Eagle Rock Loop from Trippet Ranch(edit)

Overview

This is a easy loop trail to Eagle Rock in Topanga Canyon State Park in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

Getting Started

This is a very popular hike and Eagle Rock is very interesting and fun place to visit, with excellent views.
The hike starts at the Trippet Ranch parking lot. The day use fee to park there is $10 (http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/737/files/Current_web_day%20use.pdf). To avoid parking there is limited parking along side the road on Entrada although it's narrow and this is a very popular park so you need to get there early. Carefully check the parking restriction signs.

There are restrooms in the parking lot.

The hike as identified here is a loop starting on the Musch trail and returning on the Eagle Springs fire road. If all you want to do is get to Eagle Rock then Eagle Springs is the easier and faster route.

The Musch trail is a good trail varying in width from a fire road to smaller. There are a few places where the path forward is not entirely obvious so a hiking app or a map is helpful. You'll pass though the campground. You are climbing most of the way and there are a number of switch backs. Eventually you'll meet Eagle Springs which is a fire road and the path to the rock. The rock is slightly off the trail and you can climb all over it.

Dogs are not allowed on hike (https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=629)

Taking Children

Since it has a rest room and Eagle rock will be fun for kids it would be a good family outing. However you are climbing the whole way to the rock. Although the road is generally good and there are good views. There is a steep cliff on one side much of the way which might be a concern if your kids wander.