SMMTC Trail Maintenance

View the scheduled outings as a calendar, list or in pdf format for printing by selecting the appropriate tab below
Be sure to view the Guidelines and Safety Video (4th tab) for important information, including what to wear, weather questions, etc.
Please contact the leader before the event to ensure enough tools are on hand and to the confirm meeting time and place
Occasionally we have other volunteer projects, for these and a more comprehensive calendar of volunteer outings in the Santa Monica Mountains, see our Other Volunteering page
Related links: Photos of recent outings | Submit your photos | Google map of Trailheads in the Santa Monicas

Trail Maintenance Dates - Calendar Format

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Trail Maintenance Dates - List Format

2/4/12 8:30 am Saturday
BACKBONE TRAIL - SADDLE PEAK TRAIL, MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK**
Leader: Greg Sweel 310-452-4443
Meet at roadside parking on Piuma Road 1 mile east of Las Virgenes Road. Project will be on the trail to Dark Canyon and beyond up to the meadow. Map ('Piuma Road')

2/8/12 8:30 am Wednesday
LA JOLLA VALLEY TRAILS - POINT MUGU STATE PARK
Leader: Norm Simmonds 805-523-7250
Meet at Wendy Dr & Potrero Rd in Newbury Park for shuttle. From the 101 Freeway take Wendy Rd south to the end of the road at Potrero Rd. Map ('Wendy-Potrero')

2/11/12 8:30 am Saturday
GARAPITO TRAIL (NORTH), TOPANGA STATE PARK
Leaders: Casey Gonzalez 323-222-4600 & Burt Elliott 805-338-7150
Meet at Trippet Ranch off Entrada Rd. From Topanga Canyon Blvd. turn up Entrada Road at the State Park sign. Tell the parking attendant that you are a trail maintenance volunteer. If there is no parking attendant be sure to get a trail worker card to display on the dashboard or you will get a parking ticket. Map ('Topanga - Trippet')

2/18/12 8:30 am Saturday
PHANTOM TRAIL, MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK
Leader: Barb Thomas 805-492-0460
Meet at the trailhead at the south end of Liberty Canyon Road off the 101 Freeway. Map ('Liberty Canyon')

2/18/12 8:30 am Saturday
Invasive Plant Removal: Saddle Peak Spanish Broom Eradication
Leader: Jerry Mitcham 818-406-1269
Help remove invasive Spanish Broom from Saddle Peak and restore native habitat. Meet at the dirt pullout on the north side of Stunt Rd. about 400 feet before the junction of Stunt Rd. with Schueren and Saddle Peak Roads. NOTE: This is a special Invasive Plant Removal project. Map ('Stunt Pullout')

2/25/12 8:30 am Saturday
GUADALASCA TRAIL, POINT MUGU STATE PARK***
Leader: Burt Elliott 805-338-7150
Meet at Wendy Drive & Potrero Road in Newbury Park for shuttle. From the 101 Freeway take Wendy Drive south to the end of the road at Potrero Road. Map ('Wendy-Potrero')

3/2/12 - 3/4/12 8:30 am Friday-Sunday
LA JOLLA CANYON TRAIL, POINT MUGU STATE PARK
Leader: Norm Simmonds 805-523-7250
Meet at the La Jolla Canyon Day Parking Lot. Be sure to get a trail worker card to display in your car. Free camping Friday (3/2/12) and Saturday (3/3/12) at the La Jolla Group Camp is available to workers. We will work on trails for a few hours on Sunday. Call Jerry Mitcham 818-406-1269 about camping. Map ('Point Mugu State Park - La Jolla')

3/7/12 8:30 am Wednesday
WEDNESDAY PROJECTS ARE SCHEDULED BASED ON NEED
Leader: Norm Simmonds 805-523-7250
For location, call or check web site.

3/10/12 8:30 am Saturday
BACKBONE TRAIL - DEAD HORSE TRAIL, TOPANGA STATE PARK **
Leader: Barry Dydyk 805-499-5627
Meet at Trippet Ranch off Entrada Rd. From Topanga Canyon Blvd. turn up Entrada Road at the State Park sign. Tell the parking attendant that you are a trail maintenance volunteer. If there is no parking attendant be sure to get a trail worker card to display on the dashboard or you will get a parking ticket. NOTE: The Trails Coordinator for California State Park - Angeles District will have a Bar-B-Cue lunch for crew leaders and workers at 2 PM. Map ('Topanga - Trippet')

3/17/12 8:30 am Saturday
SADDLE PEAK SPANISH BROOM ERADICATION - NPS
Leader: Jerry Mitcham 818-406-1269
Meet at the dirt pullout on the north side of Stunt Road about 400 feet before the junction of Stunt Road with Scheuren and Saddle Peak Roads. Map ('Stunt Pullout')

