Sandstone Peak: Amazing Views in the Santa Monica Mountains

Despite having booked a beachfront cottage in Malibu for rest and relaxation, we couldn't resist the chance to hike in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. This recreation area boasts impressive peaks including Sandstone Peak, the highest summit in the Santa Monica Mountains, which was our destination for today’s hike.

Hike distance: 6.45 miles

Elevation Gain: 2,644 ft elevation gain.

Prominence: 2,201 ft

TrailsNH Hiking Difficulty Calculator: 128 - Moderately Strenuous  

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A Glimpse of the Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area

Think there’s no wide-open countryside left in Los Angeles? Think again. The Santa Monica Mountains stretch for 50 miles across the northwestern boundary of the Los Angeles basin. Within this mountain range lies the Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area (SMMNRA) spanning over 150,000 largely undeveloped acres of rugged mountains, narrow canyons and ridges, along with ocean vistas that stretch over 40 miles of California's coastline. A mosaic of state, local, and federal preserves protects this land, all managed under the umbrella of the National Park Service. SMMNRA is the largest urban national parks in the US and one of the largest urban national parks in the world.

The SMMNRA features one of the best remaining examples of the Mediterranean ecosystem in North America. Mediterranean ecosystems are among the world’s rarest and most endangered land types, occurring in only five locations throughout the world: the area bordering the Mediterranean Sea, central Chile, the Cape region of South Africa, southwestern and southern Australia, and southern California into northern Baja California in Mexico. These areas are distributed between roughly 30 and 40 degrees latitude – north and south – and are located along the western edges of continents where the climate, characterized by mild, rainy winters and warm, dry summers, is moderated by cold ocean currents offshore.

These five regions, highlighted in red, cover only about 2% of Earth’s total land area but are densely populated and heavily impacted by humans. It's estimated that only 20% of the world’s Mediterranean ecosystem remains intact. Despite the high degree of urbanization, the Mediterranean ecosystem of southern California has been identified as one of the world's 'hot spots' for biodiversity.

In addition to amazing flora and fauna, the SMMNRA exhibit a complex and diverse geology, shaped by millions of years of tectonic activity, volcanism, and sedimentary processes. Erosion, weathering, and tectonic uplift has further shaped the rugged landscape of the Santa Monica Mountains. This helps explain why this hike was on our 'must do' list.

The Mishe Mokwa to Sandstone Peak Trail

The trailhead is situated in one of the park's most secluded regions, the Circle X Ranch, which was once the location of a Boy Scout camp.

We started the hike on the Sandstone Peak Trail which during April was covered in flowering plants. What a change from our home in the Sonoran Desert where most plants had already started to go to seed.

It wasn't long before the full beauty of the Santa Monica Mountains came into view.

After a third of a mile, we reached the junction with the Mishe Mokwa Trail and begin our descent into Carlisle Canyon.

Spring is the perfect time to hike in the Santa Monica mountains with so many of the native annual and perennials in bloom including this Catalina mariposa lily. This perennial is endemic to Southern California. It is commonly found along the coastline in grasslands and open chaparral especially in these mountains where it flowers from early March until the end of May. Fortunately, its bulb can survive wildfires that frequent the chaparral.

Among the most prolific bloomers along the trail are these canyon sunflowers. This bushy shrub, which bloom from March to May, can reach heights of up to 5 feet. They have a limited range - in moist locations along the coast of south California, and inland mountains. Canyon sunflowers are one of the first species to colonize recent fire-disturbed areas. In the first year after a fire these annuals may appear in large quantities; however, by the second to fourth years they dominate the slopes until the slow growing shrubs begin to take over.

Yellow flowers appear at the tips of the branched stems.

This caterpillar phacelia is another annual native to California that grows mainly in chaparral habitats and is frequently seen in burnt areas.

These three plants all have one thing in common, they are fire-followers and thrive in the conditions that occur after a wildfire. Their seeds lie dormant until fire removes the shrub canopy leaving behind a mineral-rich soil with ample sunlight. When winter rains arrive, the seeds germinate and begin to grow. Their roots help to anchor the soil and reduce erosion, while these plants carpet the landscape with a profusion of wildflowers. Each subsequent spring they return but decrease in numbers as the chaparral regenerates.

So why are these plants pertinent on this hike? In November 2018, the Woosley Fire charred 83% of all the SMMNRA acreage, resulting in one of the worst fires in recorded history.

The typography of the mountains play a role in the degree of fire damage. The ruggedness and steepness of the terrain in the Santa Monica Mountains, the range’s east-west orientation, and the area’s Mediterranean climate—dry summers, unpredictable winter rain, and dense vegetation—create the perfect conditions for fire to spread once it ignites. 

