Lord of the Rings Hike in Malibu

L.A. weekends are made for hiking.

Alejandro and I decided to try a new hike in Malibu, called Solstice Canyon though it seemed more like "Lord of the Rings" to me. You begin on a dusty dirt path that curves right and winds far back into a wooded canyon, past leafy trees that pop chlorophyll green against the blue sky.

Then comes Cool Part I.

In a clearing in the brush you come upon what looks like an archeological site, one with red-bricked hearths and a stately fireplace that rise from the concrete foundation of what was once a sprawling house. Turned out it burned long ago in a forest fire and the site has since been dedicated with a plaque for curious hikers like us.

And beyond these structural remains is Cool Part II.

You suddenly come upon big gray rocks that blanket the ground, leading to a Jenga-style jumble of stacked boulders that surround a stream of water trickling into a pool below. The bright green moss and foliage around you seem right out of "Lord of the Rings."

We had a lot of fun climbing up the rocks, finding the best route through the stones that was manageable but also fun. Each time we climbed our way to a new level of flat ground, we were delighted with a natural spring bordered by a massive stone wall or another small stream of water that trickled through moss. We must have gone up four or five levels before we decided to call it a hike since hunger was settling in.

For our next adventure in Solstice Canyon, maybe we'll make it all the way up to the water source? To be continued...