| Statistics: |
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| Difficulty: 1.5
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Route Finding: 2
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| Distance One Way
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0.63
miles |
| Trailhead Elev
691 feet |
Elev Gain -327 feet |
| Avg Time One Way
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20 minutes |
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| Waypoints: |
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| Trailhead |
N 34° 12.704 W 118° 53.200
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Fort Trail
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N 34° 12.803 W 118° 53.785
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Wildwood Canyon Trail
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N 34° 12.803 W 118° 53.785
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Trailhead/End of trail
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N 34° 12.803 W 118° 53.785
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Topographic Route Map |
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Elevation Profile |
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By Scott Legal
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This is a short trail that starts on Lynn Road. The early section of the trail is not used very often, despite being in plain view of passing motorists on busy Lynn Road. In fact, there is no clearly defined trail for much of the first couple hundred yards, despite the fact that this is a designated trail on the COSCA trail map. I think most people view this trail as an access trail to Wildwood Canyon and choose to enter it at either the western end of Avenida de las Flores or the western end of North Flaming Star Avenue.
If you start at Lynn Road, route finding won’t be too difficult even if finding the actual trail is difficult. You’re basically traveling along a clear space between people’s backyards and a branch of the north fork of the Arroyo Conejo. When the clear space begins to bear slightly off to the right the trail begins to become a little better worn. Again, you’re right next to people’s backyards, so route finding is a snap. It is a little more scenic hear as you begin to get glimpses of Wildwood Canyon.
The trail passes the trailhead at the end of Avenida de las Flores. The trail is much better worn and well traveled from this point on. There are also fewer barking dogs from this section on to the west. Prior to this trailhead there are a lot of angry dogs barking at hikers as they pass by their backyards. From this point on you are much closer to the surrounding vegetation as well.
After a short distance the trail turns into a dirt road that heads down into Wildwood Canyon. At the top of the dirt road there is a clearing that heads up to a little knoll. If you head to the right from the top of the knoll you’ll pass between two homes and end up at the trailhead at end of North Flaming Star Avenue that is mentioned in the first paragraph.
The dirt road drops down a steep ridge toward the merging of two branches of the North Fork of the Arroyo Conejo. When you reach the bottom of the trail you’ll have to cross the creek. There is normally a small foot bridge hear but the bridge usually washes away during storms and my most recent hike along this trail was the weekend after a storm that brought eight inches of rain to the area. So the bridge was gone. After the creek crossing you’ll climb uphill for about 15 yards before reaching an intersection with the Wildwood Canyon Trail and the Fort Trail.
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The trail is not well defined near the beginning |
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Nice vegetation further in on the trail |
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The bridge has washed away at the creek crossing |
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The bridge was resting in thick vegetation downstream |
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After a storm all the phosphates and algae have given way to very clear water |
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