May 28, 2018
What Central Park is to New York hardly describes what the Backbone Trail in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is to Los Angeles. Both are amazing getaways and a miracle to be within a short trip to millions of people, right? And the former is big, sure, but the whole thing can be pictured in a mind's eye. A big green rectangle containing some charming hidden special spots bordered by high rises. The latter really can't be pictured as a whole. Or even pictured with a consistent trait. Except for the single track dirt (most of but not all of the time), the Back Bone Trail is SO MANY THINGS all at once! A wild place of enchanted forests, fields of grass, rock outcroppings, trickling streams and windy ridges with 50 mile views.
I've lived here for 25+ years, have done plenty of hiking, but am in awe of this huge expanse of nature in our backyard. My goal to do the whole 67 miles of Trail is almost over and after 7 out of 8 segments it finally feels like one long trek.
Five or six of us have done all the segments together and the hours on the trail have made us into good friends with something to share for a long time to come. It's all downhill from here.
