Pristine Vistas Can Be Found While Hiking Close to Home

The concrete expanse of Los Angeles often beguiles people into thinking that great hiking must be experienced in distant places--the Grand Tetons, the Great Northwest, the Alps.

But within this urban sprawl are sanctuaries of wildlife and greenery that are, in many cases, short drives away.

Treks into local mountains, canyons and islands take hikers into pristine environs where silence gives pause to life’s din and wild creatures emerge in their own rhythms.

Here’s a sampling of hikes scheduled this month:

William O. Douglas Outdoor Classroom, 2600 Franklin Canyon Drive, Beverly Hills; (213) 858-3834.

* Young Children’s Hike around Franklin Canyon Lake is for youngsters age 7 and under. The 90-minute, easy-paced, less-than-a-mile excursion is led by a docent who introduces children to plants they may touch and smell. Aug. 18 at 10 a.m. Free.

* Evening Birdwalks are ideal in Franklin Canyon, an enclave for a melange of birds, including red-tail hawks, California towhees, scrub jays and Phainopepla, which spend summers in the canyon.

At a relaxed pace, the two-hour hike includes many stops, enabling the nature guide to explain birds’ nesting, migratory and feeding habits. Binoculars are suggested and beginners are welcome. Saturday at 6 p.m. and Aug. 31 at 5:30 p.m. Free.

Hawk and vulture lovers can sign up for a free two-hour bird walk in Franklin Canyon on Aug. 24 at 7:30 a.m.

* For aficionados of rocks and earthquakes, “Faults, Folds and Fossils” is a two-hour hike led by a geologist in Franklin Canyon.

Plate tectonics, canyon rocks, the Big One (as in earthquake), the San Andreas Fault and earthquake preparedness are discussed, and hikers can examine a fault line in the canyon.

Hikers also split rocks in search of fossils--usually fish, scales or leaves. This is an unstrenuous hike of about a half mile. Aug. 18 at 2 p.m. Free.

Although hikes are free, donations are accepted. Reservations are recommended.

The Wilderness Institute, 28118 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills; (818) 991-7327.

* The Wilderness Institute offers a full-moon hike from the base of the Santa Monica Mountains to the top of Calabasas Peak. It is led by a naturalist who discusses the mysteries of the moon, including a legend that the moon is made of green cheese.

As hikers explore the moon-lit nocturnal landscape and wildlife--owls sometimes are spotted--the guide discusses the ecological, geological and historical development of the Santa Monica Mountains’ chaparral environment. The uphill trek is about two miles and lasts about three hours. Aug. 24 from 7 to 10 p.m. Adults, $15; children, $10.

* Mammal Study in the Santa Monica Mountains is led by a wildlife biologist who discusses the effects of the drought and human encroachment on mammals indigenous to the mountains.

The-early morning hike includes an examination of tracks, scat and “live” traps that temporarily retain mammals--such as coyotes, rabbits, gray squirrels and wood rats--for scientific observation and tagging. Aug. 11 from 8 a.m. to noon. $25.

* Supermarket Botany Luncheon is a two-hour hike into the Santa Monica Mountains led by a naturalist who helps hikers discover wild edible fruits, tubers, carrots, fennel, seeds and cattails.

A luncheon of commercial exotic foods is provided, along with a lecture on their origins and nutritional composition. Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Adults, $35; children, $20.

Island Packer Cruises, 1867 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura; (805) 642-1393.

An excursion to Channel Islands National Park is an oceanic kind of escape. Island Packer Cruises takes passengers to all five islands off the coast of Santa Barbara and Ventura. Excursions vary in price and length of stay.

* A 2 1/2-hour cruise to Santa Cruz Island, one of the more costly excursions, includes a 2 1/2-mile hike. Visitors tour Scorpion Ranch, a non-working ranch built in the late 1800s, and take an excursion led by a naturalist through coastal grasslands, ironwood groves and a pine forest.

The island also offers hikers the chance to spot the island fox, feral sheep, wild pigs, birds and the island jay, found only on Santa Cruz. Today and Aug. 24. Departures are at 8 a.m. and the trip takes about 10 hours. Adults, $42; children, $36.

Hiking, snorkeling and overnight camping are available at higher prices. Weather, sea conditions and island occupancy sometimes prevent landing. Reservations are recommended.

The Sierra Club, Los Angeles chapter, (213) 387-4287.

The Sierra Club offers a variety of guided hikes. Most are free, but generally must be arranged through the guide. A calendar of excursions is available at most sporting goods stores for $4. For more information, call * A beginner-friendly bird walk on Malibu Beach will be held Aug. 4 at 8 a.m. Walkers meet in the parking lot of Malibu Creek State Park, just south of Mulholland Drive on Los Virgenes Road. Call guide Lou Levy, (818) 981-5476.

* Another Malibu Beach hike on Aug. 4 at 8 a.m. is a six-mile excursion along the beach and canyons. Hikers convene at the International Student Center, 1023 Hilgard Ave., Westwood, Aug. 4 at 8 a.m. Call guide Dave Woolcott, (213) 479-6753.

* The Santa Monica Task Force is leading a 12-mile hike to the 3,000-foot mark at Sandstone Peak on Aug. 11. Hikers meet in Woodland Hills at 7 a.m., then car-pool to the hike site. Call guide Don Croley, (213) 374-6433.