A crowd of 200 gathered at Will Rogers State Historic Park last Saturday, June 4 to celebrate the grand opening of the Backbone Trail, a 67-mile hiking path through the Santa Monica Mountains that had been in development for four decades.
The trail stretches from its eastern terminus in Will Rogers State Park to Point Mugu State Park in Ventura County, with approximately 17 million Southern Californians living within an hour’s drive of one of the trailheads.
Photo: Jayrol Photography
While the route has been open in sections since the ’70s, Saturday marked the first time hikers could walk its entirety without trespassing on private land.
One-time Palisadian and Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who donated one of the final three of the 180 properties that make up the recreation area, was on hand for the commemoration, which coincided with National Trails Day.
On June 3, the National Park Service and U.S. Department of the Interior Sally Jewell designated the Backbone Trail as an official National Recreation Trail, adding it to the National Trails System.
Because overnight camping is currently not permitted along the route, the National Park Service recommends hiking the trail in sections. The organization hopes to eventually create a small number of backcountry tent sites.
—ERIKA MARTIN
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