The Matilija Poppy Accents Canyon Trail

The meaning of Matilija is unknown, but it may have been the Chumash word to describe the showy Matilija poppy, prized by the Indians for its medicinal qualities. The poppy’s botanical name, Romneya coulteri , honors two Irish scientists and longtime friends, astronomer Romney Robinson and botanist Thomas Coulter.

Coulter first collected this outstanding flower in 1831. During the early years of this century, Ojai entrepreneurs dug up Matilija poppies by the thousands and sold them in Los Angeles.

The Matilija poppy is found along many Ojai back-country trails and often alongside the road into and out of Ojai--California 33. It blooms from May to July, stands 3 to 7 feet tall and is bushy at its base. The delicate flowers have six white crinkled petals and a golden center.

Matilija Trail, at its lower end, offers an ideal family outing alongside the Upper North Fork of Matilija Creek. More experienced hikers will enjoy pushing on to the canyon’s upper reaches for fine ocean and mountain views. A 1985 fire burned most of the facilities at the creek-side camps, so they aren’t the attractive destinations they were in previous years; however, many nice pools, cascades and flat sunny rocks offer pleasant picnic spots.

The recently released Los Padres National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan recommends that 30,000 acres of Ojai backcountry be set aside as the Matilija Wilderness.

Directions to the trailhead: Continue on California 33 about four miles past Ojai, and past the leftward turnoff to Matilija Hot Springs. Keep in mind this hot springs resort and Wheeler Hot Springs Resort a few miles up the highway for a post-hike soak. A short mile past Matilija Hot Springs, turn left on Matilija Canyon Road (Forest Service Road 5N13) and proceed five miles to a locked gate across the road. A parking area is located just before the gate.

The Hike: Pass the locked gate and hike along the dirt road through Matilija Canyon Ranch and a private wildlife reserve. Please stay on the road and respect private property. After crossing two branches of Matilija Creek, the road turns left, but you will follow the unmarked spur that turns right and follows the creek. Within 50 yards, cross the creek twice more and begin hiking along the creek bank. A mile of nearly level walking brings you to Matilija Camp.

Matilija Camp is a nice picnic spot. Those geologically inclined will note how stream erosion in this area exposed areas of severe folding and faulting; past actions of the Santa Ynez Fault are very much in evidence.

Beyond the camp, the trail fords several small tributary creeks that feed the Upper North Fork of the Matilija, and crosses a wide meadow. The trail switchbacks above the creek for a while, then resumes again on the canyon bottom. Some level travel and a few more crossings bring you to a live oak-shaded Middle Matilija Camp. You can lunch here and call it a day or push on upstream.

Beyond the camp, the trail fords and re-fords the creek half a dozen more times. The canyon floor is forested with big cone spruce, bay laurel and maple. You will rise out of the canyon, then descend into the narrowing canyon and arrive at abandoned, but still serviceable, Upper Matilija Camp.

From this camp, the trail continues up-creek another mile, then rises steeply north out of the canyon. Switchbacks offer the hiker fine views of Old Man Mountain, the Santa Ynez range and the Pacific Ocean. The upper canyon slopes were severely burned in 1985. Maples at Maple Camp were incinerated. Ghostly skeletons of chokeberry, manzanita and scrub oak line the trail, which after the fire suffered erosion and slide damage. A final steep climb brings you to the terminus of the trail at Forest Service Road 6N01 near Ortega Hill.

Matilija Trail

Matilija Canyon Road to Matilija Camp: 2 miles round trip; 200-foot elevation gain. Matilija Canyon Road to Forest Road 6N01: 15 miles round trip; 3,000-foot gain.