Overview of adjacent areas

Trails of

South Santa Rosa Valley and Mount Clef Open Space areas
 


The Shooting Star Trail on the way down to the Lower Santa Rosa Valley Trail 

Overview

This region of the Santa Rosa Valley, south of Santa Rosa Road, is mostly agricultural land and upscale gated communities. Mount Clef Ridge separates the valley from Wildwood Park to the south. Several trails cross Mount Clef Ridge and connect Wildwood to the south Santa Rosa Valley, enabling several loop routes. Sometimes a block or two on pavement is needed to complete a loop.

The Santa Rosa Trail spans nearly the entire length of Mount Clef Ridge and is the primary trail in the area. Every loop route travels along this trail for at least a short distance, and most routes cover a significant portion of it.

Few of the trails in the Santa Rosa Valley have official names (that I can find) and since I believe strongly that it's important to know trail names if you want to find your way around and meet with others, I've developed my own names where no official ones exist.

Official Websites

Map Key

  Printable map (3.1 MB)

Trailheads

a. Main Wildwood parking at the west end of Avenida de los Arboles. Map and directions
b. Parking at the tennis courts at Wildflower Park on Avenida de los Arboles. Map and directions
c. Hill Canyon Road (no charge). There is fee parking nearby at Santa Rosa Valley County Park. Map and directions
d. At the side of the road on Wildwood Avenue. Map and directions
e. At the side of the road on Wildwood Avenue.  Map and directions
f. Camino de Celeste. Map and directions
g. Briar Bluff Circle. Map and directions
h. Mountclef Blvd. Map and directions
i. The YMCA on Moorpark Rd. They may not appreciate you parking in their lot. Map and directions
j. At the side of Santa Rosa Road. Map and directions
 

Trails

[1] Santa Rosa Trail T3.5 Technical Rating T3.5
[1a] Santa Rosa Trail Access Spur T3.5 Technical Rating T3.5


The Santa Rosa Trail on the north side of Mount Clef Ridge

Description The Santa Rosa Trail makes up the backbone of this area because of the access it gives to both Wildwood Park and the Santa Rosa Valley, both directly and through connecting trails. It runs 3.7 miles from Mesa Trail in Wildwood Park, up Mount Clef Ridge and on to the Conejo Valley YMCA on N Moorpark Road. Starting in Wildwood Park, it climbs about 300' higher than the mesa, providing great views of Wildwood Park and points south. The trail then crosses to the north side of Mount Clef Ridge where it is over 600' higher than the Santa Rosa Valley. You get a clear view of the valley and especially of the ridge on the north side of the valley about 1.5 miles away.

Mount Clef Ridge like the rest of Wildwood is volcanic in origin. Much of the trail is solid dirt and not very rocky, but there are substantial rocky sections, generally short and always solid and very rugged. A couple of these rocky sections can be real challenges for mountain bikers.


The Santa Rosa Trail has some rocky stretches!

The map above shows the connections you can use to make loop routes, and the elevation profile below shows how much climbing and descending you could be doing on these loops.

Probably the most popular hiking route loop, 6.3 miles long, is to start at the main Wildwood parking lot, head west on the Mesa Trail, climb the Santa Rosa Trail before heading down the Shooting Star Trail to the Lower Santa Rosa Trail. From there, head west and take the Box Canyon Trail, via Rocky High Road, back up to the Mesa Trail in Wildwood and the start. Mountain bikers like the same route in reverse so they're descending the steep and slightly loose top of Box Canyon Trail and the technical switchbacks at the south end of the Santa Rosa Trail, rather than climbing them.

Another good hike, this one 4.7 miles, uses the Lower Butte Trail to complete the loop. From the main lot in Wildwood, head west on the Mesa Trail, up Santa Rosa Trail and continue on it to the Lower Butte Trail, turning south-east onto it. Follow that trail to Wildwood Avenue and then to Wildflower Park, then cross under Avenida de los Arboles to take the Moonridge Trail back to the start.


Switchbacks overlooking Wildwood mesa. You can see part of the Mesa Trail in the top-left corner.

Either of these two loops could start at the Access Spur on Wildwood Avenue, avoiding the busy and dusty main Wildwood parking area.

Longer loops can be constructed, and even figure-8 loops, if you continue to the Square Trails or the Nursery Trail at the YMCA. However, the paths to take back in the valley, although dirt, go through high-end neighborhoods so you'll get a different kind of view.

The Access Spur [1a] starts on Wildwood Ave and descends 110' to the main trail over 0.2 miles, with no climbing. It's overall character is rockier than the main trail. In the spring you may find a number of shooting star flowers blooming here.

