Elliot Mountain Trail and Outlaw Loop Trail in the Conejo Canyons Open Space, Thousand Oaks
Views from Elliot Mountain Peak in the Conejo Canyons Open Space
Burt Elliot was a long-time trail volunteer in the Conejo Open Space and the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. He passed away in 2014, but his name lives on forever in the Conejo Open Space.
The Elliot Mountain Trail is a short (maybe .3 mile) spur trail off of the Outlaw Loop Trail in the Conejo Canyons Open Space in Thousand Oaks. This short, single-track trail leads you to the peak of Elliot Mountain, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the area.
This is about a 4 1/2 to 5 mile hike from the Conejo Canyons Bridge. Elliot Peak is about 975 feet, making it a fairly moderate hike, though indeed half the hike is fairly hilly. Reaching the top of Elliot Peak is slightly rocky, so you want to make sure to wear shoes made for hiking and consider a hiking stick.
Let’s do it:
Access the Conejo Canyons bridge via Santa Rosa Road. Coming from Thousand Oaks, take Moorpark Road north down the Norwegian Grade, where it intersects with Santa Rosa Road. Continue about 3.7 miles on Santa Rosa Road and make a left on Hill Canyon Road. Drive down Hill Canyon Road and you will see a large, flat dirt parking area on the right, adjacent to Santa Rosa Valley Regional Park. There’s also parking in a dirt lot directly across from the Conejo Canyons Bridge on the left.
Take the flat Hill Canyon Trail about a mile until you get to a juncture with a sign. The sign says go straight to the Hawk Canyon Trail or a take a right on the Western Plateau Trail. Take the right.
This is the steepest part of the hike. You’ll go up the Western Plateau Trail about 1/2 mile until you see the first juncture. One the left you’ll see a sign that says “Vista Point,” where you see a bench with nice views. Directly across from there is a post with a “Bell Box” (a box where cyclists can borrow a bell to alert others to their presence). Next to the that is the single track “Outlaw Trail.” That’s where you’re going.
The Outlaw Trail is a mile and a half mostly single track loop trail with fantastic views of the area. Lots of switchbacks on this trail makes it popular with cyclists. I usually see one or two of them up here, and usually zero hikers (excluding yours truly). Shortly after entering the Outlaw Trail, you’ll reach a fork where you decide whether to go clockwise or counter-clockwise. If like me you tend to go clockwise, you’ll eventually will pass a trail to the left (west) called the Lichen Trail. Continue east a few yards to a sign that says Elliot Mountain Trail.
As mentioned above, the Elliot Mountain Trail is a short spur trail to the peak. The final couple dozen steps involve very minor rock climbing as an fyi. Nothing excessive. But it can get slippery. I’ve managed to get up there and back down perfectly fine in regular running shoes and no hiking pole, but just be careful.
Then after enjoying the views, you come back down to the Outlaw Trail and continue your way around the loop back down to the Western Plateau Trail. Enjoy your hike!
Conejo Canyons Bridge is the entry point to the trail.
The Hill Canyon Trail is one of the flattest trails in the Conejo Valley. Take it a about a mile to the Hawk Canyon/Western Plateau sign juncture.(For continued flat trail, continue straight on the Hawk Canyon Trail.)
The Hawk Canyon Trail/Western Plateau Trail juncture. Exit stage right.
This section of the Western Plateau Trail is the steepest and widest section of the hike. There’s a bench off to the left about halfway up the hill if you need a break.
At the top of the hill, the first juncture is the Outlaw Loop Trail on the right. To the left (not picture here), you’ll see a sign that says “Vista Point.” There’s another bench here.
A few step into the Outlaw Loop, you’ll see this sign. Either direction gets you to the Elliot Mountain Trail.
Eventually you will see this sign. You’re on your way up to Burt Elliot’s peak.
But before you reach the peak, there’s yet another bench placed by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency to enjoy the views.
The trail to the peak, like the Outlaw Trail, is quite narrow, though nicely maintained.