The Sycamore Canyon Nature Center is a small center located near the entrance to Sycamore Canyon Campground in Point Mugu State Park at 9000 Pacific Coast Highway. The center is open on Saturdays from noon to 3pm. Displays cover local wildlife, including specimens of a cougar, bobcat, birds of prey, and more. A volunteer is on hand to provide additional information.
If you're looking for quick access to gorgeous views in the Dos Vientos section of Newbury Park, from Thousand Oaks to Camarillo to the Santa Monica Mountains, stop by the roughly 1.2 mile El Encanto Trail. Access the trail either at the western endpoint of Kimber Drive, just past Greenway Avenue, or inside Dos Vientos at the eastern endpoint of Via Laguna, near the Calle Del Prado intersection.
After a fairly flat start off of Kimber, the trail gets a bit steep and narrow. My young kids were fine on it but it take a decent effort, with an elevation climb of about 300 feet.
This little trail seems quite popular with mountain cyclists as well as hikers. Here's an inviting bench that awaits you near the top of the trail, about halfway between the Kimber and Via Laguna trailheads.
The area was ravaged by the Springs Fire of 2013. The bench has an inscription dedicated to the efforts of the Ventura County Fire Department that did such a fantastic job protecting local neighborhoods.
If you start on the Kimber side all the way to the Via Laguna side, you can either retrace your steps back or take Calle Del Prado down to Via Rio, turning left (east) for a about a quarter mile walk back to the Kimber side.
For a detailed trail map of Dos Vientos area trails on the Conejo Open Space Foundation website, visit https://cosf.org/files/maps/dos_vientos_trail_map.pdf.
The Upper Sycamore Canyon Trail is a 1.3 mile trail connects to the bottom of steep Sycamore Canyon Fire Road on the west to the Danielson Road trail on the east.
Sign at top of Sycamore Canyon Road before the descent into the canyon.
The trail goes deep into the canyon and can get quite overgrown, especially after solid winter rains. But it is an interesting hike and alternative to other trails that take you to "The Waterfall" in the Boney Mountain Wilderness. Bike and dogs are not allowed on these back country trails. Watch out of course for poison oak and snakes.
The "Narrow Bridge" sign marks the bottom of the steep initial grade down Sycamore Canyon Fire Road. You'll cross the bridge, then see the Upper Sycamore Canyon Trail entry to the left.
After you enter the west end of the Upper Sycamore Canyon Trail, within about a 1/10th of a mile is the entry point to the Fossil Trail, a very steep trail that leads up to the Old Boney Trail.
Inside the canyon, looking west, towards the Sycamore Canyon Fire Road.
After the substantial rains of Winter 2017, a creek has been flowing through this canyon and has caused some obstacles and overgrown sections of the trail. Do wear good hiking shoes.
Upper Sycamore Canyon Trail (Map excerpt courtesy of National Park Service)
Danielson Road sign you will see at the east end of Upper Sycamore Canyon Trail, Now you can head back up towards Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa to the left or go the The Waterfall and/or Danielson Monument.
The Carbon Beach coastline as seen from the Malibu Pier.
Carbon Beach is perhaps the most expensive 1 1/2 mile strip of beach in the world, located roughly between the Malibu Pier and just east of Carbon Canyon Road.
The beach is wide, with lots of dry sand, making it particularly pristine and desirable, but public access is fairly limited, there are no public restrooms and dogs are not allowed.
According to the California Coastal Commission, in addition to "Public Access Easement" areas, "the public has the right to use all lands seaward of the ambulatory mean high tide line." Huh? This is no different than other beaches in California.
The access point on the west side of Carbon Beach is called the Zonker Harris* Access Way at 22670 Pacific Coast Highway, between Nobu Malibu (22706 PCH) and 22664 PCH (McDonald's is right across the street).
* Opened in 1983 and named after the hippie Doonesbury character who worships the sun.
You can also park at the Malibu Pier and walk to Carbon Beach. It is about a half mile.
There is also public parking available on the upper floor of 22601 PCH on summer weekends and holidays.
The Carbon Beach West Public Accessway is at 22466 PCH. Funny, Google Maps actually refers to this as Billionaires Beach Public Access.
The Carbon Beach East Public Accessway is at 22126 PCH (in between 22140 PCH and the property at 22126 PCH - this is the property owned, or possibly now previously owned, by David Geffen).
