Santa Paula Punch Bowls

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Rose Valley Falls, Ojai California

Rose Valley Falls

Rose Valley Falls is less than an hour North of Los Angeles, but it may as well be on a different planet for all they have in common. The falls are just a short 1 mile hike from the campground, but there are a couple of smaller cascades and waterfalls to explore on the way. You actually get a great view of the top tier of Rose Valley Falls from the campground. The total combined height of the upper and lower tiers is probably somewhere in the 250 foot range. I also saw a few spots on the creek that looked like good swimming holes, but the creek was way too cold and shaded for my taste. If you decide to stay at Rose Valley, you probably want to see both tiers of the falls. The lower tier is a simple 1 mile hike with almost no elevation gain. You could take your dog, your baby, and text on your iPhone at the same time with no trouble at all. The top tier is a lot trickier. The trail turns into a 75 degree dirt scramble straight up the side of a mountain. You have to use the shrubs and trees to keep from slipping back down. There is definitely a danger of kicking loose rocks down on the hikers below you. There were hand lines set up, but they were old and frayed and I didn't dare use them. The view from the top of Rose Valley Falls is definitely worth the extra effort. You can actually walk to the ledge and see out over the entire valley below. We nearly had the entire place to ourselves. Once you get into the Los Padres National forest just north of Ojai, you are definitely in the wilderness. The campground at Rose Valley is quiet, secluded, primitive, and beautiful. Even in the middle of summer, you probably won’t have any trouble finding a good campsite. And best of all, campsites are free for Forest Adventure Pass holders. And even if you don’t have a pass, there are no rangers in the campground to check you anyway. The night I camped at Rose Valley, I saw the Milky Way galaxy for the first time in Southern California. I got up to pee at 3 in the morning and I must have stood there for an hour just staring up at the sky before I remembered why I had gotten up in the first place. From the 101 in Ventura, Take route 33 North (Ojai Freeway) towards Ojai. Drive 28 miles to the turnoff for the Rose Valley Campground (Sespe River Road). The campground is located 2 miles east at the end of Sespe River Road. Follow the signs. *If you're looking to make a weekend trip out of Rose Valley, there is another great waterfall trail 20 minutes North just off route 33 called Potrero John Falls.

Potrero John Falls

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Falls Canyon Falls

Falls Canyon Falls, Trabuco Creek Road

Falls Canyon Falls is a little known waterfall located less than a mile from Trabuco Creek Road in Mission Viejo. Its so secluded and secret that I almost feel bad for listing it on Yelp. The waterfall is a single tier which plummets over 40 feet off the cliff face at the end of the canyon. The waterfall can very impressive when its flowing after a good rainstorm. The falls are primarily spring fed and should flow for most of the year. The hike to the falls is extremely easy and takes less than 15 minutes from Trabuco Creek Road. The trailhead to the falls is located a little over three miles from the intersection of Trabuco Canyon Rd and Trabuco Creek Rd. The trail is a little difficult to locate because it is not marked by any marker or sign. The best way to get to the falls trail is to drive down Trabuco Creek road until you see a the sign for the San Bernadino Forest. Trabuco Creek Rd can be a bit rough, but any front wheeled vehicle should easily be able to handle the ruts and bumps. After you enter the San Bernadino Forest, you will have to keep an eye out for a small tributary which flows into Trabuco Creek from a narrow canyon on the left side of the road. Park your car in the nearest turnout and follow the tributary upstream into the canyon for approximately one mile to reach the falls. The canyon is very narrow and it requires several stream crossings. You wont be able to get lost on trail because the canyon walls are very steep. The Falls are located at the end of the canyon so you wont be able to miss them from the trail. Watch out for poison ivy and poison oak on the trail. After you see Falls Canyon Falls, you can return to your car and drive a bit further down Trabuco Creek Rd and you will eventually come to the Holy Jim Trail which features another waterfall, although a bit smaller and less impressive than Falls Canyon Falls. ATTENTION: Always stay on the trail. Several hikers have gotten lost this year in Trabuco Canyon.

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