Ray Miller Trail(edit)

Overview

This is a difficult out and back trail in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

This trail is across the street from the Thornhill Broome State Beach campground and passes by the La Jolla Group Campsite

Getting Started

The Ray Miller trail head is at the La Jolla parking lot which has a day use fee of $8: http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/737/files/Current_web_day%20use.pdf, however you can park on Pacific Coast Highway for free (but carefully read the parking control signs).

No dogs are allowed on this trail: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=630

The restroom was destroyed in a fire and so there are no facilities currently on the trail.

The Ray Miller trail is the end (or begining) of the Backbone trail.

The trail head for Ray Miller is a sharp right at the end of the parking lot. It is a set of ascending switchbacks which climb from sea level. You are looking over the Thornhill Broome camground out at the ocean. This scene is mostly grass and small shrubs, as the area heavily burned in 2015. The trail has good views of the ocean which get progressively better as the trail climbs.At the end you'll be able to see the other mountains in the area and some of Sycamore Canyon.

Weather can be an issue, sometimes the trail is very foggy with poor visibility. There can also be very high winds at the top. The trail is a good quality single track trail. However because of the elevation switchbacks hiking poles may be useful.

Taking Children

While not unsafe you are climbing on a single track trail and so there isn't a lot of room to run around and you are climbing. Also there is no restroom.