This loop that I have officially blazed allows you to hike four peaks in nine or so miles. The route begins from La Jolla Canyon. Short digression, La Jolla Canyon trail up to the pond used to be one of the nicest moderate trails in the Santa Monicas. There were significant rains after a fire six years ago that wiped parts of the trail out and the trail is still not repaired. It was one of the most popular trails for families and had lots of cool things to see such as fossils on the canyon walls and and a small seasonal waterfall. There have been no good explanations for why it remains closed. It also has made it difficult to do lots of variation loop trails that used to be available. It has also put enormous pressure on the Chumash Trail that used to be rarely used and is quite steep and has lots of erosion because of the increased use. With all that said there is an option to hike the western ridge on a use trail directly up to Mugu Peak. It has a fence and a closed sign in front of it which makes me laugh and get angry at the same time, I ignore it based on the above. The use trail connects near the lower east summit of Mugu, a quick walk around or over that peaklet gets you to the saddle and then a short climb to the top which is very busy with all the hikers that came up the Chumash Trail. Coming down Mugu is a steep but short affair and the trail is an ugly wide scar on the side of the mountain due to the use.
From that next saddle continue up the ridge to the first bump from here a steep use trail takes you to the top of Peak 1,283. You are now on a wide ridge and use/deer trails allow you to meander over to the paved road leading to the Naval Communication Tower on top of Laguna Peak. The last section is a drop down to a hairpin turn on the road. You can get within a couple hundred feet from the installation before you hit a fence covered with barbed wire. You can see on the west side a slight use trail before you get to the fence, take that, and when that disappears continue up a ridge to the outside of the fence where you can circle the installation. That'll be as close as you get to the top of Laguna Peak. Follow the older paved road on the northern side past a small installation and then down a saddle and up a steep ridge to La Jolla Peak. You can follow the paved road all the way or cut up the firebreak to the top. The top has a VOR facility with a fence around it that looks like it is there to keep cows out versus people. It is up to you if you want to hop the fence and try to figure out the high point of the flattened summit.
Continue down what is now a dirt road steeply around the ridge you will take back to the TH. This whole section from Laguna you will have had a barbed wire fence separating you from the rest of the park. When you get to the first gap in the ridge look to the right and there will be a downed gate with an old trail. You follow this unmaintaned trail for only .1 of a mile. This section had some growth on it but was easily passable. This connects you with the Guadalasca Trail which is a very popular biker trail to the point of being annoying as it is single-track. You finally get to the four way junction where the trail changes names to the Overlook which is a fire road and hike this to the highpoint. From the highpoint, you can hike Gizmo peak AKA Peak 1,391 on an obvious use trail to the right. This high point has an unobstructed view of the ocean and nice cool breezes as you hike down and connect with the Ray Miller Trail. This trail is painfully slow to meander its way to the bottom. The second ridge over has a use trail that drops directly down to the overnight camping area and is the preferred way down unless you have lots of time.
My first hiking experiences as a 8-9 year old was on this trail . Ray Miller used to have a trailer that he used to live in by the parking lot. He was a volunteer for the area and would always greet us when we came to the TH and talk to my Dad. He was a Vietnam vet and I had the feeling that he had been homeless before he got this opportunity. Living out in nature and being away from everything gave him some serenity and peace. He was always happy and cheerful but even as a youth I could tell that there was some unpleasant memories that he would not talk about. I believe he passed away in 1989. Anyway this is a cool route allowing you to bag a bunch of lower peaks that most people do not get to, even though much of it is on paved or fire road. I saw no signs stating that the route was on private property and it looks like the roads are all on State Park property even with the barbed wire. The hike took me just over three hours.
La Jolla Ridge Loop
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Uncle Rico
- Posts: 1386
- Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:48 pm
The "we don't have adequate resources" explanation is complete bullshit. I don't believe California State Parks has any intention of ever re-opening this trail.There have been no good explanations for why it remains closed.
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Girl Hiker
- Posts: 1297
- Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 7:46 am
I like the La Jolla Loop. I haven't been back since 2013.