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View of our hike, courtesy of Google Earth, looking east. We went clockwise around the loop. The trail down towards the left is Malibu Springs, which we went down about half way before turning around.
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Looking at the pond from the ADA viewpoint. Hopefully we'll get some rain this winter to fill the pond back up.
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Climbing over some fallen tree limbs that were blocking the trail
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On the dam that holds back the pond, overlooking the Malibu coastline.
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Coming back down from the dam. This is a natural pile of boulders that hold back the pond.
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The Nicholas Flat Trail skirts one of the meadows in the area.
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There's also lots of high chaparral
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From this overlook, we can see the coast (there's a thick marine layer over the ocean today)...
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... and we can see Sandstone Peak (although we're not sure which one it is).
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From a high point on the Ridge Trail, we get a good view of Nicholas Flat itself.
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Still on the Ridge Trail, headed for the Malibu Springs Trail, and going directly towards Sandstone Peak.
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There are a couple of switchbacks on the Ridge Trail. That's Mulholland Hwy down below.
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On the Malibu Springs Trail. We'll go down about half way to Mulholland Hwy, then turn around and return.
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You can hike up this trail to Nicholas Flat from Mulholland Hwy, but there's only room for a couple of cars to park at the trailhead.
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The trail is lined with purple sage for long stretches. It's going to be really pretty when it blooms in the spring!
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Group photo at the turn-around point on the Malibu Springs Trail.
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On the way back up the Malibu Springs Trail.
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Back to Nicholas Flat proper, this trail is part of the Malibu Springs Trail, but is also known as the South Trail.
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Its only a short distance back to the cars from here.
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