Technical Rating T3.5 Technical Rating T3.5

 Length (miles)

 3.7

Climb (feet)

 800 (Mesa Trail to the YMCA)

Descent (feet)

 450

Trail Profile      Back to the Top

 

 [2] Shooting Star Trail T2.5 Technical Rating T2.5

Description This 0.8-mile long trail descends from the Santa Rosa Trail to the Lower Santa Rosa Trail. It was built during the Annual Conejo Open Space Trailwork Day in October 2010 and provided an important link that allows loop routes that include Wildwood Park, Mount Clef Ridge and the Santa Rosa Valley.

The slope is moderate and the tread is generally pretty even, but this is a volcanic area so there are a few places where rocks make the surface more uneven. You get a great view of the valley on the way down and a decent workout on the way up.

In the spring you may see some shooting stars flowering along the side of the trail. Depending on recent weather conditions, some years are better for wildflower blooms than others.

Technical Rating T2.5 Technical Rating T2.5

 Length (miles)

 0.8

Climb (feet)

 zero (Santa Rosa Trail to Lower Santa Rosa Trail)

Descent (feet)

 400

The trail Profile is above and below, included with those for the Santa Rosa Trail and the Lower Santa Rosa Trail.

Back to the Top

 

[3] Lower Santa Rosa Trail (AKA Baseline Trail) T2 Technical Rating T2

Description This trail runs along the base of Mount Clef Ridge on the north side, mostly with agricultural fields and buildings on the other side of the trail. The trail is fairly flat with some small and gentle hills. At the south-west end, on the south side, is a large property on which a small railway is being built, complete with cars and a bridge. The property is walled so it's easiest to see the railroad from the trail.

From the south-west end of the trail, you can continue straight on Rocky High Road to connect to Box Canyon Trail, or turn right (north) on Rocky High Road, then left on Sumac Lane to connect to the Ditch Trail.

Technical Rating T2 Technical Rating T2

 Length (miles)

 1.5 (1.1 from Rocky High Rd to Shooting Star Trail)

Climb (feet)

 140 (Rocky High Rd to Shooting Star); 25 (Shooting Star to Access Path)

Descent (feet)

 60; 40

Trail Profile      Back to the Top

 

[4] Box Canyon Trail and Rocky High Road T2.5 Technical Rating T2.5

Description This is another important trail for connecting Wildwood Park and the Santa Rosa Valley. It starts at the west end of the Mesa Trail in Wildwood Park and ends at Rocky High Road. Because the connections to make loop routes are at the other end of Rocky High Road, that road is included with this trail here.

Box Canyon Trail is a gas pipeline access road. In reality, the width of the road varies with the length of time since it was graded. The top 0.4 miles, which is steeper and loose in some places, always seems to be maintained as a road, but below that, it can narrow do a doubletrack or even a singletrack. This lower section, below the junction with the very steep trail the links up to Canyon Overlook Trail, is really fun to ride down on a bike.

Technical Rating T2.5 Technical Rating T2.5

 Length (miles)

 1.0; 1.3 with Rocky High Road

Climb (feet)

 30; 30

Descent (feet)

 460; 490

The trail Profile is included above with the Lower Santa Rosa Trail profile.

Back to the

 

[5] Mesa Trail T1 Technical Rating T1

Description This is a major fireroad trail in Wildwood Park. It is described fully on the Wildwood web page but is listed here because it is needed to connect Box Canyon, Santa Rosa and Lower Butte Trails.

Technical Rating T1 Technical Rating T1

 Length (miles)

 1.1; 0.9 to Box Canyon Trail

Climb (feet)

 150 to Box Canyon Trail

Descent (feet)

 60 to Box Canyon Trail

Trail Profile      Back to the Top

 

[6] Moonridge Trail T2 Technical Rating T2
[7] Wildflower Park Trail T2 Technical Rating T2

Description These two trails, like the Mesa Trail above, are described fully on the Wildwood Park web page, and are listed here because they're needed to connect the Lower Butte Trail with the Santa Rosa and Box Canyon Trails. The north-eastern end of Moonridge, used to make the connection, is open to bikes and equestrians, unlike the rest of it. The relevant parts are included in the elevation profile for the Lower Butte Trail below.

 

[8] Lower Butte Trail

Description This

Technical Rating

 Length (miles)

 1.55

Climb (feet)

 200 (Santa Rosa Trail to Wildflowers Park)

Descent (feet)

 430

Trail Profile      Back to the Top

 

[9] North and South Ditch Trails T1.5 Technical Rating T1.5

Description A drainage canal runs through this area from Santa Rosa Road to Hill Canyon Road and beyond in both directions. It drains into the Arroyo Conejo. From Hill Canyon Rd to Brittany Parks Rd the canal is a large earthen ditch. On both sides are dirt roads that run along the edge of the agricultural areas that make up the trail. Because of the size of the ditch, crossing from one side to the other is not easy, even when it's dry. From Brittany Park Rd to Santa Rosa Road, the canal is made of concrete and the trail only exists on the north side in the form of an access road.

