Upper Zuma Canyon and Zuma Ridge to Buzzards Roost
8.5 MRT – Moderate (1,750′ elevation gain/loss)
Meet at 8 AM near Donut Delite at the corner of Madera and Royal. Bring 2 to 3 quarts of water, lunch and sunscreen. Wear boots.
Our hike will begin in the parking lot near Tunnel #1 where the Backbone Trail (BBT) crosses Kanan-Dume Road. As we head west along the Backbone Trail we’ll descend into the lower end of Newton Canyon which is lined with ferns and other lush vegetation. Not long after the trail crosses Newton Canyon Creek, we’ll take a spur trail and look for a 25-foot waterfall. We’ll then continue along the BBT in Upper Zuma Canyon to the abandoned Zuma Ridge Motorway which we’ll follow as it climbs to a point near Buzzard’s Roost at the crest of Zuma Ridge. We’ll return the way we came.