Ever since the beginning of Spring, Barbara and I have wanted to visit trails closed during last year's fires. Nature's power to regenerate itself is one of the great miracles in life, and, hopeful, we wanted to view first-hand what she's been up to. Today's hike took us to Corral Canyon Park, the only remaining undeveloped coastal canyon in Malibu. The Corral Canyon hills were scorched in the November 2018, Woolsey fire, wiping out chaparral, live oaks, alders, and sycamores. It was predicted that it would take 3-years for the hills to recover. Yet, California's January-to-March rainstorms cleaned and fed the charred landscape, and, by Spring, wildflowers and mustard plants covered the canyon in an utterly gorgeous burst of yellow. Barbara and I started at the Sara Wan Trailhead adjacent to Malibu Seafood's parking lot on PCH, and followed the trail down to Corral Creek. Tightroping over the water on a log, we continued on the trail of switchbacks, winding through the canyon up to the top of the hill, and then circled back toward the ocean. The trail was memorable for its yellow-jungle atmosphere. Miles of mustard plants, some up to 9-feet high, bordered and curtained the trail (we exited looking like attendees of a yellow-confetti parade!) Along the path, wildflowers—lupine, white poppies, red flowers, purple flowers, a few California poppies, and even the sprouts of baby oak trees. Clusters of thistles were covered with caterpillars, big black beetles ambled across our path, and a red-winged blackbird posed on top of a manzanita tree. Utter silence broken only by birdsong. Great hike. We were challenged, awestruck, and so happy we came. Inspiring.

(Thanks to AvoidingRegret.com for the "before" photo of the charred canyon.)