My Western Heart Visits Vasquez Rocks

Posted by Lisa J. Hoover on May 24, 2015 in Tales for the Trail | 2 comments

My Western Heart Visits Vasquez Rocks

Last week I went for a hike to one of my favorite places in Southern California, Vasquez Rocks, or fondly known as”the Rocks”. Vasquez Rocks  is located north of Los Angeles in a cool little town called Agua Dulce and is part of the Los Angeles County Parks. The park is named after a notorious bandit, Tiburcio Vasquez  a horse stealing,  train robbing, cattle rustling individual who sounds like a perfect  plot for a western movie.  Funny thing is years later after Tiburcio was captured in the Hollywood hills, many western films and television shows  have been made at the rocks, including The Lone Ranger, Bonanza, and Gunsmoke just to name a few.   If you want to learn more about the interesting history of Vasquez Rocks, just google it, you will find volumes of history and information, much more than I could ever do justice to.

Vasquez Rocks is not only a favorite place to hike but to trail ride Jake, and it’s actually where I fell in love with Jake. Tomorrow on Tales for the Trail I will tell you how that happened.

 

I felt so fortunate, when I first arrived at the Rocks there was only one other car on  the entire 923 acres, my second score of the morning was the

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

weather. It can get CRAZY hot during the summer but at my visit, it was a perfectly cloudy, cool day with a threat of rain, a perfect day for a hike.

When Hiking at Vasquez Rocks Be Prepared

When hiking, being prepared is important, a prepared hiker is a good hiker…well that day I was not a prepared hiker.  I headed out without water and only my phone, I do not recommend or endorse this. It is always important to let someone know where you are and when you plan to be back.  I did have my my trusty hiking boots as I was not planning a big hike, just a quick jaunt around the lower area o f the park to snap some photos. That is the great thing about this park, you can explore the rocks with a quick hike, climb around on the rocks or take a longer more strenuous hike that will lead you down to little horse creek, there is something for everyone, all hiking levels. Whatever your hike is gonna be, easy or difficult, long or short be prepared. Luckily I had no problems that day but again, this is not my usual way of hiking.

My Western Heart’s photos of Vasquez Rocks

Here are a few pictures from my hike, I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed my hike and short adventure. The yuccas are in bloom, standing ever so proud, the purple flowers are so tiny and dainty, and the cacti are starting to bloom

This is the trail I was on, not too hard, just right for a quick hike

 

A nice view of the rocks from the trail I was on. Aren’t these rocks crazy, people actually hike to the very top of these.

This is my favorite shot of the day, hope you enjoy it too. This strange and twisted tree was begging me to take her picture, then suddenly she became a beautiful frame to the rocks, Vasquez rocks

 

 

 

What is your favorite place to hike? We would love to hear it and don’t forget to stop by tomorrow and hear how I fell in love with Jake at the beautiful and majestic Vasquez Rocks. Until next time, happy healthy trails!