The slope of the trail is very gentle. You may encouter workers and machinery in the fields near the trail.

Technical Rating T1.5 Technical Rating T1.5

 Length (miles)

 1.5

Climb (feet)

 75 (Hill Canyon Road to Santa Rosa Road)

Descent (feet)

 15

Trail Profile      Back to the Top

 

[10] Baseline Access Path T1 Technical Rating T1

Description This trail is a dirt road that parallels Santa Rosa Road and skirts the agricultural fields. It ends at the east end at Andalusia Drive and connects to Andalusia Path. It connects to the west end of Sebastian Path and, about the middle, is a spur that leads south-east to the Lower Santa Rosa Trail (AKA Baseline Trail). The trail has very gradual slopes.

Technical Rating T1 Technical Rating T1

 Length (miles)

 0.8

Climb (feet)

 70 (heading east)

Descent (feet)

 20

Trail Profile      Back to the Top

 

 

[11] San Sebastian Path T1.5 Technical Rating T1.5
[12] Andalusia Path
T1.5
Technical Rating T1.5
[13] Marvella Path
T1.5
Technical Rating T1.5
 

Description Instead of sidewalks, the streets in this neighborhood have decomposed granite paths that run along the side of the road. The paths take their names from the streets they parallel. The surfaces are generally smooth and firm but they're not as wide as a typical dirt road so they get a slightly higher technical rating of T1.5. Except for the Andalusia Path, of which the elevation profile is shown below, the paths are quite short and very gently sloping.

These paths are in a gated community that is accessed by Andalusia Drive. You can't drive in, but the paths bypass the gates so you can get in on foot, bike or by horse. There isn't any good place to park near to the entrances, however.

There are other three more cul-de-sacs in this neighborhood with paths beside them, but they haven't been mapped here.

Technical Rating T1.5 Technical Rating T1.5

 

[11] San Sebastian Path

[12] Andalusia Path

[13] Marvella Path

 Length (miles)

0.33

1.3

0.3

Climb (feet)

45 (west to east)

280 (west to east)

70 (north to south)

Descent (feet)

 zero

120

zero

Trail Profile      Back to the Top

 

[14] Nursery Trail T3 Technical Rating T3

Description This is mostly an Edison Road that starts next to the YMCA off of N Moorpark Road and heads north to Santa Rosa Road. The north/lower half has two parallel roads with a nursury between them. The westerly of these roads (T1 Technical Rating T1) is connected to the rocky and uneven upper road (T3 Technical Rating T3) by a short and steep singletrack (T2 Technical Rating T2) that comes out next to a water tank. About 0.1 miles from Santa Rosa Road, there is a short connection between the houses that goes to the Marvella Path.

Technical Rating T3 Technical Rating T3

 Length (miles)

 0.9

Climb (feet)

 50 (north to south)

Descent (feet)

 470

Back to the Top

 

[15] CLU Road T1.5 Technical Rating T1.5

Description This dirt road climbs up to the Santa Rosa Trail from a paved driveway of California Lutheran University that starts at the north end of Montclef Blvd.

Technical Rating T1.5 Technical Rating T1.5

 Length (miles)

 0.25

Climb (feet)

 140 (south to north)

Descent (feet)

 zero

Back to the Top

 

[16] Square Trails T3 Technical Rating T3(because of steepness)

Description These three trails get their name from the way they look on the map. Along with the Andalusia Path, they form a (near) square with straight sides and nearly straight top and bottom. The two sides go straight up the hill and are very, very steep. The south edge follows the contour and isn't very steep. All parts are dirt roads and the side trails pass through orchards and big homes.

Technical Rating T3 Technical Rating T3(because of steepness)

 Length (miles)

 0.75 (up, across and back down)

Climb (feet)

 290 (west to east)

Descent (feet)

 330

Trail Profile      Back to the Top

 

[17] Line Trail T2.5 Technical Rating T2.5

Description This trail gets its name because it looks like a dead straight line, heading dues east from the south-east corner of the Square Trails. Then it turns north and downhill and connects to the Nursery Trail. Because it's straight and doesn't follow the contour it's quite hilly and steep in places. The downhill east end isn't any more hilly than the straight west section.

Technical Rating T2.5 Technical Rating T2.5

 Length (miles)

 0.4

Climb (feet)

 130 (west to east)

Descent (feet)

 110

 Back to the Top

 

This page was last updated November 23, 2016

 

Thanks for looking at Steve's guide to trails in Ventura County, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) and other locations.