Malibu's best hike gives you ocean views, ruins to explore, and even a waterfall!
The Santa Monica Mountains certainly create a lot of memorable hikes, but a recent trip through Solstice Canyon may have been my favorite.
You may recall images from the November 2018 Woolsey Fire, which burned nearly 97,000 acres. Unfortunately, parts of Solstice Canyon were not spared and the hiking trails were off limits for months due to fear of mudslides and falling debris.
In March 2019, the trail reopened to great fanfare. After a particularly wet winter, with most of the soil exposed, the wildflowers may have put on their most spectacular bloom of all time in Malibu.
When we arrived at the trailhead, it was no surprise that the parking lot was filled. We ended up parking in an overflow lot a half mile from the main parking area, but the scenery was so spectacular that it was of no bother.
We started along the TRW trail, which stays close to the stream and begins in a heavily wooded area. Before too long, the trail emerges from the trees and begins a slight increase. Here, it was increasing evident that the trail was recently reopened as much of it was overgrown. The group in front of us mentioned that they encountered a large rattlesnake, which is a bit terrifying in that you could hardly see the trail.
After a few twists and turns, you will eventually come to what I perceive to be an overlook. It gives 360 degree views and allows visibility all of the way to the ocean. We used this opportunity to take a short break and marvel at the wildflowers all around us. The video below was shot with a drone and provides some of the epic views.
We continued on, connecting to the Rising Sun Trail which was a slow incline upward. This part, unfortunately did not offer any shade and proved to be the toughest part of the hike. Before too long, the trail will crest along a rock wall and you'll begin going further into the canyon on a much flatter surface.
As we made our way into the canyon, we noticed a tremendous variety of wildflowers that we had not witnessed earlier in the hike. White, pink, purple, yellow, and even some blue flowers were present.
After passing an area where the trees were clearly scorched from the Woolsey Fire, we began our downhill descent into the canyon. Luckily wide steps are cut into the dirt/stone, so it was much easier on the feet.
As you near the end of the desert, you'll begin to hear the rushing water over the waterfall. At the bottoms, you'll cross a small stream and enter an area of ruins of the Roberts Ranch House ("Tropical Terrace").
After exploring the ruins, you'll make your way up a thin trail to the waterfall. After just a few minutes, you'll make it to a small viewing area where you can take in the sights and sounds of the waterfall. While it's not a tremendously large waterfall, the nice little shaded area makes for a nice setting. This also is one of the few waterfalls in Southern California that is not tagged with graffiti or covered in trash, so it is particularly memorable.
After taking in the sights and sounds here, we made our way to the Solstice Canyon trail, where we would begin our final two miles of the hike. The last two miles offered unique scenery and was most free of the uphill and downhill portions of earlier in the hike. You'll also get a chance to veer slightly off of the trail and view the Keller House, which was also destroyed by wildfire in 2007.
Just a bit after the remains of this home, you'll reconnect with the trailhead and exit the way that you came.
Know Before You Go
There are restrooms at the trailhead.
The Rising Sun Trail is heavily exposed to the sun. Bring plenty of sunblock and water.
Wildflowers typically appear in March and April after a solid rainy season.
The trail does not allow access to the base of the waterfall. Hikers view it from a small viewing area that can get rather crowded.
There is overflow parking spots less than a minute past the trailhead; unfortunately this will add to your hiking distance.
Resources
Video
The video below shows an overview of the hike on foot, which starts at the TRW Trail, connects to the Rising Sun Trail and ends with the Solstice Canyon Trail.
Location
Unfortunately, accessing this trail likely requires taking the Coastal Highway, which is notorious for traffic backups. The trailhead is just a minute or two off of the highway, but does have limited parking. If the lot is full, there is overflow parking less than a minute past the turnoff on your left.
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