Surviving the Summer in Topanga State Park

The term “summer survival” means many different things to us Southern Californians looking for ways to beat the heat: finding a camp for the kids or a parking space at the beach, counting the work days before that long-anticipated vacation in a cooler part of the world . . .

To the naturalist, “summer survival” is a defining characteristic of the many plants and animals that survive and thrive in the region’s Mediterranean climate, characterized by hot, dry summers. To walk the Santa Monicas (the nation’s only Mediterranean ecosystem under National Park Service protection) in summer is to visit these survivors and to come away with renewed appreciation for a land that has a special beauty, even at the height of summer.

This special beauty does not come from wildflower displays, which can be stunning in spring but sparse in summer. It’s doubtful any poet will rhapsodize about such summer bloomers as bur-sage, mugwort, Indian milkweed, chaparral pea or ashyleaf buckwheat, though the scarlet petals of the California fuchsia and the tiny pink petals of the slim aster do have a certain charm.

The beauty of Topanga Canyon is in its quiet isolation--surrounded by L.A.’s sprawl but retaining its rural character. The state park is sometimes billed as the largest state park within a city limit in the U.S.

Some years ago, when I lived in Topanga Canyon, I routinely hiked through the state park in summer. After I moved, I, like many others, avoided the Santa Monica Mountains during the summer. Recently, however, I took an early morning (emphasis on early) walk in the park and really enjoyed it.

Most Topanga trails are good fire roads. On clear days, city and canyon views are superb.

In the heart of the state park, the walker will discover Eagle Rock and Eagle Spring and get topographically oriented to Topanga. The energetic will enjoy the one-way journey from Topanga to Will Rogers State Historic Park.

The Topanga State Park to Will Rogers Park section of the Backbone Trail has proved popular. The lower reaches of the trail offer a fine tour of the wild side of Topanga Canyon, while the ridge-top sections offer far-reaching inland and ocean views.

Directions to trail head: From Topanga Canyon Boulevard, turn east on Entrada Road; that’s to the right if you’re coming from Pacific Coast Highway. Follow Entrada Road by turning left at every opportunity until you arrive at Topanga State Park. The trail head is at the end of the parking lot.

The hike: From the Topanga State Park parking lot, follow the distinct trail eastward to a signed junction, where you’ll begin hiking on the dirt Eagle Springs Fire Road. You’ll pass through an oak woodland and through chaparral country. The trail slowly and steadily gains about 800 feet in elevation on the way to Eagle Rock. When you reach a junction, bear left on the north loop of Eagle Springs Fire Road to Eagle Rock. A short detour will bring you to the top of the rock.

To complete the loop, bear sharply right (southwest) onto Eagle Springs Fire Road at the next junction, following the fire road as it winds down to Eagle Spring. Past the spring, you return to Eagle Springs Fire Road and retrace your steps to the trail head.

Two-mile-long Musch Ranch Trail, which passes from hot chaparral to shady oak woodland, crosses a bridge and passes the park pond, is another fine way to return to the trail head.

To Will Rogers State Historic Park: Follow the loop trip directions to the northeast end of Eagle Rock/Eagle Springs Loop, where you bear right on Fire Road 30. In .75 mile you reach the intersection with Rogers Trail (currently being rerouted because of a landslide; the new trail should open sometime late in the year). Turn left and follow the trail for 3.5 miles. Here a level area and a solitary oak suggest a lunch stop. On clear days enjoy the spectacular views in every direction: To the left is Rustic Canyon and the crest of the mountains near Mulholland Drive. To the right, Rivas Canyon descends toward the sea.

Stay on Rogers Trail, which parallels Rivas Canyon, for about two more miles, until it enters Will Rogers Park near Inspiration Point.

John McKinney is the author of “Day Hiker’s Guide to California’s State Parks” (Olympus Press, $14.95).

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Eagle Rock Loop Trail

WHERE: Topanga State Park.

DISTANCE: To Eagle Rock via Eagle Rock/Eagle Springs Loop is 6.5 miles round trip with 800-foot elevation gain; to Will Rogers State Historical Park via Eagle Rock, Fire Road 30 and Rogers Trail is 10.5 miles one way with a 1,800-foot loss.

TERRAIN: Rugged, chaparral-cloaked ridges.

HIGHLIGHTS: Nation’s largest state park within a big city’s limits; metropolitan views.

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Moderate

PRECAUTIONS: Beat the heat, get an early start.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Topanga State Park, tel. (310) 455-2465; Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, tel. (805) 370-2301.