Loading trail…
Circle X Ranch
Free — you'll pick up right here.
Watch this trail
Sign up to watch it — saving subscribes you to gate, closure and report changes.
California
We won't guess. Here is exactly what we do and don't know.
What we do know
Inside Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Park unit boundary is mapped — agency alerts for it feed this page automatically.
Boundary data
What's missing
No access route mapped
We don't yet know which road reaches this trailhead, so we can't tell you if it's gated.
Nobody's filed a report here yet — be the first.
Circle X Ranch
AI-suggested draft · review before you go
No elevation data on file for this trail.
No permit or access details on file for this trail — check with the local land manager before you go.
<p>Tucked in the canyons above Malibu and nestled below majestic Boney Mountain, you will find Circle X Ranch. This former Boy Scout camp offers many opportunities for exploration and leisure.</p> <p>Hike one of the many trails that wind through this rare coastal Mediterranean ecosystem. Experience our chaparral plant community and look for red shank chamise, a tree-like shrub with reddish-brown bark, clusters of thread-like leaves and small bunches of white flowers that bloom in July and August. Keep an eye out for blue-bellied lizards and scrub jays during the daytime, and gray foxes and bats at twilight.</p> <p>You can journey to Sandstone Peak, the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains, or hike down towards the Grotto, enjoying a creek-side picnic along the way. Reserve the group campground and listen to coyote songs while witnessing a night sky that is relatively free from light pollution. Marvel at one of the few locations near Los Angeles where you can see the Milky Way Galaxy.<br /> <br /> <strong>Directions</strong><br /> 12896 Yerba Buena Road, Malibu, CA, 90265<br /> <em>GPS Coordinates: N 34.1100 W -118.9374</em><br /> <strong>Circle X Ranger Station:</strong> Pacific Coast Hwy to Yerba Buena Rd. Turn inland; go 5.4 miles to Circle X Ranch contact station.<br /> <strong>Sandstone Peak Trailhead:</strong> 1 mile north of Circle X Ranch contact station on Yerba Buena Rd. Parking lot is on left.<br /> <strong>Mishe Mokwa Trailhead:</strong> 1.75 miles north of the Circle X contact station along Yerba Buena Road. Parking lot is on right.</p>
Arroyo Sequit
~5 min drive
Accessed from Mulholland Highway, Arroyo Sequit features an intermittent stream, a loop trail, and meadows that are blanketed with wildflowers in the Spring. Arroyo Sequit is a small site that may be easy to overlook, but provides for intimate, relaxing strolls. It is also a f…
Santa Paula Peak
~40 min drive
Moderate 6.67-mile climb to Santa Paula Peak with ridge views.
Last Chance
~48 min drive
Brief 1.27-mile climb with 261 ft gain—perfect for a quick desert or foothill hike.
Cozy Dell
~56 min drive
Steady 3.84-mile climb with 950 ft gain through oak and chaparral woodland.
Rocky Oaks
~12 min drive
Hidden amid houses, roads, and other signs of modern life, Rocky Oaks features a seasonal human made pond and a variety of plant communities that provide habitat for wildlife. While taking a gentle hike along our loop trails, enjoy vistas of the pond. Once used as a watering…
San Cayetano
~41 min drive
Challenging 10.93-mile mountain hike with 3,132 ft elevation gain.
Horn Canyon
~50 min drive
Easy 2-mile desert canyon hike with minimal elevation gain.
Howard Creek
~58 min drive
Moderate 5.69-mile creek trail with 2,241 ft elevation gain.
Zuma and Trancas Canyons
~13 min drive
Zuma! It is derived from the Chumash word for “abundance.” Certainly, Zuma and neighboring Trancas Canyons satisfy this description. The perennial streams running through these canyons give rise to an abundance of animal and plant life. These same natural resources have influe…
Santa Paula Canyon
~41 min drive
Moderate 4.2-mile canyon hike with 2,000 ft elevation gain near Santa Paula.
Also worth it near here