Rabbit Ridge-The Secret Passage to Simi Peak

[David R]

I do this hike almost every winter as it is a fun hike, not sure if I've ever done a write up on it so here you go. There are many ways to do this route but I feel that mine is the best and gets you the most mileage. I start at Lang Ranch Parkway in Thousand Oaks where a trail starts on the right before you get to the park. This trail climbs quickly to the ridge. The evidence of the Woolsley fire is along much of this hike. This trail used to be more of a footpath but the upper section is now a full fire road apparently used by the firefighters as a break. After some nice climbing you reach the main east-west ridge. You make a left and can either go over a high point or contour around it to the north. Either way you get dumped at a four way crossing. You want to continue on the ridge so make a left. After a little bit of climbing there is a cool rock outcropping to the left that is worth a quick side trip to visit. Most times I hike, this is the last place I see people until I get to the peak. The ridge narrows and when I was on top of the high point earlier mentioned, I had spotted a monstrosity of four blue mylar balloons on the north side of this ridge. With the fire it was easy to drop off this section of the ridge and pick them up. I met a hiker on his way back who was a bit flustered after falling a bunch of times on the trail.

From here you get to a very cool rock outcropping. The original trail used to drop off the ridge to the right and climb through a notch around this rock. It appears a more direct route up the left side is now more popular which I took. Right above this rock is an oak tree still alive and kicking. There used to be a swing here, that is now gone. A very steep trail takes you up to a very obvious rock outcropping that you saw during your hike. This is actually the best place for views so soak 'em up.

The trail gets indistinct especially with the recent rains and the growth. You climb another bump make sure to stay on the apex of the ridge here to the left and go around a gate. The trail appears to go straight and making the turn will avoid some brush. This next section has head high grass with a couple options of trail either one will do. You break out of the brush and have a cool small natural arch to look at. There are some nice outcroppings here to view but make sure to backtrack to the trail to continue otherwise more grass to contend with.

You finally begin the last climb up to the ridge that has Simi Peak. This used to be the most brushy area as you hiked the north side of SImi but with the fire its almost all burned up. You can shortcut up with the fire directly to the ridge or continue and connect to the trail. The top of Simi Peak was pretty buggy and I was alone on the top the whole time.

My route is to follow the trail back to China Flats. You can either follow a trail on the edge of the Flats to the left or enter the Flats proper and take a fire road by continuing straight and then turning left. Here you will typically meet some mountain bikers coming up from Chesebro or the main trail from Agoura. China Flats is beautiful and where they filmed portions of Back to The Future III. It used to be private land and I remember my first hike up here I met a bunch of cows, since removed.

From here I continue straight up and out of China Flats to a large east-west fire road. From here you have a straight shot down a great hill for jogging back towards the Parkway. There is one section where you have to do a bypass to avoid private land and leave the canyon and go over a small ridge but otherwise the way back is straight forward. This section was covered with black mustard which apparently the painted lady butterflies love as there were more then I had ever seen fluttering all around and caterpillars inching about. Once you reach the road there is about a half mile walk along it to get back to the car. The hike is about 8-9 miles this way with around 1,800 feet elevation gain and other then the views of the burbs, really makes you feel like you are out in the middle of nowhere.

[Uncle Rico]

I didn't realize that ridge actually had a name. That first rocky outcropping you mention is regular quick out and back for me.

Haven't been to the peak by this route since the fires, but that upper section used to be pretty dang brushy.