This week’s adventure is perfect for all of your pre-finals stress! I happened to stumble upon a totally hidden treasure the other day and really wanted to share it with everyone.
A few days ago I was feeling kind of anxious and wanted to go on an adventure, but none of my friends were available to accompany me. So I got in my car and went alone, and drove to a spot where you would usually have an amazing view of both the ocean and the city, being up so high, just to get some fresh air and relax for a little bit
But when I got there, there was an incredible fog rolling in so fast and so thick that the view to the ocean was completely blocked out. The fog hadn’t taken over the other side of the mountains yet so I took a new trail out in the other direction that looked inviting.
This trail was such a good find! It dead ends at a weird, two-level cement platform that’s covered in graffiti and looks out over the whole valley below it. The quotes and art doodled in spray paint on this cement is so fun to try to decipher and analyze, and it’s cool to see how people express themselves like this. Its never been a question to me whether or not graffiti is art – you can definitely learn a lot about someone from what they choose to display on a public structure.
The view from this platform is unreal. You have a 360 degree, pretty much birds-eye view of the whole Santa Monica Mountain Range and everything at its base. You can see incredible (and incredibly expensive) homes scattered on and hidden amongst the hills. You can spot all of the buildings and cities that pierce the sky out in Santa Monica, Hollywood and L.A., and even the ocean and some beaches. You can also see the protected state park area in Malibu Creek filled with rolling hills and unique rock and mountain formations. I went at sunset and was assuming the sky would be overpowered by the gray fog, but the more time I spent there the more the sky kept changing colors around the wispy clouds and it just became such a beautiful scene.
This platform is perched at the end of this trail and lets you walk out over basically what is the edge of the mountain. I couldn’t help but feel incredibly free and powerful as I stood up there looking out over the place I get to call home. I SERIOUSLY suggest going up here to get a break from studying or to get your thoughts organized. Once you feel the breeze while standing out on the edge you forget about the stress of school for a little bit. And you never know how much you really need it sometimes until you catch a little break.
I just brought some music, a journal, and a light read and spent a good amount of time up there. You might even lose track of time because its so peaceful you won’t want to leave!
So, here’s how to get there!!
Get on the 101 South and drive into Calabasas and take the Lost Hills exit. When it dead ends, turn right on Las Virgenes, and from there turn left on Mulholland. You’ll be on Mulholland for a while but eventually before a big left turn in the road you’ll see a street to the right called Stunt Road, and this is where you want to turn.
Take Stunt Road all the way to the top – this part of the drive itself does wonders for stress-relief and pretty scenery cravings. It winds to the top of the mountain range and at the Stop sign at its peak there will be parking spots, and this is your stop!
Walk around the gate that leads to the trail to the right (if you are facing inland). There is a paved road and you will be walking on this for about 10 minutes before you see a distinct dirt trail that branches off to the left. This is the one! It takes you directly to this completely hidden platform. There is seriously no sign of it until you’re basically on top of it. Its so great!
Take some friends or go by yourself like I did, either way it will be a perfect little getaway that is probably much needed for a lot of you right now! Its a pretty easy going trail and isn’t super strenuous, but still gets you up and moving & your body is bound to feel better after.
PLEASE get up on your lil feet and go! Take some awesome pictures and share them with me!
Let me know what you think,
xx Teigs