Chumash Trail (SMM)
Updated: Jul 30
It should be a crime that I have not written about this trail.
Easily in my top five trails, easily the trail with the best views, easily one of the most difficult and rewarding hikes to do in Southern California, Chumash Trail is without a doubt iconic and underrated.
Let's first start with the cons, then I'll get into what I like about it. And trust me, the glaze will be thicker than any donut at Krispy Kreme.
Cons:
Bugs. The most recent time I hiked this was in mid July, and I cannot express without showing you the magnitude of bites I received from three hours on this trail how utterly destroyed I got from the mosquitoes, and you don't want to see that. Just absurd. I think it's because nearby is a big protected marsh, and anytime there's standing water there's breeding grounds for mosquitos. The same is true for the loop trail which connects to the La Jolla Valley Walk-In Camp. Click on this link if you want the story there. So bring bug spray, and lots of it.
Pros (and further glaze):
I gotta love a hike that pushes me, and this one certainly does. It is, by all accounts, a straight shot to the tope of the mountain. Who has time to dilly dally, when I want a great workout and fantastic views now? One time I naïvely tried to take my weighted pack up here, because I thought hiking up it regularly wouldn't be enough of a workout, and boy was I wrong. After stubbornly struggling up the slope, I had to drop it about halfway up and continue with just my water. Even with training and having done this route six or seven times, not once have I escaped without sore legs the next day. My heart rate is guaranteed to increase, and I have never climbed this hill to the top without stopping at least once for a break. For fitness goals, this is a great one to see how far you've come, but also how far you still have to go. It is a given--this trail will humble you.
In some ways, it is akin to the flatirons hikes in Colorado, which consist of stair-like rock for long stretches, except here the trail makeup is a claylike dirt, which at times can make for a slippy descent. That makes it all the more fun though when you run down it, because every foot needs to be placed precisely for you not to fall over. The consequence of course being falling onto a rock, or summersaulting down the mountain, and maybe into one of a cactus that line the track, so don't go pushing your limits too far.
The second reason this hike is one of my favorites is the instant views. From the very start, you see the ocean, and the extremely quick is elevation leads to incredible panoramic visibility within the half-mile. After the longer first section, which contains plenty of spots to rest and take in everything, is the somewhat absurd second section. If, at the bench, you choose to hike directly to Mugu Peak via the Mugu Peak Trail, you will hike an incline that I swear has to be a 45% grade or more. I remember the first time I hiked this trail, when I was maybe eleven, and I had very slippery shoes which made it almost impossible to get up the hill. This is a section where foot placement and grippy shoes are key, especially if you aren't sure footed. I have, on occasion, also raced up this section of the trail to the peak, which was extremely exhausting but super super fun. It is steep, slippery, exposed, and a great adventure. It is also at this intersection near the top that you will find another trail that leads into into La Jolla valley, where there exist numerous walk-in campgrounds and a trail to Sycamore Canyon.
When you arrive at the Chumash Trail fork, you could, if you choose, take the more relaxing but longer way up to the peak, and all you would have to do is turn right instead of middle left at the bench. Either way, you quickly arrive at the peak, probably within a half mile. The gradual side of the loop has a pretty consistent grade, while the steeper side flattens out towards the top.
Once there, you'll see a flagpole decorated with a bunch of stickers and maybe an old ammo crate or two with notes. If you move down the hill towards the ocean, you can even find a nice bunch to relax on.
The views here are well worth the climb, you will be glad to rest and absorb it all in. For such a short and accessible hike (you don't need to drive along Mulholland Highway), the payoff is phenomenal.
Compared to the ascent, the descent is a piece of cake, just be careful around the steeper sections which could be slippery. Recently I even saw a shrine to Mary along the less steep second section, which honestly left me ambivalent. Like the shrine itself, culture is beautiful, necessary, important to how with interact with the world. To damper that is to damper humanity, especially when considering the minimal impact of a tiny shrine. And yet, should it intrude upon nature, potentially taking away from the natural landscape and infringing the local ecosystem? As a part of this system and yet not the specific culture, is it even my right to judge, or should I regardless speak up for the plants and the animals which otherwise can't? Is that hypocritical, considering the shrine is on a cultural trail that I otherwise have no issue with, even though it likely overall is far more damaging than a tiny memorial? Some food for thought.
Anyway, Chumash trail in sum is one of the my favorites minus the bugs, and it is fun one I have had doing time and time again when I had the opportunity. Just maybe don't bring a date here, unless they're really really into hiking and not so much into the talking, because the climb will leave you out of breath. Overall 8/10. Happy Hiking!
Some more pictures are included below:
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