In addition, the biggest and deepest canyons in the Santa Monica Mountains are oriented north-south and act like wind tunnels or chimney flues that channel the already hot and powerful Santa Ana winds in fall and early winter. The increasing wind speed, sucks the moisture out of the vegetation, and transforms tranquil canyons into unstoppable rivers of flame once a fire is sparked.

The destruction, in terms of loss of wilderness and property, was immense. Although shrubs and wildflowers have begun to return, reminders of the fire’s impact are everywhere.

As we hiked further, Echo Cliffs came into view. These cliffs situated in the upper canyon are a favorite rock climbing destination.

Along the trail we encountered several lizards whose population has increased as a result of the recovering plant life and abundant food supply. This western fence lizard is common throughout much of the southwestern United States. Adult lizards measure between 2 to 3.5 inches in length from snout to vent. They possess gray, brown, or brownish-black colored spiny scales on their backs and limbs. Two rows of light and dark markings run down their backs, and their undersides are either white or yellow.

We narrowly avoided stepping on this Blainville horned lizard. The horned lizard has a flat body with a broad, oval shape and can range from 2.5 to 4.5 inches in length. Their cryptic coloring enables them to blend into the background making them difficult to spot. They have large pointed scales scattered on the upper body and tail, and a large crown of horns or spines on the head.

With every step, a different wildflower seemed to come into view. Clematis lasiantha, sometimes called Chaparral Virgin's Bower, is a perennial vine that blooms from February to June and is only found in California.

Most Clematis plants are irritating to the skin and toxic if ingested. However, Indigenous people and Spanish settlers used a mixture of the foliage and water to treat skin wounds and general aches and pains.

Purple nightshade is an evergreen shrub up to 3 feet high and wide with purple flowers about one inch in diameter that blooms from January to May. Like most members of the Solanum family purple nightshade contains toxic alkaloids and is poisonous if ingested.

Morning glory is a showy vine of 2-inch bright white trumpet-shaped flower that typically bloom from March to August. It is particularly abundant after a fire which accounts for its prominence on the Mishe Mokwa trail.

Small patches of lupines lined the trail.

The colors were so vivid.

Perched on the hillside above the western end of Echo Cliffs is Balanced Rock, a 60-foot tall bowling pin-like spire perched on stone base. Geologists use balancing rocks, also called 'precariously balanced rocks', as natural indicators of past seismic activity. If a balancing rock is standing, it suggests that the area hasn't experienced a major earthquake strong enough to topple it.

After 2 miles, we arrived at the riparian corridor that runs along the canyon floor. A riparian corridor refers to a strip of land that runs along the banks of a lake, river, or in this case a creek. They’re different from the surrounding lands because their soils and vegetation are shaped by the presence of water.

At the time of our hike, the creek had minimal flow. However, the distribution and type of plants were indicative of a reliable water supply. The landscape resembled a small forest rather than the chaparral ecosystem.

Fortunately, most of the oak trees in the corridor appear to have survived the Woosley fire. Oaks have thick heat-resistant bark that protects the cambium, a thin layer of vascular tissue responsible for water and nutrient movement. If the cambium is left intact, a scarred tree will start sprouting new leaves in the spring following a fire. However, if the cambium is severely damaged, it can take 6–10 years for a tree to decline and die. Early signs of this prolonged death cycle are top branches losing leaves and earlier fall color. These trees, which have leafed out during multiple springs, are on the road to recovery.

An alien limb tried to engulf Dave's head; once an actor always actor.

Another of the iconic rock formations on the Mishe Mokwa is Split Rock. The rock slices are far enough apart to allow a person to pass between them. Like most geologic formations in this region of SMMNRA, Split Rock is volcanic.

After leaving Split Rock, we began a gradual climb out of the canyon.

The trail follows the slope of the creek that we crossed in the riparian zone. California biologist report that shrubs are continuing to make a strong recovery following the Woosley fire and these photos support that observation.

Another interesting outcroppings on the canyon wall looked like the profile of a face (left photo). The formation reminded us of the 'Old Man of the Mountain' cliff face in New Hampshire (right photo). The NH outcropping consisted of a series of five granite cliff ledges on Cannon Mountain that appeared to be the jagged profile of a human face when viewed from the north. The rock formation was 40 feet tall and 25 feet wide. Despite a century's worth of engineering efforts, the 'Old Man' collapsed in May 2003.

As we climbed out of the canyon, the vegetation became more sparse, showcasing the chaparral, but...

... wildflowers continued to put on a show This pitcher sage, a native shrub endemic to California. Similar to other sage plants, it emits an aromatic fragrance when the leaves are crushed. The flower's color is subtle, varying from white to yellow to lavender.

Purple owl's clover is an annual in the same species as Indian paintbrushes. Like other related plants in the family, purple owl's clover is a hemiparasite and derives some of its nutrients directly from the roots of other plants.

About the 3-mile mark, the Mishe Mokwa reconnects with the Backbone Trail. We decided against taking a side trail to Tri Peaks but did not pass up the opportunity to explore Inspiration Point.

