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!

   

   

   

Barbara and I chose this hike for its closeness to Studio City-Sherman Oaks-Encino, a simple out and back trail marked 'easy' where we could try out our new hiking poles and be done before lunch. How in the world, after 335 hikes did Barbara and I not know about this place? Canyonback Trail has to rank in the top 5 of in-the-city hiking views, better than Fryman and Runyon and Franklin. Utterly breathtaking from start to finish. Internally, it's a no-shade, dirt fire road with multiple offshoots—a mountain bikers' playground and a 3+mile doggie off-leash dream trail. For the hikers, a jaw-dropping, 270-degree view from the valley to DTLA to the pacific coastline out to Catalina. Barbara and I saw the sweeping valley view first,  then, even on a hazy morning it was "there's downtown, wait, is that Century City?" And then "is that the OCEAN or haze?" I did a compass check, the Santa Monica to Palos Verdes shoreline came into view...from Encino! It was awesome. The mountains and valley show off a pallet of lush greens, and Mother Nature had put out her early offering of purple-with-a-touch-of-yellow wildflowers. Easy access from the valley side: down Havenhurst south of Ventura Blvd. to trailhead off Encino Hills Drive. Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park is part of the 20,000 acre Santa Monica Mountains' "Big Wild" starting just west of the 405 above the Sepulveda Pass. You'd never know unless you go. My iPhone camera just can't capture the distant views, so the pix aren't even close to what we saw in person. The hike is challenging in places but not hard, but most of all, the view is stunning. Go! 

Barbara's and my first outdoor hike of 2026 came with a little drama, a big coincidence, some good history, and SoCal's phenomenal January hiking weather. The contrasts of white clouds in a clear blue sky over a canyon filled with rain-fed green made for an utterly gorgeous hike. Drama opened the morning—we originally planned a different hike a few miles north. However, AllTrails was unaware that the trailhead is inside a gated Calabasas community. No access! Fortunately the guard sent us down to Vanowen Street and a quick turn west took us straight to El Escorpión Park and the trail. Free parking and all. We found the park in AllTrails and started up the trail. Looking around, it is hard to imagine why some hungry developer hasn't $natched up this space for condos and a business plaza. The Tongva-Fernandeño and Chumash Ventureño tribes of the Simi Hills inhabited this space for 8000 years until the Spanish showed up. Portions of the DeAnza expedition party, the OG party of California hikers, passed through here. The canyon passed through many hands, including a 1920s-30s stint as the Lasky Mesa silent and talkie movie ranch. The developers tried and tried and failed, and finally in 2003, the Santa Monica Mountain Conservancy stepped in and saved the land for the people. Our first historically significantly sighting followed us along the trail: Castle Peak, altitude 1,475 ft. is a geographic landmark. The name is an American form of its Chumash name, Kas'ele'ew. Because of its visibility from a distance, during the time of the Chumash, a village at the base of Castle Peak served as a meeting and trading point. Not too far in along the trail, we realized we were in the same green space as the Munit Caves, a hike we did—get this—as our first hike of 2020. Total coincidence! Today we hiked the floor of the valley instead taking the trail up to the caves. A Munit is a Chumash Shaman who lived in the caves and was killed after murdering the son of a Chumash chief. In addition to some fun climbing around it that's for you, it's said the caves are haunted by the Munit's spirit. Our hike was a simple in and out, North to South on El Escorpión Trail to Hunter Allen Trail and back. A very popular local hiking spot, we met hikers, happy dogs and their walkers, and a number of dirt bikers. Parts of the trail split into layers, other parts rutted and cracked by the rain, and barely, if any shade. Up and around all of it, a breathtaking view of fields and really cool caves.