Hike #? I have lost track. Paradise Falls

So the running around of the holidays and birthdays are all over, now its time to get back to hiking. I am changing up the format of my blog. Less words and more pictures, so sit back and enjoy the ride.

The hike today was at the Paradise Falls Trail.

The trail was a nice 4 mile loop with about 500-600 feet of elevation climb. It took us about two hours or so and we couldn't of asked for better weather this morning.

Here is where we went today.

Watch out for them cactus, they might attack

The landscape

Some cool rocks

Whats that in the distance?

Its a Teepee

Here are the falls

My hiking partner at the falls

Us enjoying the day

Mr Rad

The falls again

Looks like other people had the same idea as us. You can see the bridge we had to walk across.

Who doesn't like to throw rocks?

Mr. Rad at the falls

The rapids above the falls

The sign says it all

Huck

What is that

Good thing for signs

The opening to the cave

Inside the cave

The trail

Evil attacking cactus

A cool picture

The ritual sandwich my son cant go without on every hike.

Sweet someone got to it before I could.

Just something funny in the parking lot on the way home.

And with that, Hike On.

Hike #5 The Grotto Trail

It has been a busy month of December, so it feels good to get back to hiking and back to blogging.

I took one week off from hiking and last weekend I had the opportunity to guest blog for Hiking Trips Report and you can check out this post here also if you like.

Here is that post in greater detail, enjoy.

Today's hike takes us, just North of Malibu California, to the Circle X Ranch and the wonderful Grotto trail.The Grotto Trail is a relatively easy 3 mile out and back hike with an elevation gain of about 700 feet. It took my son and I just over 2 hours to enjoy the hike and explore what the grotto had to offer.
So we begin.
Here is my Partner on the easy to follow trail.

Unfortunately there was no water in the creek at the beginning of the trail, because this would have been an awesome 20 foot waterfall. Here are some cool rock formations. Some nice fall colors in the Santa Monica Mountains. Here is our first water sighting on the hike. After some minor rock climbing we made it to the grotto.I am starting to realize that this hiking thing is not as bad as I thought it would be. Next up on our list of hikes is the Tarpits Park hike in Carpinteria, Ca.

Happy Hiking

Arroyo Verde Park hike #4

Today we rolled with what Mother Nature dealt us. What was suppose to be a nice hike at

The Grotto Trail, turned into a equally nice hike in our local park. Since it rained all night and all morning, I decided to change our plans and hike the 3 mile loop at Arroyo Verde Park. I couldnt let the weather stop us so I picked this trail because it is close to our house and was unsure of the future weather conditions.

With an elevation gain of no more than 600 feet, it was a simple loop of 3 miles, that offered some wild life, for once, and some views of the city and The Channel Islands that I have never witnessed before.Today I am trying something new for the blog that I will do every so often.

Here is a video of our first Four hikes.

Turn the volume up and I hope you enjoy.

Next week if the weather participates we will go and hike The Grotto Trail.

Happy Hiking

Bubbling Springs Recreational Greenbelt, Hike #3

Hike number 3 was, well like my son stated, "stale". A little back story for this hike is needed before I begin.

My hiking partner was ditching me this weekend, and I wanted to keep the hikes going, so I decided last week I would pick one of the city hikes out of the book to do this week. Bubbling Springs was chosen for this weeks adventure. Well the plans changed and my hiking partner was here to join me for this concrete jungle adventure.

And our adventure begins. This city trail was actually a fun route through places I otherwise would not of gone to. It starts at Bubbling Springs Community Park, in the city of Port Hueneme. We decided we would use this simple hike to learn a few things and try to make the most out of it. I taught my son where North, South, East, and West was based off of where the Sun rises and the position of the sun at any given time of the day. I think I might have to brush up on it with him again but I think he understood what I was telling him. With this blog entry I think I am going to let the pictures do most of the talking. Words just cant describe the majestic views of the man made trail of Bubbling Springs. Our first bridge crossing of the day.

Have shoes, will hike.

Found a treasure.

A breath taking picture of some rare wild ducks. Shhhh don't scare them away.

Some more wild life.

Our attempt at an Old Western Photo.

The end of the trail offered up the best view of the day. Here at the Port Hueneme Pier you can watch some surfers in action or just stare out at the Channel Islands. All in all it was nice to just get out of the house for a couple of hours and hangout with my son.

Mmmmm the best part of the whole hike.

I have been asked to do a guest blog entry for hikingtripreports.com, so next weeks blog entry will be a link to that blog and you will be able to read next weeks entry there. Along with the blog I am going to try to put a slide show together of our first four hikes. I'm pretty excited about this cool opportunity, but I need your help. I need you to help me pick which hike I go on next week. Here are your two choices.
Horn Canyon Trail
or
Grotto Trail.
Please leave your comments below and don't forget to vote. Check back next week to see which trail was picked, by you, the readers.

Hike On.