A short 0.1-mile spur trail led to an amazing vista with sweeping view of the surrounding Santa Monica Mountains and Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, low-lying coastal clouds obscured much of the view but we still enjoyed Inspiration Point.

From this viewpoint, we could see Sandstone Peak (blue arrow) located 1 mile away on the Backbone Trail.

This is probably a good time to point out that Sandstone Peak, as well as the surrounding terrain, is composed of volcanic deposits and not sandstone. It's a story that began over 20 million years ago when a large portion of what is now coastal California was submerged under a shallow sea. For millions of years the ocean surface slowly moved, churned, and stretched until around 16 million years when the ocean floor began to crack and molten lava oozed from underwater volcanic vents. The molten-hot magma bubbled up for 3 million years creating multiple volcanoes including the 10,000 foot Conejo Mountain volcano which rose out of the sea. It was during this period that the Santa Monica Mountains began to take shape in the ocean depths. The Conejo volcanic layers, which are upwards of 9000 feet thick in certain areas, are colored red in this geologic map.

SP: Sandstone Peak CM: Conejo Mountain

Tv: Tertiary volcanic flow rocks; minor pyroclastic deposit

TvP: Tertiary pyroclastic and volcanic mudflow deposits

For 10 million years following the area's last volcanic activity, layers of marine sediment accumulated over the dense volcanic rock. Approximately 3-4 million years ago, tectonic uplift began to shape the rugged terrain of the Santa Monica Mountains. Weathering and erosion removed the marine sediments, exposing the dense volcanic rock. Then erosion began taking its toll as the volcanos began to erode. Volcanic rock shed from the Conejo Mountain volcano accumulated at its base creating the rocky protrusions that are visible today.

We rejoined the Backbone Trail and passed through several burn scars.

As we moved directly beneath the peak, a narrow spur tail branched from the Backbone Trail.

Approaching the summit, the steep, rocky spur trail vanished and a Class 1 rock scramble followed.

After a short time scramble, we were standing on Sandstone Peak, the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains. On the summit, there is a monument dedicated to Mr. W. Herbert Allen, who contributed numerous acres of land to the Boy Scouts, including the nearby Circle X Ranch.

Similar to the once towering Conejo Mountain volcano, Sandstone Peak has itself been significantly eroded and now stands at an elevation of 3111 feet. The rocky summit has the brown color of sandstone but it is composed of andesite breccia which are accumulations of angular boulders deposited by debris flows shed from steep-sided volcanic cones.

There were no views of the Pacific and coastline due to the marine layer. These low-lying clouds form when cool, moist air from the Pacific Ocean rises along the mountain slopes, cools as it climbs, and condenses into clouds. In the past, we might have been disappointed by such views, but we've learned that the thrill comes from the challenge of reaching the peak, not just the panoramic view we might anticipate at the summit.

As we glanced back, we could see where the Backbone Trail as it approached the summit spur trail.

Reaching the peak had taken just over 4 hours at a leisurely pace, but it was now time to return to the trailhead.

We began a steady descent to the trailhead once we rejoined the Backbone Trail.

Even though the summit was shrouded in clouds, we had magnificent views to the east.

Throughout the hike we noticed yellow flowers lining the trail. Although they look beautiful, they’re an unwelcomed super bloom of black mustard. Black mustard is a highly invasive weed often associated with fire-prone areas. While their seeds don’t require fire to germinate, they often benefit from post-fire conditions like reduced competition by native plants and nutrient-enriched soils.

This tough plant germinates early in winter before native plants take hold, shoots up to over 6 feet tall, hogs the sunlight with its thick stalks and lays down a deep system of roots that out-competes native plants for water. Like other mustards, black mustard grows profusely and produces allelopathic chemicals that can prevent germination of native plants. As the plants die, they become a forest of dead brown stalks creating a significant fire hazard.

Black mustard can reach heights of 10 feet. They generate small, black seeds contained within narrow pods. One plant can yield thousands of seeds, which can stay viable in the soil for more than 5 years. Attempts to manage the spread of this invasive weed have seen varied success. The true remedy is for the SMMNRA to undergo several dry seasons, as water scarcity will hinders the growth and spread of black mustard. Of course dry conditions also impact plants and increases the likelihood of wildfires in the already scarred SMMNRA.

Despite the yellow menace, we did see multiple stands of California buckwheat in bloom. These low, evergreen shrubs are a common plant in the chaparral. and can remain in bloom for roughly half the year. Once established, it is incredibly drought tolerant and can survive without summer rains.

From this point on the trail descends sharply, losing 1100 feet of elevation in just 1.5 miles.

Back at the trailhead, we took one last look at the rocky outcropping surrounding Sandstone Peak. It's easy to see why this is considered one of the classic SMMNRA hikes.

We stopped on the way home to celebrate another successful adventure.