Backbone Trail in 12-Segment Out-and-Back Day Hikes

Hike the Backbone Trail in 12 segments of out-and-back day hikes.

The Backbone Trail (BBT) is a 67-mile trail across the Santa Monica Mountains in California, USA. The BBT has the views of cities, villages, mountains, orchards, rocks, rock formations, ocean, beaches, and weather changes. All these views can be enjoyed in solitude.

A hike of the BBT truly is a journey.

Here are the Google Earth generated KML .kmz files for the 12 BBT segments which I took to complete my 1st BBT hike, starting from Will Rogers State Historic Park on 03/31/2017 and completing at the Ray Miller Trailhead in Point Mugu State Park on 06/24/2017. Each segment hike was an out-and-back day hike. All the segment routes follow the Backbone Trail available on Google Maps except two small sections which are now unaccessible to the public. These two revised sections are given as follows:

1. In BBT Segment 3, the length of the revised section is approximately 0.1 mile, spanning from mile 1.709 (Henry Ridge Mtwy Junction) to mile 1.81 (near the water tanks and 0.24 mile east of the Old Topanga Canyon Rd).

2. In BBT Segment 8, the last 0.46 mile is a revised section which spans from mile 5.096 (Etc Meloy Mtwy junction) to mile 5.554 (the westbound BBT Trailhead at Yerba Buena Rd).

.kmz Files:

Each .kmz file contains a segment trail route and a recorded Google Earth flyover tour for planning an out-and-back day hike.

1. BBT Segment 1.kmz:

   • Direction: Westbound, from Will Rogers State Historic Park to Hub Junction

   • Distance: 6.984 miles

   • Start: (34.054288, -118.513308)

   • End: (34.107874, -118.558189)

   • In-between: (34.060795, -118.513658)

2. BBT Segment 2.kmz:

   • Direction: Eastbound, from Trippet Ranch to Hub Junction

   • Distance: 3.614 miles

   • Start: (34.093508, -118.587550)

   • End: (34.107874, -118.558189)

   • In-between: (34.094198, -118.587148), (34.104037, -118.572513)

   • BBT Segment 2 Eagle Springs Loop.kmz:

     • An option to take a loop hike in between Eagle Junction and Hub Junction

     • Direction: Clockwise Eagle Springs Loop starting from Eagle Junction

     • Distance: 2.833 miles (loop)

     • Start: (34.104037, -118.572513)

     • End: (34.104037, -118.572513)

     • In-between: (34.107843, -118.571665), (34.107874, -118.558189)

3. BBT Segment 3.kmz:

   • Direction: Westbound, from Trippet Ranch to Lois Ewen Overlook

   • Distance: 6.211 miles

   • Start: (34.093508, -118.587550)

   • End: (34.081106, -118.645882)

   • In-between: (34.094198, -118.587148), (34.092976, -118.609040)

4. BBT Segment 4.kmz:

   • Direction: Westbound, from Lois Ewen Overlook to Tapia Park Parking Lot

   • Distance: 7.036 miles

   • Start: (34.081106, -118.645882)

   • End: (34.079946, -118.703846)

   • In-between: (34.076184, -118.686148)

5. BBT Segment 5.kmz:

   • Direction: Westbound, from Tapia Park Parking Lot to Backbone Trail Corral Canyon Trailhead

   • Distance: 5.331 miles

   • Start: (34.079946, -118.703846)

   • End: (34.082054, -118.758542)

   • In-between: (34.068272, -118.720796)

6. BBT Segment 6.kmz:

   • Direction: Westbound, from Backbone Trail Corral Canyon Trailhead to Newton Canyon Trailhead

   • Distance: 6.274 miles

   • Start: (34.082054, -118.758542)

   • End: (34.076006, -118.815588),

   • In-between: (34.077887, -118.793926)

7. BBT Segment 7.kmz:

   • Direction: Westbound, from Newton Canyon Trailhead to Backbone Trail Encinal Canyon Trailhead

   • Distance: 4.919 miles

   • Start: (34.076006, -118.815588)

   • End: (34.085647, -118.862777)

   • In-between: (34.084227, -118.846992)

8. BBT Segment 8.kmz:

   • Direction: Westbound, from Backbone Trail Encinal Canyon Trailhead to Yerba Buena Rd

   • Distance: 5.554 miles

   • Start: (34.085647, -118.862777)

   • End: (34.107053, -118.896033)

   • In-between: (34.100089, -118.875367)

9. BBT Segment 9.kmz:

   • Direction: Eastbound, from Mishe Mokwa Trailhead Parking Lot to Yerba Buena Rd

   • Distance: 4.644 miles

   • Start: (34.114611, -118.918269)

   • End: (34.107053, -118.896033)

   • In-between: (34.104448, -118.920228)

10. BBT Segment 10.kmz:

    • Direction: Westbound, from Mishe Mokwa Trailhead Parking Lot to the JCT of Chamberlain Trail and Old Boney Trail

    • Distance: 6.28 miles

    • Start: (34.114611, -118.918269)

    • End: (34.112881, -118.983345)

    • In-between: (34.120752, -118.933677), (34.119109, -118.945247)

11. BBT Segment 11.kmz:

    • Direction: Eastbound, from Sycamore Canyon Campground to the JCT of Chamberlain Trail and Old Boney Trail with the BBT segment starting at the JCT of Wood Canyon Vista Trail and Sycamore Canyon Fire Rd

    • Distance: 6.565 miles (Sycamore Canyon Fire Road 2.978 miles + BBT 3.587 miles)

    • Start: (34.073320, -119.014676)

    • End: (34.112881, -118.983345)

    • In-between: (34.11004, -119.01083), (34.125685, -118.994532)

12. BBT Segment 12.kmz:

    • Direction: Eastbound, from Ray Miller Trailhead to the JCT of Wood Canyon Vista Trail and Sycamore Canyon Fire Rd

    • Distance: 6.394 miles

    • Start: (34.086269, -119.036737)

    • End: (34.110042, -119.010869)

    • In-between: (34.090821, -119.025976)