Topanga Canyon Lizard

A recent break from the Ph.D. pursuit took me to the nature trails of Topanga Canyon in Santa Monica, California. This is a wonderful place for an enjoyable stroll through generally tame wilderness. Considering that it is such a short drive from UCLA, less than twenty minutes, this state park is well worth the effort. There are many trails and some of them extend a few miles. Wildlife is not a problem, a small lizard was spotted doing pushups during this hike (picture at right).

More information about Topanga State Park may be found at the following link: Topanga SP
Their official map may be found here.

To illustrate just how close to urban Los Angeles this park is, below are two pictures from one of the trail peaks. Not shown in these images are the home of Pacific Palisades that hold a prominent position in the view. These are enough to remind one that this is the middle of urban sprawl. It is surprising that such homes have been built so close to the park. Their splendid ocean views must be well worth the occasional hiker's peek into the backyard.

View of Los Angeles from Topanga Canyon trail. Downtown is located in the upper-left corner.

View from Topanga Canyon including the Pacific Ocean.

Tags: topanga canyon, Los Angeles hiking