Ahmanson Ranch: El Escorpion Park, Cave of Munits, Castle Peak
4.9 MRT – Moderate (1,200′ elevation gain/loss)
Directions to Trailhead: Head east on Hwy 118 from Simi Valley. Drive a few miles east on Hwy 118 to its junction with Topanga Canyon Blvd and take the exit. Turn right (south) on Topanga Canyon Blvd and drive 6.0 miles to its intersection with Van Owen Blvd.
Turn right (west) on Van Owen Blvd and drive 3.0 miles to the west end of Van Owen Blvd. NOTE: The street named Van Owen Blvd changes names to Sunset Ridge Court after you cross Valley Circle Blvd AND the El Escorpion Park entrance will be on your left (south) a very short distance after you cross Valley Circle Blvd (just before the street curves to the right/north). Park along the street and wait just inside the park entrance (there’s a big sign at the park entrance)
Click here to see a video about the Cave.
Our hike will begin at the entrance to El Scorpion Park in West Hills. We’ll hike into the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (aka Ahmanson Ranch) to the entrance to the mouth of the Cave of Munits, “a cathedral-like cave that was used by the Chumash tribe for spiritual rites … The cave is reachable via a moderate scramble.” After leaving the cave, we’ll follow the Hunter Allen Trail westward until it curves to the south; we’ll continue westward and then turn north on a well-defined trail that leads steeply up a north-south ridge to the main east-west ridge (with Castle Peak at its east end). Once up on the east-west ridge, we’ll follow a well-defined single-track trail eastward (while enjoying wide-ranging views and interesting rock formations) to Castle Peak. The trail ends about 20’ below the peak in a jumble of huge boulders. We’ll return the way we came.