Big Sycamore Canyon, Natural canyon in Point Mugu State Park, California, USA
Big Sycamore Canyon is a gorge in Point Mugu State Park that winds through coastal terrain with shrublands and native sycamore trees. Multiple trailheads provide access with marked parking areas and facilities for hikers and mountain bikers.
The Ventureño Chumash and related tribes used this canyon as a trade route connecting inland valleys to the ocean. This passage shaped movement through the region for centuries before European contact.
The Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center sits within the canyon grounds, marking where a Satwiwa village once stood. You can sense how indigenous peoples connected to this land and moved through these natural passages daily.
Visit during cooler months as summer heat can be intense in this exposed terrain. Carry plenty of water and wear proper hiking footwear since trails are uneven and rocky.
The canyon rises steeply with an elevation gain of about 3000 feet (900 meters) from the lower entrance, rewarding hikers with dramatic ocean views that unfold gradually along the ascent. This vertical journey moves you through different plant zones in a relatively short distance.
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