Big Sycamore Canyon and Serrano Valley Trail Loop(edit)

Overview

This is a difficult loop trail in going through the Sycamore Canyon and the Serrano Valley and is in Point Mugu State Park in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
The Woolsey fire closed the park see 800-444-7275, <www.parks.ca.gov/newsroom> for status.

Getting Started

The trail starts at the Sycamore Canyon Campground. Parking there for day use is $12/day (http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=630). If you want to avoid paying for parking you can park on the Pacific Coast Highway north next to the sand dunes (but carefully check the parking signs). You can walk to the park however if you walk to the entrance you will be walking through an area marked as no pedestrians. From the sand dunes you can walk to where the chain link fence starts and climb over some rocks and bushes to get directly into the park.

Starting at the camp ground walk into the park, stay on the right side of the campground because some of the lanes on the left don't go through. At the end of the campground walk straight past the gate. You'll be on the Sycamore Canyon fire road. The Serrano Canyon trail is the first right a mile or two down the road. The Serrano trail trail goes through a canyon and is a narrow single track trail with lots of vegetation (at least before the fire) including beautiful flowers like the Humbolt Lily. Once in the valley take the left fork and head north on the Serrano Valley trail. You'll start to climb a little and you'll have magnificent views of the mountains leading to the tri-peaks area. Eventually you connect with the Old Boney trail take a left park to Sycamore Canyon fire road and a left returning on Sycamore Canyon.

Just making it to the Serrano valley is an interesting hike which gets to some great views of the mountains.

Dog are not allowed on back country trails in Pt Mugu state park and so not allowed on this hike.

Restrooms available in the campground area.

Taking Children

This is a hard hike although you can turn around at any point. Children would probably find the Sycamore Canyon part fun and the single track is also interesting.