Solstice Canyon Hike

3.2 miles - Moderate Effort
2 Hours (Total)
700 Total Feet of Climbing
Max Elevation of 770 feet
Leashed Dogs Allowed

The Solstice Canyon hike in Malibu is one of the most beautiful (and popular) hikes you can find. Within the short distance of 3 miles, you get a bit of everything, ocean views from coastal hillsides, a shaded canyon along only one of two perennial water sources in the Santa Monica Mountains, a waterfall, and a solid dose of architecture and local history. In this guide, I'll take you on the popular loop hike to enjoy all the sights along Solstice Canyon.

In this Guide:

Solstice Canyon Video and Turn-by-Turn Directions
Where to Park for the Solstice Canyon Hike
Insider Tips and Recommendations

Quick Links: Parks Pass - Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area - NOAA Weather Report - Top Gear Picks (Sep 2023)

When planning, always check the park website and social media to make sure the trails are open. Similarly, check the weather and road conditions.

Where is Solstice Canyon?

The Solstice Canyon trailhead is in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, a few minutes inland from the ocean in Malibu. Use this trailhead address:
Solstice Canyon Road, Malibu, CA, 90265

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 3 — When you first pull into the park, go past the sign and the first parking area by the entrance. Keep driving a short distance down the paved road.

Fun fact: Solstice Canyon Park opened on summer solstice, 1988.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 4 — Eventually you'll come to the end of the road and the main trailhead parking.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 5 — On the left is the education area that offers some good interpretive displays.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 6 — The toilets are two minutes up the trail, and are not visible from the parking area.

Gear For the Hike

I'd recommend fitness clothing or light hiking gear for this hike. Bring at least 1L of water and some sun protection.

My Latest Gear Picks

Garmin inReach Mini 2 ( Amazon | REI )
HOKA Speedgoat 5 ( Men | Women )
Zpacks Sub-Nero Ultra ( Zpacks | Review )
Alpine Carbon Cork Poles ( REI | Amazon )

As a hiking guide, I test lots of hiking gear. On my picks page, I'll show you all of the gear that I actually use. I don't accept paid promotions or talk about the stuff that doesn't make the cut. It's just the gear that works best, so you don't have to waste your money.

All My September 2023 Top Gear Picks

Solstice Canyon Trail Maps

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 2 — Overall the trails are well-marked and easy to navigate.

Explore Map on CalTopo View a Printable PDF Hike Map Download the Hike GPX File

Best Smartphone Apps to Navigate: AllTrails | GaiaGPS | OnX

Elevation Profile

Solstice Canyon Hike Elevation — We'll get the climbing done in the beginning of the hike, and then enjoy a nice long downhill back to the start.

3D Map

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions

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Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 7 — And then immediately look for the trail to the left going uphill.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 8 — Start climbing up the TRW Loop Trail.

TRW stands for Thompson-Ramo-Wooldridge, the company that owned Space Technology laboratories, which rented 10 acres here in the 1960s. Solstice Canyon was one of only three places on earth chosen to test equipment used for the Pioneer planet exploration satellites. TRW selected the area because it was free of human-created or natural electromagnetic disturbances.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 9 — And after climbing a bit you'll see the old TRW space lab, also known as "the Darth Vadar building." Today it is the headquarters of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 10 — Look back as you climb for views of the Pacific Ocean.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 11 — Keep climbing up the hillside.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 12 — When you get to the paved road, cross over and continue hiking.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 14 — At the t-junction, make the right toward the Rising Sun Trail.

The Rising Sun Trail is named after one of the earliest vineyards in Southern California, the Rising Sun Vineyard, started by early settler Matthew Keller. We'll visit his house later in the hike.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 15 — Here's the sign at that junction.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 16 — When you get to the (closed to cars) parking area, make the left.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 17 — And look for the trail to continue from the parking lot.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 18 — Here's the sign from the parking lot trailhead. We'll be on the Rising Sun Trail for the next 1.5 miles, until we reach the Tropical Terrace ruins.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 19 — You'll have a bit more climbing to do.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 20 — And now you'll be able to see the Pacific to the north, over the hills.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 21 — Keep hiking straight when a trail joins in from the right.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 22 — And now you enjoy some incredible views of the upper sections of Solstice Canyon.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 23 — There's some great eroded rock formations along this section.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 24 — And at about 1.3 miles in you'll start to descend into the lower part of the canyon.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 25 — When you see the lush palm and (non-native) agave and bamboo, you're almost at the bottom.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 26 — Cross the creek, which is usually an easy rock hop.

The creek is one of only two that flow year-round in the Santa Monica Mountains. It used to be stocked with trout, and at one point Steelhead would migrate up the creek from the ocean.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 27 — Now you are at the Tropical Terrace Ruins. Make a quick right to hike up to Solstice waterfall.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 28 — The path follows a fence.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 29 — And then ends at a viewing area for the cute waterfall.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 30 — Head back and explore the Tropical Terrace Ruins.

Tropical Terrace Arch Digest — Here's what the house used to look like. Photo Architectural Digest 1953

Tropical Terrace, also known as the Roberts House, was a bit of an architectural landmark. It was built by Paul Revere Williams, a famous African-American architect who also built homes for Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball. The water features of the house served as a fire-prevention system. After the house sat unused and unmaintained for a while, it finally succumbed to the 1982 Dayton Canyon Fire.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 32 — When you're done exploring the ruins, hike down the paved road.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 33 — Go straight past the Sostomo Trail junction.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 34 — If you look up to your left, you'll see the rock formations that we passed earlier from above.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 35 — At the split, keep right. you can also go left along the creek, but there can be some poison oak and ticks down there, so heads up.

You might hear loud parakeets as you hike down the trail. There's an active community of black-hooded parakeets in the canyon. The species is from South America, and these are ones were released (or escaped from) by pet owners. Today they thrive in the wild here.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 36 — When you get to the bridge, cross over to visit the Keller ruins. After we're done, we'll continue back down this road.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 37 — Here's the Keller ruins, thought to be the oldest stone building in Malibu, destroyed by fire in 2007.

The Kellers were Irish immigrants and sheep farmers who moved here in 1857 after buying the land for $0.10 cents an acre.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 39 — After continuing on the road, look for the charred remains of the Keller Oak, a massive oak tree planted by the Kellers.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 40 — When the trail splits, go left over the bridge.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 41 — Stay on the main trail, avoiding the lower TRW Loop turnoff to the right.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 42 — And soon you'll see the restrooms.

Solstice Canyon Hike Directions 43 — And then the gate at the start. That's the hike!

Have a question about the guide or want to see what other people are saying/asking? View the Youtube comments for this video. Leave a comment and I will do my best to respond.

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This Guide Was Written by Cris Hazzard

Cris Hazzard 4 Mile Trail Yosemite
Hi, I'm Cris Hazzard, aka Hiking Guy, a professional outdoors guide, hiking expert, and author based in Southern California. I created this website to share all the great hikes I do with everyone else out there. This site is different because it gives detailed directions that even the beginning hiker can follow. I also share what hiking gear works and doesn't so you don't waste money. I don't do sponsored or promoted content; I share only the gear recommendations, hikes, and tips that I would with my family and friends. If you like the website and YouTube channel, please support these free guides (I couldn't do it without folks like you!).

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