And there you have it. For a pdf map from the California Coastal Commission showing public beach access at Carbon Canyon, click THIS LINK.
Sycamore Cove Beach is located at 9000 Pacific Coast Highway in Point Mugu. This beach is one of the closest and easiest to get to from the Conejo Valley and Camarillo via Las Posas and PCH.
Sycamore Cove Beach in the background. Sycamore Canyon Campground entrance on left.
The beach is popular with families looking to barbecue and enjoy quick and easy access to the beach. There are also porta-johns and restrooms available. Very limited parking on PCH (read the signs carefully as you don't want to get ticketed) but plenty of paid parking available (generally $12 to $14 for the day).
Dogs on a leash are allowed in day use areas, campgrounds and beaches within Point Mugu State Park. Dogs are not allowed on backcountry trails or dirt roads.
A view of Sycamore Cove Beach from the south.
On the northwest end of the beach you can walk underneath PCH to the other side of PCH, where Sycamore Canyon Campground is located. From there, you can take Sycamore Canyon up to Newbury Park (about eight miles).
PCH is above. You can safely get from Sycamore Cove to Sycamore Canyon under this bridge (though at high tide can be a challenge). Beats risking your life crossing PCH!
Due north of Sycamore Cove Beach is Thornhill Broome Beach/Campground, which along with Sycamore Cove and Sycamore Canyon is part of Point Mugu State Park. Across from Thornhill Broome is the large sand dune that makes for some fun climbing.
The humongous sand dune walking distance from Sycamore Cove.
Visit www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=630 for more information.
Owned and maintained by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, 600-acre Triunfo Creek Park in Westlake Village/Agoura provides deep oak woodland, native grasslands and blankets of wildflowers in the springtime. The main feature of the park, the Pentachaeta Trail, is named after the Pentachaeta lyonii, a federally-listed endangered flower found in the park. The yellow, daisy-like flower is found only in Southern California, and blooms between April and June.
An informational kiosk at the trailhead interprets the Pentachaeta lyonii, as well as other unusual wildflowers found on the site such as the Chocolate Lily, and the White Globe Lily. The site also provides access to hiking trails on the Westlake Vista parcel, also owned and managed by the Conservancy.
Pentachaeta Trail to the east. Westlake Vista Trail towards the Las Virgenes Reservoir on the west.
Pretty flowers off the Pentachaeta Trail in March 2016.
Views from Westlake Vista Trail towards, well, but of course, Westlake Village
Las Virgenes Reservoir in close proximity to Westlake Vista Trail.
The Westlake Vista Trail takes you to a fence that encloses the Las Virgenes Reservoir, where you may be treated to sounds of birds and other wildlife. Find the trail that parallels the fence up the mountain and you will be treated to gorgeous views of the area down to Westlake Lake and beyond and the Santa Monica Mountains to the south.
Views towards Westlake Lake from the Westlake Vista Trail.
Directions: The main trailhead with kiosk is on Triunfo Canyon Road east of the southern terminus of Lindero Canyon Road. There are a small number of off-pavement parking spots there. The other end of the trail is at the west end of Triunfo Canyon Road about 1.5 miles west of Kanan Road.
Directions: From the 101 Freeway in Westlake Village exit Lindero Canyon Road. Take Lindero south to Triunfo Canyon Road. Turn left. The trailhead is located opposite Oak Forest Mobile Home.
Visit mrca.ca.gov/parks/park-listing/triunfo-creek-park for more information.
Map courtesy of Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy at THIS LINK. (Note that Truinfo is a typo on map; actual spelling is Triunfo. But at least is was consistently misspelled not once, not twice, but seven times lol.)
Demolished car sitting near Westlake Vista Trail.
Thornhill Broome Family Campground is located at 9000 Pacific Coast Highway in Point Mugu State Park. The beachfront campground offers 68 tent/RV spaces. There are no hookups for RVs or flush toilets; just chemical toilets and cold outside showers. However, you are camping ON THE BEACH!
Sites have picnic tables and fire rings. Pets are allowed on leash in the campground. Reserve a spot at www.reservecalifornia.com (type in Point Mugu SP to find Thornhill Broome). Be aware that summer months in particular book up way in advance.
Keep in mind that there is no shade when you camp at the beach. So if you don't have an RV, be sure to bring a canopy and/or umbrella.
