Santa Paula Canyon: A hidden world filled with splendid sights

February 11, 5:13 PMLA Hiking ExaminerJohn Hanssen

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This is one of the best ways to describe Santa Paula Canyon. A place that will unveil to the avid hiker a world that seems almost out of some other place and time. After just a few miles in past the trailhead, the hiker feels as if he or she has been literally teleported into a classic Western film. The canyon contains breathtaking vistas of sedimentary cliffs, such as the one seen in the photo above, as well as majestic waterfalls, Big Cone Spruce pine trees, as well as oak and sycamore trees. What is incredible is that this rugged, Arizona-like land is not that far at all from the sparkling waters of the Pacific Ocean!

Perhaps one of the most scenic features in Santa Paula Canyon is at the end of the hike at a place called Devil's Punchbowl. It is called a "punchbowl" because of the number of waterfalls that spill into different swimming holes that are all lined up in a row, much like a typical punchbowl one sees at a dinner party or potluck. The hike from the trailhead to Devil's Puchbowl is roughly four miles and is of moderate difficulty. Toward the end of the hike just before Devil's Punchbowl is where it gets rather strenuous with a couple of steep hills that lead up the campground just before the Punchbowl. This campground, Big Cone, is an extremely nice place to take a rest, especially after the strenuous climb up to it. The campsite is filled with huge pine trees, oak trees, and is carpeted with lush green grass. There are numerous rocks that are perfect for sitting and taking in the surrounding flora and fauna. Also, from the east side of Big Cone camp, one gets a perfect shot of the cascading waterfalls of Devil's Punchbowl just across the way.

This glorious area of Santa Paula Canyon is located less than ten miles north of Santa Paula, CA, a town about sixty-five miles west-northwest of Los Angeles. For further information about the canyon, as well as directions on how to get there, just contact the Ojai Valley U.S. Forest Ranger Station at: 805-646-4348. They are open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday and offer great maps of the area as well as super-friendly service.

Have a safe and enjoyable time!