Views From the "Scenic Trail" in Sycamore Canyon, Point Mugu State Park

A moderate hike on the Scenic Trail in Sycamore Canyon gets you to views like this.

Sycamore Canyon in Point Mugu State Park has trails galore to explore, going all the way up, eight miles, to Newbury Park, if you so choose. Located just steps from the Sycamore Canyon Campground is the "Scenic Trail," a moderate trail with some steps that gets you to stunning views of Thornhill Broome Beach, Mugu Rock, the giant sand dune and the majestic Santa Monica Mountains.

The Scenic Trail connects with the Overlook Fire Road, which continues on and eventually connects with the top of the Ray Miller Trail, then on towards the La Jolla Valley. It is lush and stunning when green in late winter/early spring. It gets pretty brown and dry up here towards last spring, summer and fall months. But the great views towards the Pacific never change.

The wonderful scent of wildflowers off of the Scenic Trail, seen here near the junction of Overlook Fire Road, is well worth going out of your way for in the spring.

Point Mugu, Mugu Rock, Sycamore Cove Beach Featured in 2018 Russell Dickerson "Blue Tacoma" Video

It was pointed out on the CVG Facebook Page that Mugu Rock was prominently featured in the 2018 music video by country music singer Russell Dickerson “Blue Tacoma.” That indeed is the case. The song is the second single from his 2017 debut album Yours.

But there’s more than just the majestic Mugu Rock in this 3 1/2 minute video. I see the beach adjacent to Mugu Rock, Sycamore Cove Beach in the nighttime campfire scene and even Hueneme Beach Park in the eating-Chinese-food-out-of-the-cartons-on-the-beach-with-red-wine-in-plastic-blue-cups scene at 48 second into the video.

One last observation. The lyrics start with “Wheels rolling on an old Toyota. Twist top on a Sunkist soda.” For the record, the Toyota Tacoma in the video looked like a pretty late model to me. Not old at all. In the car’s cupholder appeared to be an iced coffee. No signs of a Sunkist soda.

Sycamore Cove Beach

Adjacent (southeast) to Mugu Rock.

This image was taken a number of years ago at a sand sculpture contest at the Hueneme Beach Festival, when they still held the festival. Notice the palm trees in the background compared to the Chinese food eating on the beach scene at 48 seconds into the video.

BEACHES STRETCHING FROM OXNARD TO PORT HUENEME TO MALIBU

Green Meadows and Hills and Wildflowers on Display in La Jolla Valley, Point Mugu State Park

The La Jolla Valley Natural Preserve is located in Point Mugu State Park, in the west end of the Santa Monica Mountains. The La Jolla Valley was acquired by the State of California in 1966 and was established as a Natural Preserve in 1972.

The area can be accessed via the .7 mile, but very steep Chumash Trail in Point Mugu (strenuous but the quickest approach), via the La Jolla Canyon Trail (which has been closed since January 2015 due to mudslides), or in a roundabout way, via the Ray Miller Trail. Or you can hike there from Rancho Sierra Vista in Newbury Park, which would be something in the neighborhood of 6 to 8 miles, depending on route.

In any case, the area is spectacularly beautiful right now in March 2017 after the winter rainstorms. If you are looking for peace and quiet, green hills and wildflowers, this is the place for you right now.

Parakeets In Big Sycamore Canyon

A flock of black-hooded parakeets call Big Sycamore Canyon home.  As seen in the images provided by fine art photographer Greg Clure, more than four dozen of these birds live in the canyon. Twelve to fourteen inches in length with mostly green bodies with black heads and beaks, they are fairly large birds.  If you are fortunate enough to see one up close you will notice the pale blue wash on the breast and red thighs.

Mostly descendants of escaped or released cage birds, these parakeets now flourish in the temperate climate of Southern California.  You can typically find them roosting in the sycamore trees at dawn and dusk above the Big Sycamore Maintenance Station at the entrance to the campground across PCH from Sycamore Cove.  During the day they can commonly be found throughout Big Sycamore Canyon from the campground up to 5 or 6 miles inland as they forage for food.  They are easy to find; just listen...they are the loudest sounding birds in the canyon.

The southern entrance to Big Sycamore Canyon is in Point Mugu State Park, located a few miles south of Mugu Rock/Pt. Mugu on PCH. It is about a 15 mile drive from the Camarillo Premium Outlets and about 25 miles from the heart of Thousand Oaks taking either the 101/Lewis Road route or the slightly slower, curvy and interesting Potrero Road route.  Alternatively, you can access Big Sycamore Canyon from the northern end at several points along Potrero Road between Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa and Hidden Valley at the southern edge of Newbury Park and Thousand Oaks.  A great place to hike or mountain bike, the next time you are in the canyon keep an eye out for these brightly colored members of the parrot family.

See more of Greg Clure Photography's Fine Art Images of Nature at www.gregclurephotography.com.

Today Was Just Another Typical Mid-Winter Day in Southern California

OK not quite mid-winter yet but we're several weeks into it. But we've seen nothing but clear, sunny skies most of this winter 2011-2012 so far. Just another sunny, perfect day in Southern California. We enjoyed outdoor activities all around town this weekend, culminating at the beach adjacent to the Mugu Rock. As we hiked and played around the rocks and beach, I'm thinking, did winter decide to take a break this year?

I was impressed by the two fishermen shown above. They were in the same spot on the beach for several hours. I never saw them move, nor did I see them catch a fish in the time we were there. And they were still there when we left. Patience is a virtue.