Botany Hike Saturday May 21st at Crags Trail, Santa Monica Mountains

Botany Hike
Crags Trail, Santa Monica Mountains in LA County

Saturday May 21, 2022
9am – 1pm
Leader: David Torfeh

Crags Trail in the central Santa Monica Mountains is a colorful wonderland of wildflowers and butterflies right now. This area south of Malibou Lake burned in the 2018 Woolsey Fire.   The trail goes through coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and several stands of Coast Live Oaks and Western Sycamores.  Naturalist David Torfeh will lead our hike from the trailhead to the old MASH movie set. We will see Woolly Blue Curls (Trichostema lanatum), Golden Yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum var. confertiflorum), and several Clarkia species.  David will also point out butterflies and birds we encounter.

We will meet at the Crags trailhead at the east end of Crags Rd. at 9:00 A. M.  Bring water and a snack to eat for lunch. Also bring hiking boots, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Face masks are requested, and please don’t attend if you’re not feeling well. Watch out for mountain bikes.  The nearest public restrooms are located at Paramount Ranch, which you’ll pass as you drive on Cornell Way.  Hike ends at 1:00 P.M.

Reserve ahead: Call (805) 794-5334 to RSVP.  Limited to 20 participants.

Directions: From Santa Barbara and Ventura, take the 101 Freeway to Kanan Rd. and head south (toward the ocean). Turn left on Cornell Way, and proceed straight past Mulholland Hwy., where the road becomes Lake Vista Dr.  Continue past Malibou Lake and turn left on Crags Road.  Park on Seminole Dr. or Lookout Dr., because there is no parking at or near the trailhead.  Walk east along Crags Rd. to the dead-end, where the Crags trailhead is located.