3/24/12 8:30 am Saturday
CONEJO OPEN SPACE - ANNUAL SPRING WORK DAY, CONEJO OPEN SPACE
Leader: Burt Elliott 805-338-7150
Meet at the Santa Rosa County Park off Santa Rosa Road between Thousand Oaks and Camarillo. Turn off Santa Rosa Road on Hill Canyon Road to the Santa Rosa County Park. The project will be the improvement of the Hawk Canyon trail. Bar-B-Cue lunch will be provided for the workers. Map ('Santa Rosa Park')

3/31/12 8:30 am Saturday
BACKBONE TRAIL - SADDLE PEAK TRAIL, MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK
Leader: Greg Sweel 310-452-4443
Meet at roadside parking on Piuma Road 1 mile east of Las Virgenes Road. Project will be on the trail to Dark Canyon and beyond up to the meadow. Map ('Piuma Road')

4/7/12 8:30 am Saturday
BACKBONE TRAIL - TRANCAS CANYON - NPS
Leader: Greg Sweel 310-452-4443
Meet where the Backbone Trail crosses Encinal Canyon Road. Find the crossing from the intersection of Kanan and Mulholland Roads, go west 1 mile on Mulholland, then bear left on Encinal Canyon Road and continue for another 2.2 miles and park on the shoulder of the road just before the fire truck road sign. Map ('Encinal Canyon Backbone Trail Crossing')

4/14/12 8:30 am Saturday
BACKBONE TRAIL - PIUMA RIDGE TRAIL, MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK
Leader: Barb Thomas 805-492-0460
Meet at roadside parking on Piuma Road 1 mile east of Las Virgenes Road. Map ('Piuma Road')

4/18/12 8:30 am Wednesday
WEDNESDAY PROJECTS ARE SCHEDULED BASED ON NEED
Leader: Norm Simmonds 805-523-7250
For location, call or check web site.

4/21/12 8:30 am Saturday
RIVAS CANYON/WILL ROGERS, TOPANGA STATE PARK**
Leaders: Casey Gonzalez 323-222-4600 & Ron Webster
Meet at Will Rogers State Historic Park. Tell the parking attendant that you are a trail maintenance volunteer. If there is no parking attendant be sure to get a trail worker card to display on the dashboard or you will get a parking ticket. Map ('Will Rogers')

4/27/12 - 4/29/12 Friday - Sunday
31st ANNUAL SANTA MONICA MTS. TRAIL DAYS, POINT MUGU STATE PARK**
Check back for more info as date gets closer.
This is a weekend trail event at Point Mugu State Park. Attend one or all days, free camping at Danielson Ranch Group Camp. Call for information flier and registration: 818-222-4531 Map ('Santa Monica Mountains Trail Days Gathering Place')

5/5/12 8:30 am Saturday
BACKBONE TRAIL - HONDO CANYON (LOWER), TOPANGA STATE PARK
Leader: Greg Sweel 310-452-4443
Meet at the trailhead on Old Topanga Canyon Road about 1/2 mile northwest from the junction with Topanga Canyon Blvd. Map ('Hondo - Lower')

5/12/12 8:30 am Saturday
TALOPOP TRAIL SOUTH END, MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK**
Leader: Norm Simmonds 805-523-7250
Meet at the White Oak Ranch located off Las Virgenes Road about 1/2 mile north of the intersection of Las Virgenes and Mulholland Roads. Map ('White Oak Ranch')

5/16/12 8:30 am Wednesday
WEDNESDAY PROJECTS ARE SCHEDULED BASED ON NEED
Leader: Norm Simmonds 805-523-7250
For location, call or check web site.

5/19/12 8:30 am Saturday
SERRANO CANYON, POINT MUGU STATE PARK
Leader: Barry Dydyk 805-499-5627
Meet at Sycamore Canyon day parking, INLAND off Pacific Coast Highway at Sycamore Canyon for shuttle to the trailhead. Tell the attendant that you are part of the volunteer trail crew. Trail worker cards need to be displayed in the car. NOTE: Boy Scouts Trailsaver Day - Barry will need additional crew leaders to assist. Map ('Point Mugu State Park - Sycamore Canyon')

5/26/12 8:30 am Saturday
TOPANGA SCHOOL TRAILS & BACKBONE TRAIL, TOPANGA STATE PARK
Leader: Jerry Mitcham 818-406-1269
Meet at end of Topanga School Road, west off Topanga Blvd about 6 mi south of the 101 freeway or 4.5 mi north of Pacific Coast Highway. We will clear school trails and sections of the Backbone trail. Map ('Topanga School')

6/2/12 8:30 am Saturday
NATIONAL TRAILS DAY- NATIONAL PARK SERVICE - Rancho Sierra Vista - NPS **
Leader: Burt Elliott 805-338-7150
Meet at Rancho Sierra Vista off Potrero Road. Call for specific directions. For additional information on the entire event call 805-370-2301.

