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Backbone Trail

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, California

Distance
107.1 km
Elev. gain
4,510 m
Start
Near Ventura County
Finish
Near Los Angeles

A simplified drawing of the real route — the distance above is the published figure, not the length of this line.

0 km10904 m above sea level97.8 km

Ground elevation sampled along the mapped route.

Campsites

  • La Jolla Valley Trail Camps
  • Danielson Group Multi-Use Campground

Summits & passes

  • Boney Mountain
  • Triunfo Pass
  • Castro Peak
  • McAuley Peak
  • Saddle Peak
  • Eagle Rock
  • Temescal Peak

Water sources

  • Eagle Spring

Common questions

How long is the Backbone Trail?
The Backbone Trail is 107.1 km (66.5 miles).
How much elevation gain does the Backbone Trail have?
The Backbone Trail has about 4,510 m (14,797 ft) of total climbing, measured along Far's route for the trail.
Where does the Backbone Trail start and finish?
The Backbone Trail runs between Near Ventura County and Near Los Angeles.
Is there water on the Backbone Trail?
Far's catalog records 1 mapped water source along the Backbone Trail, including Eagle Spring. Seasonal flow varies and mapped sources can run dry — check current conditions with the land manager before relying on any of them.

Sources

Route geometry from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Trail conditions, permits, and hazards change — verify before you go.