Murphy Ranch Road
In the 1930s Nazi sympathizers built a refuge in the Pacific Palisades. Herr Schmidt, Winona, and Norman Stephens, and their followers occupied a self-contained stronghold in what is now Rustic Canyon between Sullivan Ridge and Will Rodgers State Park. Murphy Ranch was designed to serve as a hold out for fans of the Third Reich waiting for America to fall to the Nazis. Instead, the ranch was raided by U.S. authorities and closed in 1941. The abandoned buildings were transformed into an artists’ colony in the 60s and 70s but were abandoned after the Mandeville Canyon Fire in 1978. Today the grounds of Murphy Ranch are uninhabited, dilapidated, covered in graffiti, and open to hikers. While much of the history is lost, several structures remain, along with long cement staircases that still link Murphy Ranch to Sullivan Ridge Fire Road, providing a 3.85-mile hike with 325 feet of elevation gain.
Solstice Canyon Hike
This is an incredibly picturesque, mostly shaded canyon hike in the Santa Monica Mountains. The Solstice Canyon Trail is a popular, well-maintained route with some spur-trail opportunities for more adventurous travelers. Some of the highlights include the oldest still-standing stone building in Malibu, a small waterfall and creek, and several ruins – including the ruins of a moderate mansion.
Eaton Canyon Waterfall Hike
The forty-foot tall Eaton Canyon Falls fills the amphitheater at the top of Eaton Canyon Trail, tumbling into a wide pool that you can rest alongside or wade in.
Big Horn Mine
Ol’ Jed Clampett might have found oil on his property in Tennessee when he missed the squirrel he was fixing on killing for supper, but gold was found in our mountains by Tom Vincent, who ne’er missed a shot. Credited for having killed a group of five deer with six shots…and three attacking grizzlies in one encounter, his keen eyes picked up on gold up thar in them hills…in a place later called Big Horn Mine.
Please note: Business Development Manager, April Weber, has done all four of these hikes and can guarantee you will find a bit of history, adventure, and fun!