Rattlesnake Canyon Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers

Starting from the trailhead, which is located alongside Las Canoas Road, head north past the Rattlesnake Canyon Wilderness sign. Soon after beginning your hike you'll cross the creek and climb slightly up the hillside. 1/2 of a mile into the trail you'll see another trail diverging to the right. This trail makes for a great byway that later reunites with the main Rattlesnake Canyon Trail a mile later. However, continuing along the main trail you cross over the creek a couple of times before reaching a huge, flat rock, known as "Lunch Rock", that sits in the creek.

After crossing the creek once again you'll follow the trail to Tin Can Meadow, which was named after a homestead cabin that once existed there before it unfortunately burned down in 1925. A trail junction sits at the end of this meadow, at which point you'll want to bear right to follow the Rattlesnake Canyon Trail for another 3/4 of a mile until it hits Gibraltar Rd. The Rattlesnake Canyon Trail ends at this intersection with the road, but there are stunning views of the South Coast from this point.

Thanks to John McKinney, The Trailmaster, for sharing this trail description. To learn more about trails in California, check out his guides at The Trailmaster Store.

You can find purple hummingbird sage cloak, manzanita, and red-berried toyon along the hills in the canyon.