Читать книгу 101 Hikes in Southern California. Exploring Mountains, Seashore, and Desert онлайн

71 страница из 88

Distance: 2.8 miles (loop)

Total Elevation Gain/Loss: 850'/850'

Hiking Time: 1½ hours

Optional Maps: Trails Illustrated Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area or USGS 7.5-minute Topanga

Best Times: All year

Agency: SMMNRA

Difficulty: Moderate

Trail Use: Good for kids

Spring lingers long on the coastal slopes of the Santa Monica Mountains, which are frequently bathed from May until July in the sopping-wet breath of the marine layer. This is quintessential coastal sage-scrub and chaparral country, a particular habitat that is fast succumbing to urban development all over Southern California. All through spring and early summer, you can enjoy the scents of sage and wildflowers on the trails of Temescal Canyon, part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and Topanga State Park. With an early start on a foggy morning, you may find yourself punching right through the mist as you ascend into the bright, sunny world above.

To Reach the Trailhead: Begin at Temescal Gateway Park, just north of the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Temescal Canyon Road in Pacific Palisades, 1 mile north of Pacific Coast Highway by way of Temescal Canyon Road. Park for a fee inside the park from sunrise to sunset. Pets are allowed on the short paths in Temescal Gateway Park, but they are prohibited on the outlying trails ahead, which enter Topanga State Park.