The Temescal Rivas trail heads up from the Temescal Gateway and then down into Rivas Canyon and out towards Will Rogers State Park. It's an out-and-back trail with about 3 1/2 miles of excellent single track and over 800' of gain.
1 Starting out at Temescal Gateway across the street from my apartment.
2 The actual single track trailhead is less than 1/2 mile from my front door, and it's dirt almost the whole way.
3 The trail heads quickly up and out of the gateway. It's amazing how fast you're away from the hustle and bustle of Sunset Blvd.
4 There are some sections of steep climbing complete with steps.
5 Beautiful green, covered single track most of the way.
6 Some great ocean views on a clear morning. The notch in the bluffs towards the left is Temescal Canyon, which I drive down to PCH every morning for work.
7 Great single track the whole way, and no bikes allowed on this trail!
8 Beats running on a treadmill in the morning before work. And on a really good morning, you can run the whole way without seeing a single human.
9 Wouldn't be a real trail without some snakes.
10 The yuccas are in bloom.
11 Some serious switchbacks.
12 An ivy cave.
13 Lots of spring flowers.
14 As you drop down into Rivas Canyon, things really starting getting green.
15 Very interesting combination of vegetation down here (probably a mix of native and non-native).
16 On a wet morning, it almost feels like a rain forest.
17 The bottom of the canyon.
18 Tons of poison oak down here. Or at least I think this is poison oak!?
19 Probably won't stay green very far into summer, but as of early June in a dry year, it's still pretty green.
20 This is probalby more green then there is in all of urban Santa Monica combined!
21 The official tournaround point when I just need a quick 3 1/2 mile, 800' gain run.
22 The foliage gets pretty dense in places.
23 A small grove of the same sort of trees you see around Mt. Wilson.
24 Out the other end of the trees.
25 Reaching the end of Rivas Canyon.
26 The end of the canyon and one of the best sections of trail.
27 Rattlesnake season.
28 Elevation profile of a partial Rivas run. Up and out of Temescal Gateway and then down into Rivas Canyon and back again.
29 Occasionally I will run Temescal Rivas at night. Here's what my view looks like for most of the run. Definitely an adrenaline rush in the pitch black with the sounds of the woods all around.
30 Some nice views of downtown Santa Monica at night.