Shelf Road:

This is an Ojai favorite.  It’s an easy, wide-cut trail with minimal net elevation gains and fantastic views of the valley floor.  It’s a great hike when you’re feeling sociable, as there is no shortage of walkers, runners, families, dogs, horses and bikers.  I always seem to run into someone I know, so the iPod doesn’t get a whole lot of use on this hike. 

The trailhead starts high above downtown at 958 feet.  National forest is on one side of the trail and orange groves are on the other; the limbs that hang over the trail tend to get picked clean when the citrus is ripe!  The high-point of the trail is only about 150 feet higher than the trailhead, but the way the view opens up to both sides of the valley you would think you were on top of the world.  And two benches mark the spot so you can take a quick breather and enjoy the vistas. 

To get there, head into downtown Ojai, hang a left at Signal Street and drive about a mile until you reach the end.  Parking is available at the trailhead, which is marked by a gate.  The trail takes you from Signal to another gate 2 miles away at Gridley.  I do this hike at a decent clip from Signal to Gridley and back to Signal again to make it an even 4-miler in about an hour.  If you prefer a more relaxed hike so that you can take the time to pet a few dogs, chat with the locals and snap some photos, give yourself an hour and a half.

Pratt Trail:

This one is a tad more ambitious than Shelf Road.  It’s a steep, narrow trail that goes straight uphill for about a mile and a half until you hit Nordhoff Ridge, where you can loop into Foothill Trail, continuing uphill for another half mile where the high-point reaches 1,785 feet.  If you continue down for another 2.7 miles, you will end up at Gridley, where you can loop into Shelf Road, which will take you back to where you started.  All told, this hike is just over 7 miles and yields an elevation gain/loss of 1,165 feet.  Most rate this one strenuous and say to allow 4 hours.

I, on the other hand, prefer a less ambitious way to enjoy this trail, stopping short of the Nordhoff Ridge.  I start at the trailhead which is off Signal; turn left just before Shelf Road to a small parking area.  I hike up the trail through a residential area, obeying the many signs to stay on the trail.  Along the way, one of the residences has created a beautiful garden for hikers to enjoy, which offers lovely blooms year-round.  I continue on until I see a water tower, which is over a mile from where I started.  I cross over a seasonal creek and instead of continuing on to Nordhoff Ridge, I follow a small trail off to the right which, after just a few paces, takes me to Foothill Crag, a popular spot for rock climbers.  I follow the small trail along the bottom of the 80 foot tall rock face to a path that takes me up and around to the top of the rock.  Then I carefully perch myself up at the top and enjoy an incredible view across the valley where I can watch hikers and bikers huff and puff as they resume their uphill climb of the ridge.  I figure I’ve worked hard enough to this point, so I’ll just let someone else continue on!

Ventura River-Rancho El Nido Preserve:

In June of 2003, the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy acquired this 1,591-acre property and opened it up to the public for hiking, biking and horseback riding.  Miles of well-marked trails weave through and around the riverbed, which is typically dry most of the year, although 6 natural springs located throughout the preserve run year-round.  In summer, families make their way to a popular swimming hole to splash and soak.  This riparian habitat borders the Los Padres National Forest and is home to 300 plant and animal species.  Visitors are reminded that this is a private preserve and dogs must be leashed (this is strictly enforced). 

The hike I most enjoyed here was one of several the OVLC guides for free each year.  We took a moderate-to-strenuous 4-miler starting at the Oso Ridge Trail, ascending to the preserve’s high-point at 1,320 feet, then looping into the Chaparral Crest Trail.  The trail is cut very wide and also serves as a fire break.  Along the way, our guide took the time to point out the area’s flora and fauna, making for a very leisurely 2-hour trek.  The preserve is accessible from its Riverview trailhead on Rice Road just south of El Roblar Road in Meiners Oaks.  From the 33, turn left at the 150 and then make a quick right at Rice Road. 

Piedra Blanca:

Located in the Sespe Wilderness, this has to be my favorite hike of all.  It’s rated easy, but it’s a bit of a drive, about 20 miles up the 33 from Ojai.  After stopping at the Wheeler Gorge Visitors Center for a $5.00 day-use Adventure Pass, continue up the 33 to the Rose Valley turn-off and drive 6.6 miles until it dead-ends at a day-use parking lot.  From the lot, you will quickly see what makes this spot so unique and worth the drive; the white rock formations of Piedra Blanca are a sight to behold just to the north.

The trail is relatively flat with a comfortable overall elevation gain of 300 feet.  You will trek about a mile and a half one-way, mostly through chaparral and manzanita and over a couple of creek crossings, so bring a walking stick.  And then you will land on the moon.

Quite suddenly, the landscape changes from thick brush to smooth sandstone, offering a dramatic setting with easy bouldering opportunities without the need for rope or harness.  I like to pack a pair of rock climbing shoes to give me better traction on the rocks, but it’s not necessary.  Although it’s a short hike from the trailhead, you can spend hours scrambling over the boulders and exploring all the nooks and crannies.

These are but a few of the many hiking opportunities that await you in Ventura County.  Hiking is a great way to stay in shape, but you will no doubt soon find, as I have, exercise is a secondary benefit to getting to know the great outdoors.

Resources:

Los Padres National Forest website offering maps, brochures and recreational information: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres/recreation/trails/ord/

Ojai Valley Land Conservancy website offering membership information, maps and a schedule of guided hikes: www.ovlc.org.

The website for the local chapter of the Sierra Club, offering information on local group outings: www.lospadres.sierraclub.org.