Lizard Rock Trail
Day 247: Tuesday July 19, 2011
Santa Rosa Community Park & Lizard Rock Trail
4.5 miles +850 feet
1.5 Hours
Little Shade, not good for kids; dogs ok
Directions:
From the 101 in Camarillo, exit on Pleasant Valley/Santa Rosa. Take Santa Rosa for about 5 miles and then turn right on Hill Canyon. About 1000 feet up on the right will be the parking lot for the Santa Rosa Community Park.
I danced around this area for 20 minutes or so. Honestly, it’s not much of a park unless you want to play a game of horse shoes. Little shade and very boring, hence I left out the picture. However, I did locate a trail that lead lower to a stream:
On Day 219 I reached the opposite side of this stream as my turn around point. This was the day that I saw a large fox and got lost in the Rancho Conejo Open Space. I can now connect the dots officially to Santa Rosa. Rather than get my feet wet, I turned around and began to head back to the park. I snapped this picture:
A switchback trail in the distance!!!
After about ¾’s of a mile of exploration at 240 feet in and around the park, I jogged out across Hill Canyon Rd to reach the trailhead:
The trail begins just around this fence
climbed steady switchbacks for 0.8 mile
(good view of the stream and open space)
The first peak (Elevation 792 feet)
Seal Treasure: Game 2104
First I'd like to say that I am having serious camera issues. In the distance from this peak to the right you will notice the park. To reach this summit, veer off the main trail to the right when you top out. There is an obvious overlook trail to the right. If you look down, you will notice a small metal circular object in the ground with writing on it. The Seal Treasure is, what is the 4-digit # after the letters R.C.E. If you are not signed up for Seal Treasure, please visit: www.SEALtheBeach.com
After the peak, continue forward. There is an alternate turn off to the left but I ran into a dead end with it. The main trail will reach a ledge and then circle back to the alternate trail. So, the only way to continue is to carefully climb down the ledge. The footing isn't bad but the drop is about 15 feet so be careful. After that, you finally have some down hill to jog. However, that doesn't last long. Start climbing again toward Lizard Rock. Then, take a look back:
1st peak and parking lot in the distance
Lizard Rock Peak (Elevation 931 feet)
Switchback lower and take a sharp right to get back
Wildwood Park in the distance
(You can see the Arroyo Conejo and the tepee)
Hill Canyon Wetlands and road leading up to Rancho Conejo
This trail will lead right into the Hill Canyon Water Treatment Plant. Take the cut off to the right near the bottom of the hill. You will see the fence for the facility directly in front of you and then turn right again to head back to the car. This dirt trail (Lizard Rock Trail) will lead out to the street. A few moments down the road you will have the option of cutting down the trail to the left that I hiked on Day 219. To make this a legit loop trail, go around the yellow fence, cross the stream (there is a bridge) and follow the trail back to the park. Remember, you will have to get your feet wet at the end if you go this way, but the trail itself is legit. For me, I proudly jogged the street. I had been in good jogging form since 900+ feet. The road is a gradual downhill and I kept my pace up all the way back to the car. Once you see this rock in the pic below, you are nearly there:
If you wonder how I calculate elevation, click the link below. You can scroll as easy as Google maps to determine the elevation for any trail in this country, or even your home or work elevation:
Or, for the trail I did today, you will find this on Wildwood Park Map
Day 246: Monday July 18, 2011
Quito Park – Camarillo
2.5 miles +100 feet
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