This past Saturday afternoon, I tackled a 12 mile hike on an old horse trail, behind the horse ranch I used to live on up in Moorpark (Ventura County). I had not done this hike in over 5 years (I would also trail ride with the horses here) and the trek showed me how much I am out of shape since having left the rigorous life of ranch living. At one point, when I was making the steep incline on the backside of the mountain, the blood vessels in my neck were pumping so hard & fast I thought it would instantly propel my head off of my shoulders, like a rocket being fired off! If losing my head was not going to kill me, the heart attack that would have ensued surely would have. But the fight was well worth it because I forgot about the glorious vistas you encounter when reaching the mountain ridge. As the sun was setting, I peered on to rolling grassy knolls (where I gazed down upon a family of 3 deer quietly sitting), leading to the Camarillo plain with full views of the Pacific ocean and a clear sight of the Channel Islands. Just amazing. Along the trail, there were 2 separate encounters with majestic red-tail hawks and as I descended the mountain ridge I came across a sizable bobcat.
Half of this hike is along an ancient riverbed. The other half along the mountain ridge. You are able to experience the different flora & climates. This hike is well worth the work-out and this is the season to do it since the rattlesnakes will not be out! Check out Happy Camp Canyon Regional Park on the L.A. Mountains website...
lamountains.com
