The Backbone Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains Welcomes Back Hikers
The dramatic pathway closed following last year’s devastating wildfire.
-
CategoryExperiences, Outdoor Adventure
A 67-mile trail in the Santa Monica Mountain ravaged by the Woolsey Fire has fully reopened. The last six miles of the Backbone Trail are now open to hikers eight months after the wildfire blasted the region.
According to the Los Angeles Times, “The Backbone Trail was completed in 2016 after a 40-year effort to acquire a tract of land that traverses one of Southern California’s largest undeveloped areas. The trail stretches from Point Mugu State Park to Will Rogers State Historic Park and was established with public funding and private donations from the likes of former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and fitness pioneer Betty Weider.
“The Backbone Trail is important because it puts the Santa Monica Mountains on the map,” Ron Webster, one of the trail builders, said in 2016. “We may not have the biggest waterfalls or the biggest trees, but we do have the biggest ocean.”
You can read more about the trail and other rebuilding projects here.
What the Golden State Can Learn From the Sunshine State About Managing Wildfires
Opposite coasts. Similar struggles.
A California DJ and Music Producer Dreams Up an Eco-Conscious Recording Studio on Wheels
Powered by the sun, French cuisine
and good vibes.
Remembering When Los Angeles Was All Shades of Punk
Members of the iconic LA-based punk band X gathered to reflect on a moment of musical zeitgeist.



