Barbara and I knew we could extend this 1.4 mile hike in the San Gabriels to 2 miles, but truth is, there's so much to see and do in this park it felt more like a 3 part, 3.5 mile hike. The morning was clear and warm, the large parking lot jammed with cars, yet we never felt crowded. At least 7 different trails web from the bottom of the canyon around the Nature Center or rise up into the north side of the San Gabriels. Well-tended and well-marked by LA County Parks & Rec, our hike followed three trails, each with its own area and personality. We started west on the Heritage Trail into "butterfly world." The Butterfly Garden Pond, a butterfly puddling station (kind of a butterfly health bar), and a butterfly garden. Next up, the Walker Cabin, a 1920 pioneer homesteader cabin where Frank, his wife, and 12 children lived during winters when the rains blocked passage to their larger residents up the canyon, and years later a setting for cowboy movies of the 30s/40s. The next stop was an early 20th century oil pump for the rare "white oil" found in the area c. 1901. And finally, one of the most famous California historic landmarks, the Oak of the Golden Dream where Francisco Lopez fell asleep the afternoon of March 9, 1842, dreamed he was surrounded by gold, and when he woke (hungry?) he dug up an onion and found gold particles clinging to the roots—the first authenticated gold discovery in CA, six years before Sutter's Mill kicked off the Gold Rush of 1848. Next portion of the hike required a wet stone hop across the stream running E-W across the valley to pick up the Karen M. Pearson Hillside Trail, a pretty, well-kept hike up the side of the mountain to a water tank and rest stop before we made our way down a series of rough, manmade mountainside steps to a picnic area at the bottom. But we weren't done yet. We picked up the Ecology Trail on the north side of the Ecology Center, where we stopped for a look at the Batavian Indian Dwelling exhibit, life of peoples in the area who can be traced by artifacts as far back as 450 AD. A beautiful trail around the backside of the Center returned us to the Nature Center, for me, the coolest part of the hike. Out on the plaza, we met Sierra, the Great Horned Owl, and Aiyana, the red-tailed hawk both who live at the center and have their own handlers. Barbara and I have seen many red-tailed hawks in Griffith Park and the Santa Monicas, but never had the opportunity to meet one so very close. Both feathered girls were HUGE. So much more than we expected, Placerita Canyon was a real treat. We won't hesitate to return—so many trails left to explore! 

    

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

An escape from inland basin heat led Barbara and me to 87 acres in the Palos Verdes Hills filled with 150K landscaped plants and trees. We're used to the pristine landscaping of Huntington, the Arboretum, and Descanso, so what a treat it was to hike the perimeter of the casual but delightfully pretty South Coast Botanic Garden. An open mine pit from 1926–1956, LA County owned the land from 1957 to 1965 and during that time an experimental land reclamation project was established and became the South Coast Botanic Gardens. Built on a sanitary landfill, and despite the difficulty of gardening in soil that's almost 100% diatomaceous earth, and subject to heat and irrigation problems, the trees, plants, and palms thrive. It's only mid-March, yet it felt like we walked into Mother Nature's Spring Closet. We pictured multiple species of trees and flowers below, more to come this spring and summer. Today's hike circled the perimeter of the gardens on the Tram Road. Fun and a bit jaw-dropping in the uniqueness of the species, if you're up to exploring Rolling Hills, make a stop here. It's casual, and so very pretty. The squirrels and kids love this living museum. We did too. 

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

    

   

What a treat! Today Barbara and I took our first hike to the amazing Escondido Waterfall deep in Escondido Canyon. Our only excuse for taking so long to do this must-do Malibu waterfall hike is drought, dryness, or fire drying up the flow of water from the top of the multi-tiered, 150 foot falls, the tallest waterfall in the Santa Monica Mountains. And to add to the fun of it, we were joined by former KIIS-FM radio newswoman and "Radio Links" host Lori Lerner. A canyon resident, Lori added the color to the hike only a local with intimate knowledge of the trail can spot, from the colors of the flora and fauna to descriptions of the trail at dawn, after the rain, and after the fires. We explored, we rock-hopped across Escondido Canyon Creek five times each way (and kept our socks & shoes dry thanks to our hiking poles!), and for the first time ever got photos with both me and Barbara in them. The valley and waterfall are named Escondido, Spanish for "hidden" as in Hidden Valley, but in early 2006 the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy renamed the trail the Edward Albert Escondido Canyon Trailhead to honor actor and environmental activist Eddie Albert, Jr. (1951–2006). The son of actor Eddie Albert of, ironically, "Green Acres" fame, and Mexican actress Margo, Eddie Albert, Jr. had a decent acting career, but was more politically recognized as a Native American Rights advocate, especially for the Chumash who populated the SoCal coastal areas for thousands of years prior to to the arrival of the Spanish. Albert Jr. also served on the powerful California Coastal Commission a the California Native Heritage Commission. This gorgeous canyon, green and lush today thanks to the January rains, hosts oak groves, sycamore trees, sage, and poison oak. Lori once actually saw a lion up in a tree on a hike! A sighting to brag about but not hope for. Thanks to Lori, her husband, and others who care for the trails along with the MRCA, except for a few slippery muddy spots, the trail was clear and well maintained, the hike simple to navigate, and the waterfall payoff at the turnaround impressive and beautiful in its grandeur. Parking off PCH at Winding Way is $12. Because Escondido Falls are at the top of the Malibu waterfall hikes after a rain, this one is a must go—but go early to avoid crowds.  We loved every step!