Kanan Dume to Zuma Ridge Loop 2 11 14
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 7.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,447 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Easy
- Elevation loss
- 1,447 ft
- Max elevation
- 2,429 ft
- TrailRank
- 19
- Min elevation
- 1,406 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Time
- 2 hours 30 minutes
- Coordinates
- 1022
- Uploaded
- February 17, 2014
- Recorded
- February 2014
near Oak Hill, California (United States)
Viewed 428 times, downloaded 4 times
Itinerary description
This hike is about 7.6 miles roundtrip on a beautiful part of the 60-mile Backbone Trail, which runs through the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area from Will Rogers State Park in the east to Point Mugu in the west.
The route begins at Kanan Dume Road and goes westerly on the Backbone Trail, crossing through and then out of Zuma Canyon. The winding canyon trail is sheltered for the first 2.5 miles, and offers views of Newton Falls and Upper Zuma Falls along the way, but then rises up out of the canyon as it reaches the Zuma Ridge Trail. Total gain is about 600 feet.
You then continue on the Zuma Ridge Trail, which turns south and ascends sharply about 1.5 miles and 800 feet up to Buzzard’s Roost Ranch, affording increasing panoramic views along its route. You stop to take in the spectacular Pacific views before returning by the same route. The terrain is a mix of single and double-file trail and open fire road.
About half of the hike is wooded and shaded canyon trails, but the route gives way to open hillsides and ridgelines, before reaching an open area over the Pacific. Since we begin on the floor of Zuma Canyon and reach exposed areas above the Pacific, weather can range from calm and humid to misty with ocean winds to quite warm and dry conditions.
The route begins at Kanan Dume Road and goes westerly on the Backbone Trail, crossing through and then out of Zuma Canyon. The winding canyon trail is sheltered for the first 2.5 miles, and offers views of Newton Falls and Upper Zuma Falls along the way, but then rises up out of the canyon as it reaches the Zuma Ridge Trail. Total gain is about 600 feet.
You then continue on the Zuma Ridge Trail, which turns south and ascends sharply about 1.5 miles and 800 feet up to Buzzard’s Roost Ranch, affording increasing panoramic views along its route. You stop to take in the spectacular Pacific views before returning by the same route. The terrain is a mix of single and double-file trail and open fire road.
About half of the hike is wooded and shaded canyon trails, but the route gives way to open hillsides and ridgelines, before reaching an open area over the Pacific. Since we begin on the floor of Zuma Canyon and reach exposed areas above the Pacific, weather can range from calm and humid to misty with ocean winds to quite warm and dry conditions.
You can add a comment or review this trail
Comments