadows area, with the highlight of the hike being Nicholas pond and the stunning overlook on the backside of the pond. The hike out takes you along a short section of the Decker School Road before connecting with another section of the Malibu Springs Trail, which will lead you back to your car. We encountered plenty of ticks along the Malibu Springs Trail, so dress accordingly. We also almost stepped on a baby rattlesnake, so keep your eyes open on the trail. Another good resource for this hike, as well as many others in this area, is the Mileage Hiking Maps shown in the list of guidebooks. Trailhead: From the 101 freeway in Thousand Oaks, take Kanan Road to the Pacific Coast Highway. Turn right (north) and follow it for 10 miles to Mulholland Highway. Turn right and drive 3.1 miles to a very small turnout on the right with a trailhead marker for Malibu Springs Trail. A few hundred yards beyond the trailhead marker, you will encounter a chain link gate. Just walk around it and continue up the trail. (Lat:34.08378 Lon:-118.91816) Trail Guides for Nicholas Flat via Malibu Springs Trail: Mileage Hiking Maps by James Caballero () Trail Map - Santa Monica Mtns West by Tom Harrison () Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, User Groups: Hikers, Ranger Contact: Santa Monica Mtn Recreation Area, 818-597-9192 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 3/17/2010 Error: Reserved Word Found: update
Reviewed by Scott on 3/10/2010 Error: Reserved Word Found: update
Reviewed by Scott on 3/9/2010 Error: Reserved Word Found: update
Reviewed by Cassie on 2/15/2010 Yesterday my boyfriend and I hiked this trail for Valentine's Day. It took us a while to find because we came the back way through Mulholland Hwy and didn't take the PCH because of traffic. Once we made it to the trail, we were very excited. A great workout going up, but it can be tricky finding the correct trail once you get around the pond/lookout and the ocean views. We got lost once or twice, but eventually made it down very close to nightfall. Overall I would definitely do it again. BEAUTIFUL ocean views!!
Reviewed by Ro on 11/9/2009 Hiked a portion of this trail on Sunday afternoon with my new hiking buddy Seth. You get treated to a nice little workout at the beginning since it was mostly uphill. Enjoyed the change in scenery from open to shaded area. We eventually reached a peak which was opposite from the pond, but you still get a nice view of the ocean (even in the midst of fog). Due to time constraints we headed back to the parking lot after about 3 hours of hiking. Would be nice to come back and cover more of the trail in the near future.
Reviewed by Kyle on 5/31/2009 Did the hike today with my girlfriend. It started out great, because we were looking for a nice long strenuous hike. A lot of uphill in the beginning. The views we saw were amazing the entire way up. It was when we reach the flats things got a little hairy. No signs pointing in the direction of the loop, and a lot of forks in the trail to lead you astray. We ended up all the way back down by PCH and ran out of trail at a campground. It would have been a lot better if there were clear signs saying which way was the Malibu Springs Loop. Overall great hike. Would love to try it again and do the real loop. 
Reviewed by Remi on 1/11/2009 Wonderful Hike. We did it today at 12:30 and we were the only persons until we hit to trail junction. The trail need a little TOC. Some part of trail have covered by tall grass. You definately want to were long sleeve and long pant. and it would be aweful if you hike down after sunset. Pond is great but I don't know if dogs are allowed to swim in. Saw to dogs swiming there today. One the top of the rock next to pond, you can see great ocean view as everyone said. It would be nice if there are more signs but since I have a Pocket PC loaded with memory-map navigator, I am ok. There is also a trail pass the pond and continue heading east. I wonder where it goes.
Reviewed by Brian on 9/21/2008 My fiancee and I enjoyed this hike but thought the trail itself could definitely use some tender loving care. Due to time constraints we weren't able to finish but I think I will come back sometime soon and finish it up. Overall it was a pretty good hike. 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||