Hiking Zuma Canyon Trail in Malibu

October 20, 1:00 PMLA Outdoor Recreation ExaminerSeth Smigelski

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the LA Outdoor Recreation Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Zuma Canyon

This 2.8-mile round-trip hike leaves a coastal Malibu neighborhood to explore rustic Zuma Canyon. The sandy single track shoots north through a brushy open space, crossing and following a stony creek bed.

• Click here to see more photos of Zuma Canyon

Sporadic oaks and sycamores become more concentrated as the mouth of the canyon closes. Enjoy the increasing shade and lush canyon views. The easy level trail climbs only 300 feet and has no steep sections.

After 1.4 miles, the canyon narrows and the trail dissolves. A cluster of large boulders fill the creek bed, signifying the end of the Zuma Canyon out-and-back.

Adventures hikers can continue up the untamed canyon for two more miles through the Zuma Canyon Narrows to a crossing with the Edison Road. This slow-going travel requires serious bolder-hopping and bushwhacking.

There are other short trails in Zuma Canyon that make nice extensions:

• The Scenic Trail leaves the Zuma Canyon Trail for an additional 0.2-mile loop
• The Zuma Loop Trail travels west exploring another 1.5-miles of the valley floor beneath Zuma Ridge
• The Ocean View Trail and Canyon View Trail form a 3-mile loop up the east side of the canyon

All junctions are well marked.

Looking down on the Zuma Canyon Loop

For more on the Zuma Canyon Trail, read the National Park Service brochure and Jerry Schad's 101 Hikes in Southern California.

The Zuma Canyon Trail is one of the easiest strolls in Malibu, making it popular with joggers, dog walkers, and horseback riders. For more of a challenge, hikers can climb out of the canyon on either the Ocean View Trail or the Zuma Ridge Trail. No fee or permit is required, so get out and enjoy!

To get to the trailhead: Take the PCH to Malibu and make a right on Bonsall Drive, one mile west of Kanan Dune Road (If you pass Zuma Beach, you have gone too far). Drive north on Bonsall Drive for one more mile to the dirt parking lot at the end of the road. The trail leaves from the northwest corner of the lot.

Use the map below to create your own directions:

View Hiking reviews around Los Angeles in a larger map

	You might also like:
	The Grotto This 3-mile round-trip hike visits a remote grotto in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
	Escondido Falls This 4-mile round-trip hike visits a 200-foot waterfall. The upper tier is 150 feet tall and looks stunning after a good spring rain.
	Zuma Ridge Trail This dirt road climbs the ridge west of Zuma Canyon and offers several hiking options, including a 5.4-mile out-and-back and a 10.6-mile loop.
	Los Angeles hike directory This listing of trails explores the peaks and waterfalls of the San Gabriel and Santa Monica Mountains