The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation area is located in Calabasas, very close to Agoura Hills, only about 15 minutes east on US Hwy 101. Parts of this park include Cheeseboro Palo Comado Canyon, which are older than the steeper, more recently formed Santa Monica Mountains and provide popular terrain for hikers, bikers, and equestrians.
For over 150 years, ranchers made these canyons their home. Many of the native plants, poorly adapted to heavy grazing, were replaced with European annuals such as wild oats, mustard, and thistles. Despite numerous years of cattle grazing, we can still find a variety of native plant communities, including chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and riparian woodlands.
You can stroll to Sulphur Springs or hike to the top of Simi Peak to view the cities you’ve left behind. Enjoy a picnic under the canopy of an oak or take binoculars to go birding. Oak trees and sedimentary rock areas provide excellent nesting sites for owls, hawks, and other raptors. Keep an eye out for deer, bobcats, coyotes, and rabbits.
Depending upon the time of year that you visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks will help determine what activity you do. However, since each season is full of numerous possibilities, don’t limit your stay to just the summer months.
Joshua Tree National Park, open all year long features the best wild flower viewing in the spring and summer. Joshua Tree National Park is about 130 miles south-east from Los Angeles— a two-hour 45-minute drive from there. And there’s a lot more to do in Joshua Tree National Park than just rock climbing.
This park is remarkable. Think of Dr. Seuss books with spiky Joshua trees dotted among monstrous rocks that beg for more photos. You can drive through the park in less than an hour, but why not visit for the day or even overnight to enjoy camping, hiking, biking, or walking along the many trails. This desert landscape will amaze you; the views will thrill the photographer in you and the many activities will satisfy the adventurer in you.
There is so much to see and do at these beautiful National Park locations that you’ll probably want to return to this area again and again. Road Bear RV will be happy to provide you the best RV rental for each trip.