Simi Peak via China Flat(edit)

based on 31 tracks & routes | |

MODERATE

#1 hike out of 13 in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area |

MODERATE

5.5 mi

Distance

2 hrs 44 min

Time

1,081 ft

Elev Gain

Overview

This is a difficult out and back trail to Simi Peak in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area which goes through China Flag.

Getting Started

Note this area burned in the Woolsey Canyon fire of 2018. Almost all the vegetation was burned and most plants destroyed. Although the trails have reopened there are still signs listing hazards. There are few places where rocks on the trail and near the bottom there is some sliding at the bottom and some attempts at remediation.

This hike starts in a residential neighborhood off Lindero Canyon Road. You can make the hike a little shorter by starting at the end of King James Court. There is plenty of street parking in the area. It is a consistent climb until you reach China Flat. On the way up it is a very rocky trail. China Flat was a beautiful oak forest but the fire devastated the area. Most of the oak trees still stand and by January of 2019 there was even some green on some of the oaks. How much will recover remains to be seen.

The hike crosses some park boundaries but it appears that dogs on a leash are okay, https://cosf.org/openspace/rules/, although it is not uncommon to see dogs off leash.

There are no facilities of any kind. The nearest access would be the shopping centers down the road on Lindero Canyon

Taking Children

Because of the steep climb this would b hard for young children. Also this area has quite a few mountain bikers which can present a hazard.

Rate this Hike

★★★★★

MTJ 5 years, 3 months ago

January of 2019, a few months after the Woolsey Fire. I've always thought the China Flat area was so beautiful, this micro-climate of oak forest among the grass and dry brush and the area was so devastated. But there was some green on a few of the oaks so I hope most will survive. I came up the King James Court entrance. There is a gate there but it is unlocked and there is a sign saying there are hazards. Most of the hazards, as it were, are right at the beginning where there are some temporary berms preventing erosion. Since the trail up is mostly rock I don't see a lot of slippage otherwise. I did see a large boulder in the trail at one point that came off a rock wall. There were many people on the trail and it was raining lightly and also some mountain bikers.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★