Thornhill Broome Beach is across from the gigantic sand dune that provides for a great workout and views. And due east is Sycamore Cove and Sycamore Canyon Campground (both also in Point Mugu State Park)...which of course is the most direct path...albeit by foot or bike...to Newbury Park and the Conejo Valley from the beach.
And of course the Sycamore Canyon Campground is across from Sycamore Cove, if you're looking for additional camping possibilities.
Traveling southeast on PCH from Oxnard/Camarillo; this sign tells you you're just about there.
The cool, massive sand dune across from Thornhill Broome Beach (be careful crossing PCH!).
The Conejo Ridge Open Space is located in Thousand Oaks in a 406 acre area enclosed roughly as follows:
Rancho Road, Rimrock Road and the Los Padres Open Space on the west.
Los Robles Trail on the south.
The industrial park at 2400 Willow Lane (at Conejo Ridge Ave)
Highway 101 on the north.
While I have not completely explored this area, I do find it a great place for views of the Conejo Valley. One access point is at the west end of the parking lot at 2400 Willow Lane building that faces the 101. The trail briefly parallels the adjacent businesses in a southward direction, then veers west. It is a single track trail that is surprisingly well maintained.
At the top you’ll be treated to views towards the Conejo Grade on the west, Highway 23 and beyond on the north and Ladyface Mountain in Agoura Hills towards the east. You’ll also see what the traffic looks like on the 101 down below.
You can continue southwest bound to catch other trails and trailheads.
The Oaks in Thousand Oaks is located between the 101 Freeway and Lynn Road at 350 West Hillcrest Avenue, running east to Wilbur Road. Originally constructed in 1978, the 1.3 million square foot shopping mall was renovated in 1993 and again in 2008. In total, there are over 170 stores and services at The Oaks.
Well known brands at The Oaks include Nordstrom, Macy’s, JCPenney, The Apple Store, Anthropologie, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma and J.Crew.
Restaurants include The Cheesecake Factory, The Lazy Dog Café, Olive Garden, Urban Plates, Chipotle, Pedals & Pints Brewing Co., Bazille (inside Nordstroms), Wood Ranch BBQ, and coming soon, Plata Taqueria, as well as numerous options in the food court area.
The 2008 remodel brought a multi-level parking structure with over 1,300 parking spaces and digital signs that tell you how many spaces are available. There's a beautiful outdoor shops area on the east side of the mall that leads to AMC Thousand Oaks 14 and adjacent restaurants.
For more information, visit www.shoptheoaksmall.com or call 805.495.2032.
EV charging at The Oaks: Available on the south side behind AMC Theaters and the outdoor shops area from EVgo. Additional EV charging available free of charge on north side near Macy’s Men’s & Home Store and on the west side near Macy’s Women’s Store. There are Tesla Urban Superchargers on the south side of the parking structure.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10049 and Simi Valley Town Center host an impressive display at the Museum of Military History Posters and Memorabilia.
Hundreds of military posters and historical artifacts are on display that were graciously provided by local veterans and collectors. Artifacts include old weapons, munitions, posters, newspapers, uniforms and much more. Several Vietnam Veterans were on hand, imparting stories and background information to us as we strolled around.
Hours are 11am to 4pm on weekends and noon to 3pm on Wednesdays. There is no admission fee, though donations are encouraged to support local veterans.
More info at vfwpost10049.org/museum (URL not working as of May 2024) or call 805.578.1539.
Military Mule with armament (not live of course lol) on display.
Did you know that you can walk, hike, run or bike from Newbury Park to the ocean over 8 1/4 miles pretty easily, without dealing with automobiles? Park your car at the Wendy and Potrero trailhead or at the Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa parking lot in Newbury Park and experience it yourself.
The entry to the Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa area.
The Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center is a short walk from the parking lot.
From there, take the paved road, called the Sycamore Canyon Fire Road, towards the ocean.
This is a nice, wide paved road with trails along the side much of the way. Generally cool in the early morning year-round as you head towards the ocean, plenty of rest/pit stop areas on the way down and nice and peaceful and beautiful, full of canyons, trees and wildlife.
The steepest descent on this course is a roughly 800 foot drop over a 3/4 of a mile into the canyon on the paved road after you see this sign. Coming back up if you do the full round-trip circuit is a bit of a challenge.
