The Grotto Trail

Overview

The Grotto Trail is a short hike to one of Southern California’s classic hiking destinations. An easy route that can extend as far as you want, with great opportunities for climbing and a wonderful place to refresh your bouldering skills. The drive up the coast to the Santa Monica Mountains is one of my favorites. The skies were clear, the surf in the Pacific was choppy, and a steady breeze filled the air with that great salt scent. When I got to the Circle X Ranch, I couldn’t resist grabbing a shot of Exchange and Sandstone Peaks with the ranch’s flagpole: If you are interested, the ranger / info station at the Circle X Ranch offers some occasional interesting ranger-led programs. They’re happy to answer any questions you might have about the area … and they have a water fountain and flush toilet if you need it. There are a few ways to reach the Grotto – you can also hike in from two different trailheads for the Canyon View Trail further east along Yerba Buena Road. For this trip, start at the Circle X Ranch parking area and begin your hike From the parking lot on Yerba Buena Road, I could see clear down to the narrowing canyon walls of my destination. Unlike many hikes in the Santa Monicas or San Gabriels, the Grotto Trail starts up high and ends down low. So while it will be easy going in, just remember that it’s all uphill on the way out. The Circle X Ranch used to be a Boy Scout Camp, and still sees a lot of action from the pint-sized outdoorsmen. Early on in the trail, I passed a reservation-only Group Campground, notable both for its close proximity to the main road and for having two of the nicest-looking outhouses I’ve seen at any park so far. Shortly after the group camp (at about the 0.1 mile mark) you’re finally off the dirt roads and onto the actual Grotto Trail – a very well-maintained footpath that starts off through some low brush and chaparral. There’s a bit of shade but the sun breaks through most of the cover. Spring was starting to strike the trail, and the canyon was full of beautiful gree

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