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 Reporter |
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 2 Submit your own review 
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.
Reviewed by Max on 7/28/2008 It was not the easiest hike in the world but very fun. It is key to wear long socks or pants on this hike because the trail has overgrown sage bushes and such. Did not come across any ticks or rattlesnakes luckily but it wouldn't hurt to be prepared for anything. Great views to see though! Unfortunately when we got to the ocean view it was very foggy but I am sure it is beautiful when it's not. Prepare to sweat, but it's a great challenge! 
Reviewed by chad on 1/10/2008 the first two miles of the hike were rugged and a steady uphill climb. It was nice once we reached the meadow and it flattened out a bit, but the trail forks in different directions and there were no signs telling us that we were still on the Nicholas Flat trail, so we turned back around and hiked back downhill to avoid getting lost. We never reached the pond, but the ocean views were very nice. 
Reviewed by E&W on 5/27/2007 The last part of the trail is now practically impassable. It's not possible to reach Nicholas Flat via this trail, unless you don't mind literally crawling through brush for half a mile and you have good GPS guidance. If you want to see the pond and meadow at Nicholas Flat, reach it from the other side via the trail at the end of Decker School Road. The first couple miles of the trail are navigable, if a bit overgrown. There are a few good vistas, but plenty of ticks and poison oak, too.
Reviewed by iwriteplays on 8/8/2006 Wow. This trail was so SEVERELY OVERGROWN that it wasn't navigable at all. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone in this condition. If you really want to go, make sure to wear long pants and sleeves. We got lost multiple times and never even found the pond. I would recommend hiking to Sandstone Peak instead. If you're interested, I documented our ordeal on the Malibu Springs Trail on my blog, Hiking L.A.
Reviewed by Alan on 4/17/2006 Although Malibu Springs Trail was overgrown and "ticky", I found this to be a very nice, challenging hike with beautiful views. The sound of motorcycles zooming Mulholland was a distraction and I wish there was a way to remedy this, but I would still consider this one of my personal favorites in the Santa Monica's. Once you reach the top, though, all you hear is nature. 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||