After you drop into the canyon, it is pretty much smooth sailing. The paved road stops right around the Danielson Multi-Use area (see image below for that juncture). After that, follow the wide, dirt fire road towards the beach.
There are numerous water spigots on the side of the road going down, which comes in quite handy on warmer days. If you use them, just make sure to turn them off.
About 3/4ths of the way down to the beach, you'll pass one of the most picturesque locations for a porta-john that I've ever seen.
A few miles after passing the above porta-john, you'll reach the Sycamore Canyon Campground, which has 58 campsites and is across Pacific Coast Highway from the ocean. Cross over PCH (be careful!) or find the underpass that takes you under PCH to the Sycamore Cove Beach area, with picnic tables, bathrooms, etc., and enjoy your day!
Sycamore Cove Beach in Point Mugu
From there, you either head back up or call your significant other to pick you up. Or perhaps plan it out in the morning to leave one car at the beach in either the Sycamore Canyon Campground or Sycamore Cove day lots (they open at 8am) for a fee, or park on PCH where there are spots near Thornhill Broome Beach and the giant sand dune, then drive another car back (obviously you can't do this alone), park the 2nd car at Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa, hike/walk/bike down the canyon to retrieve car #1.
Or do what I did once, which was drive down to Sycamore Cove via Potrero Road/Las Posas/PCH, park the car, run (or perhaps ride) up to Newbury Park, then ride down with the kids and enjoy the beach. Fun!
For a map of the Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa area with a portion of the Big Sycamore Canyon Trail, visit www.nps.gov/samo/planyourvisit/upload/Rancho-Sierra-Vista_Satwiwa_2023.pdf (National Park Service pdf brochure).
The Skateboarding Hall of Fame and Museum opened at the Simi Valley Town Center in December 2018. It is located directly across from the Vans store in the mall in a space of over 10,000 square feet.
The International Skateboarding Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded by Todd Huber. It was created to honor the passion, dedication and contributions to skateboarding history and culture by skateboarders and cultural icons through the decades.
The museum displays hundreds of skateboards and other skating artifacts spanning decades. There is also an art gallery, gift shop, theater/library (over 600 skating videos as well as skating magazines) and skate shop.
Also on site is s skate park with a fun wall ride available to local youth. Cost is $15 (as of March 2024).
Admission to the museum is free. Donations to the non-profit are always welcome.
Visit www.skateboardinghalloffame.org for more information. Hours as of March 2024 are Wed-Fri 2-8pm, Sat 11am-8pm and Sun noon-5pm.
There are hundreds of parks in Ventura County and surrounding areas. DOZENS of them are described in the Kid Fun section of CVG with pics and videos for you to check out!
But here is a compilation with links to all the various parks in the area.
Agoura Hills: www.agourahillscity.org/department/community-services-parks-recreation/parks-facilities/parks (6 parks)
Calabasas: www.cityofcalabasas.com/government/community-services-parks-recreation/parks-trails-and-facilities (8 parks)
Gates Canyon Park in Calabasas
Camarillo: www.pvrpd.org/parks-list (28 active and passive use parks)
Malibu: www.malibucity.org/Facilities (6 parks)
Moorpark: www.moorparkca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/94 (18 parks)
Oak Park: rsrpd.org/parks/oak_park/parks/index.php (10 parks)
Ojai: www.ojairec.com/221/City-Parks (8 parks)
Oxnard: www.oxnard.org/city-department/public-works/parks (58 parks)
Port Hueneme: www.ci.port-hueneme.ca.us/index.aspx?nid=553 (6 parks)
Santa Paula: spcity.org/300/Parks-Facilities (11 parks)
Simi Valley: rsrpd.org/parks/simi_valley/parks/index.php (37 parks)
Conejo Valley (Thousand Oaks/Newbury Park/Westlake Village) www.crpd.org/parks-reservations/parks (51 parks)
Thousand Oaks Community Park
Ventura: www.cityofventura.ca.gov/1952/City-Parks (24 parks)
County of Ventura Beach Front Parks: www.ventura.org/gsa/parks/beach-front-parks (3 parks)
County of Ventura Inland Parks: www.ventura.org/inland-parks (13 parks)
Westlake Village: www.wlv.org/city_services/parks-rec.asp (8 parks)
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