Earth Day: Rendezvous Hikes April 23 to mark John Muir's birthday

Happy birthday John Muir! Join us for a birthday party to honor the Sierra Club founder, who was born on April 21, 1838.

Four hikes in the Santa Monica Mountains leave from different points and converge at Trippet Ranch for cake and a celebration at noon April 23.

Click here for April 23 hikes in the San Gabriel Mountains too!

Pick the hike suited to your pace; hikes start at different trail heads at different times. All hikes are O-rated.

Hikes on April 23 leave from Hondo Canyon, Garapito Canyon, Santa Ynez Canyon and Dead Horse Trail. See details below.

Hondo Canyon:  Meet at 8:15 a.m. Well-paced 8 mi rt, 1800’ gain. Hike up Hondo Cyn to old cabin site with wildflower views. Meet 8:15 am at Dead Horse fee parking lot on Entrada Rd (PCH to Topanga Cyn Bl., N 4 ½ mi to Entrada Rd, lot is on left side of Entrada Rd; or 7 ½ mi S of Ventura Fwy to Entrada Rd). Free parking on Entrada (off Topanga Cyn Rd). Leaders: Bill Crane (402) 111-1111; bilguana@socal.rr.com and Joan Weaver (818) 717-1946; hoansw@yahoo.com

Garapito Canyon: Meet at 9 a.m. Moderately strenuous 12 mi rt, 1500’ gain hike. Meet 9:00 am south end of Reseda Blvd (in Tarzana, 2 1/2 mi S of Ventura Blvd) at top of hill at round-about (fee park). Robert Baldwin, (818) 510-1274; rbaldwin@unex.ucla.edu and Ron Rosien, (310) 474-0349; glendon3@aol.com

Santa Ynez Canyon: Meet 9 am. Moderately paced 8 mi rt, 900” gain hike. Meet at Santa Ynez trailhead in Pacific Palisades (PCH E ½ mi on Sunset Bl., L2 ½ on Palisades Dr., L on Vereda de Montura to gate). Wlodek Proskurowski, (310) 202-0331, proskuro@usc.edu and Catherine Froloff, (310) 821-4123, cfroloff@ca.rr.com

Dead Horse Trail: Meet 10 a.m. Easy 4-mile round-trip 300’ gain family walk in Topanga State Park. Meet at Dead Horse fee parking lot on Entrada Rd (PCH to Topanga Cyn Bl., N 4 ½ mi to Entrada Rd, lot is on left side of Entrada Rd; or 7 ½ mi S of Ventura Fwy to Entrada Rd). Mary Ann and Ron Webster, (310) 559-3126, mawebster1984@sbcglobal.net