6/9/12 8:30 am Saturday
LA JOLLA VALLEY LOOP TRAIL, POINT MUGU STATE PARK
Leader: Dave Edwards 805-985-3728
Meet at Wendy Drive & Potrero Road in Newbury Park for shuttle. From the 101 Freeway take Wendy Drive south to the end of the road at Potrero Road. Map ('Wendy-Potrero')

6/13/12 8:30 am Wednesday
WEDNESDAY PROJECTS ARE SCHEDULED BASED ON NEED
Leader: Norm Simmonds 805-523-7250
For location, call or check web site.

6/16/12 8:30 am Saturday
MISHE MOKWA TRAIL, CIRCLE X RANCH, NPS
Leader: Dave Edwards 805-985-3728
Meet at the Mishe Mokwa trailhead parking at milepost 7.0 Yerba Buena Road. Map ('Mishe Mokwa')

6/23/12 8:30 am Saturday
OLD BONEY ("TOE STUBBER") TRAIL, POINT MUGU STATE PARK
Leader: Barb Thomas 805-492-0460
Meet at Wendy Drive & Potrero Road in Newbury Park for shuttle. From the 101 Freeway take Wendy Drive south to the end of the road at Potrero Road. Map ('Wendy-Potrero')

6/30/12 8:30 am Saturday
BACKBONE TRAIL - FOSSIL RIDGE TRAIL, TOPANGA STATE PARK **
Leader: Burt Elliott 805-338-7150
Meet at the dirt shoulder on Saddle Peak Road 0.6 mile east from the junction of Stunt, Scheueren and Saddle Peak Roads.\r\n Map ('Fossil Ridge / Hondo - Upper')

** indicates joint project with the Sierra Club Task Force; *** indicates joint project with CORBA, **** indicates a joint project with the Channel Islands Restoration.

NOTE: Other trail maintenance projects, unscheduled at this time, may be conducted in the Santa Monica Mountains NRA and Channel Islands National Park. Special projects might be arranged for school or corporate groups interested in performing trail maintenance as public service projects. If you are interested in arranging a special project, please contact Burt Elliott at 805-338-7150 or email us at mail@smmtc.org.

Trail Maintenance Dates - PDF Format

This format is best for printing our 5-month schedule in its entirety.

Please be aware that this PDF is not always updated in the event of any changes, so ALWAYS be sure to contact the leader and/or verify the time and place on the Google Calendar or the Date Listing.

Feb 2012-Jun 2012 PDF

View Previous Years' Schedules

Primarily of interest for our crewleaders. Note: changes in prior schedules are not always reflected in the PDFs.

Guidelines

Call the listed leader to receive specific information about the trail and meeting place and to answer your questions. PLEASE let the leader know in advance of your intention to participate so that enough tools will be available; also it is good to confirm because there have been occasions we had to cancel or change location on account of rain or fire danger. You can check local Red Flag (fire) warnings by calling the State Park Fire Closure Info line, 805-488-8147, and/or visiting NOAA's website, http://weather.gov/fire/. (Note: State Parks no longer automatically close the backcountries during all Red Flag Warnings but will during any extreme weather decided on a case by case basis - if any doubt, check with the crew leader.)
A parent or organization group leader must accompany volunteers under the age of 18.
Meeting places and times vary as noted on the schedule below, and are subject to change, make sure when you call that you confirm the meeting time and place. We plan to end work at 2 pm at the trailhead, please tell the leader when you call if you need to leave earlier. Keep in mind we often car pool, shuttle or hike to the actual work site; leaving early is not always feasible.
General information: Call 818-222-4531, or e-mail us at mail@smmtc.org. If you can't reach the leader call Burt Elliott at 805-338-7150.
BRING: water, lunch, work gloves, long sleeve shirt and eye protection. Sturdy shoes or boots and long pants required. See training video on this page for more information. We provide trail maintenance tools such as McLeods, Pulaskis, loppers, saws & mattocks.

JOIN US for four maintenance outings and you will receive an SMMTC T-shirt! Eight outings and you'll receive Milt McAuley's book Hiking Trails of the Santa Monica Mountains!

Training and Safety Video

To view low-resolution version, click play button below, or, click here for alternate higher-resolution version (links to external website).

Video from Tri-Peaks Trail, January 7, 2011

This video also gives an idea of what to expect on a trailwork day. (Although we don't often have help from the Gator!) Filmed by Burt Elliott.