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Next to Will Rogers State Historic Park is a shady canyon with a shady past. The ruins of Murphy Ranch, a compound built by Nazi sympathizers in the 1930s have been left behind to decay in Rustic Canyon. For adventuresome hikers, a trail enters Rustic Canyon from the east side of Will Rogers SHP. Beyond the end of the trail is a long unmaintained path up an overgrown canyon to the ruins. ... Read more.

Temescal Peak rises over a wide region of the Santa Mountains triangulated between the Pacific Palisades, Topanga, and Calabasas. The peak sits on Temescal Ridge, which runs north to south between Santa Ynez Canyon and Temescal Canyon in Topanga State Park. Only seventy vertical feet separate the summit from Temescal Ridge Trail, a service road running down the ridge, making the final climb... Read more.

Skull Rock sits on the shoulders of Temescal Ridge north of Temescal Gateway Park, delivering broad views over Santa Monica Bay. The head-shaped sandstone formation can be reach as an extension of Temescal Canyon Loop, bringing the hike to 3.8 miles. Skull Rock can also be reached via trailheads farther up Temescal Ridge. The nearest trailhead, located in the Palisades Highlands, provides... Read more.

Rivas Canyon lies between Will Rogers State Park and Temescal Gateway Park. Rivas Canyon Trail crosses the ridge east of Temescal Canyon and travels down rustic Rivas Canyon to connect the two parks on a single-track that is 2.1 miles from end to end with 480 feet of elevation between the high and low points of the trail. Looking up Temescal Canyon from the start of Rivas Canyon Trail ... Read more.

Temescal Canyon Loop offers a good workout along with ocean and canyon views. Temescal Gateway Park is situated just off Sunset Blvd in the Pacific Palisades, and this convenient urban location makes Temescal Canyon Loop a very popular hike. The basic dimensions of the loop is 2.6 miles with 860 feet of elevation gain, but the hike can be expanded to four miles or longer thanks to a variety... Read more.

Los Liones Trail weaves up a lush canyon at the south end of Topanga State Park, just a mile from the Pacific Ocean. The ivy and chaparral-lined hike offers glimpses of Santa Monica Bay. After 1.3 miles and 550 feet of elevation gain, Los Liones Trail arrives at a clearing on a ridge at a bench that looks down on the Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, and the ocean beyond. The top of Los... Read more.

Parker Mesa Overlook offers panoramic views of Santa Monica Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The coastline spans from Palos Verdes to Malibu, with nothing but blue in between. Parker Mesa Overlook is located on the west side of Topanga State Park, which holds the distinction of being the: World's largest wildland within the boundaries of a major city. This distinguishes it from Griffith... Read more.

The craggy sandstone summit of Eagle Rock rises over Topanga State Park, delivering panoramic views of the Santa Monica Mountains. The shortest trail to awesome prominence is a four-mile hike from Trippet Ranch to Eagle Rock. For a more challenging trek, explore this 7.4-mile round trip hike ascending 1,400 feet from Santa Ynez Canyon to the 1,957-foot summit of Eagle Rock. Begin by... Read more.

Santa Ynez Falls Trail follows a shaded creek to a gorge containing a short waterfall. This 2.5-mile hike is a popular family outing because it is fairly level (just 250 feet of elevation change) and interesting enough to hold a child's attention for the duration. Santa Ynez Falls is one of the Los Angeles waterfall hikes. The hike begins from a free trailhead into Topanga State... Read more.

In the 1930s, Nazi sympathizers built a refuge in the Pacific Palisades. Herr Schmidt, Winona and Norman Stephens, and their followers occupied a self-contained stronghold in what is now Rustic Canyon between Sullivan Ridge and Will Rodgers State Park. Murphy Ranch was designed to serve as a hold out for fans of the Third Reich waiting for America to fall to the Nazis. Instead, the ranch... Read more.