Great views of the ocean, small seasonal waterfall, densely wooded canyon
Near: Pacific Palisades, CA
Distance: 4 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 1000 ft
Hike Time: 2.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Trail Condition: Well maintained trail
Hike Type: Loop
This is a very popular hiking spot with great views of the ocean on clear days, a seasonal waterfall, and a densely wooded canyon. The loop starts out on Temescal Ridge Trail, climbing almost 1,000 feet in the first mile. At the intersection with Temescal Canyon Trail, you can either take a half mile side trip to Skull Rock (staying on the ridge trail) or head down into the deep Temescal Canyon.
At the bottom of the canyon, you will cross a bridge with a lovely waterfall. If you are careful, you can do some rock scrambling upstream to see some additional small waterfalls. After crossing the bridge, the trail drops through the canyon at a mild pace, through a pleasantly dense wooded area.
If you skipped the ridge trail, and just walked up the canyon and back, this would be a great easy 2-mile family hike.
Trailhead
From Santa Monica, drive north on Pacific Coast Highway (1) for 2.6 miles to Temescal Canyon Road and turn right. Drive to the end of Temescal Canyon Road and park at the entrance to the Presbyterian Conference Center. The trailhead is at the far end of the parking lot on the left. (Lat:34.05312 Lon:-118.5286)