Use Marker Groups Wolf 2002
Piru 2003
Day 2006
Zaca 2007
Gap 2008
La Brea 2009
Little Mutau Trail - Los Padres National Forest
Trail Distance 6.29 Miles
The Little Mutau Trail is a remote 6.29 mile trail in the Sespe Wilderness in Ventura County . The trail connects the Johnston Ridge Trail (20W12) and the Alamo Mountain Road (8N01.3). Little Mutau Creek flows westward from Alamo Mountain to drain into Mutau Creek. The trail follows the creek and used to be a very popular motorcycle trail until the area was included in the Sespe Wilkderness which ended the use of motorcycles on the trail.
Trail Details
- Trail #: 20W10
- Wilderness Area: Sespe
- County: Ventura County
- Ranger District: Mt. Pinos Ranger District
- Trail-head Latitude: 34.643609305957405
- Trail-head Longitude: -118.9594030380249
- Water Sources: Johnston Ridge Trail Sespe Wilderness Trail# 20W12 ALAMO MTN. OHV 8N01.3
- Trail Condition: Kind of Good - Little to no bushwacking and easily followable
- Topo Maps:
Activities & Features: - Backpacking
- Day Hiking
- Horseback Riding
- Wildlife Viewing
- Wilderness Camping
Trail Stats
- Total Elevation Gain: + 2786 feet.
- Total Elevation Loss: - 966 feet.
- Overall Average Slope Gain: + 10 %.
- Overall Average Slope Loss: - 12 %.
- Kilometers: (km)
- Meters: (m)
- Miles: (mi)
- Feet: (ft)
- Average Slope: (%)
Trail Camps
Photo By: Christopher P Lord - Website Link
Survey Photos:
Christopher P. Lord - 08-11-2019
Christopher P. Lord - 08-11-2019
Christopher P. Lord - 08-11-2019
Christopher P. Lord - 08-11-2019
Christopher P. Lord - 08-11-2019
Antonio Calderon - 06-20-2020
Antonio Calderon - 06-20-2020
Antonio Calderon - 06-20-2020
Diane Soini - 05-20-2021
Diane Soini - 05-20-2021
Diane Soini - 05-20-2021
Diane Soini - 05-20-2021
Submitted Trail Reports
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Little Mutau Trail Survey - 11-05-2021 - by Los Padres Forest AssociationLink: Little Mutau Trail Date: 11-05-2021 Surveyor Name: Los Padres Forest Association Trail description: LPFA survey of Little Mutau. Trail was in good shape other than a few downed trees and some confusion caused by dirtbikes tearing up the trail. Would be nice to beef up the moto barricades and sweep the trail with a saw and some loppers. Really pretty trail for those who haven't explored it. Check it out....... Mode of transport: Array Trail condition: Needs some work - Little Mutau Trail Survey - 06-10-2021 - by Michael Sallwasser
Link: Little Mutau Trail Date: 06-10-2021 Surveyor Name: Michael Sallwasser Trail description: 1) Frequently disappeared, but could eventually be found after trashing through brush (when you are in a steep canyon, it limits where the trail could be.) 2) Dozens of blowdowns, long stretch of overgrown trails crowded by wild rose bushes and buckthorn take their toll in blood.3) Many sections that should have had switchbacks are loose scree.Mode of transport: Hike Trail condition: Hard to follow - Little Mutau Trail Survey - 05-20-2021 - by Diane Soini
Link: Little Mutau Trail Date: 05-20-2021 Surveyor Name: Diane Soini Trail description: The trail overall is pretty good, but there are some difficult blowdowns on the trail and wild roses that hurt a lot. The hardest blowdown to get by was located at 34.63283, -118.98817. There is a tangled blowdown at the ice can stove campsite at 34.63501, -11899140 that is hard to get by but motorcyclists have made a trail along the creek that is easy to use. The switchbacks heading up the mountain toward the parking area at the top have been cut by motorcycles but it is still easy to use the switchbacks. It's a steep climb without them. There is a really pleasant campsite to the west of the "official" one at 34.63573, -118.99769. It had an epic lean-to in 2009 but that has collapsed. There's a memorial there that says "RIP Gorman 12" written in charcoal on a piece of wood. I'm hoping that it's for a beloved dog. The water in this canyon tastes sweet and it's such a pretty place. It is growing back nicely after fire. Mode of transport: Hike Trail condition: Needs some work Condition details: Good trail with blowdowns and brush Images:
Nicer camp than the one with the ice can stove
Dog grave?
Hardest blowdown to get by
Lots of sweet-smelling lupine near the top - Little Mutau Trail Survey - 06-20-2020 - by Antonio Calderon
Link: Little Mutau Trail Date: 06-20-2020 Surveyor Name: Antonio Calderon Trail description: From Johnston ridge trailhead to little mutau camp the trail is generally in good condition other than some really brushy areas that you need to plow through as you get closer to the camp. There is also some down trees but nothing that can’t be easily be hopped over or go around. Water was flowing quite good throughout whole stretch. Mode of transport: Hike Trail condition: Good shape and easy to follow Images:
A brushy section
A downed tree blocking the trail
Great view towards mutau flats - Little Mutau Trail Survey - 08-11-2019 - by Christopher P. Lord
Link: Little Mutau Trail Date: 08-11-2019 Surveyor Name: Christopher P. Lord Trail description: Trail is easy to follow and in decent shape for the approximate first 5 miles to Little mutau Trail Camp. With only a handful of downed trees and sporadic spots that need brushing. Mostly wide open, however the few spots that do require the brushing need it bad. Contrary to earlier reports Little mutau Trail Camp is indeed still there however Hike Los Padres and many other mapping sites have the location of the Camp wrong. you can find it here - N34° 38' 06.2" W118° 59' 28.6"  Further details available at the link below. Mode of transport: Hike Trail condition: Needs some work Images:
Little Mutau Camp - Little Mutau Trail Survey - 05-11-2019 - by Diane Soini
Link: Little Mutau Trail Date: 05-11-2019 Surveyor Name: Diane Soini Trail description: I hiked this trail from the Johnston Ridge trail to the summit. I last hiked this trail 10 years ago. It is in better condition now, but it is still sometimes difficult to follow. The rose bushes and a few fallen trees have made some of the trail in the creek very difficult to navigate. There was evidence of a fairly recent forest fire that made the landscape more bleak and unfamiliar to me from what I remembered 10 years ago. I was still able to follow the trail and the trail itself seemed easier to follow than I remember.I don't remember seeing any evidence of any official camps but I did see one interesting guerilla camp where someone had made a lean-to out of chunks of bark with a comfortable easy chair in front of a gigantic rock fire pit. You could sit there and capture the warmth of the fire while sitting in your easy chair.At some point on the trail there is a junction with an unmaintained trail to McDonald Peak. At this junction there is a sign that is lying to the side. There is no information on the sign anymore. Since at this junction the unmaintained trail goes straight ahead, I followed it by mistake. After about 1/2 of a mile the unmaintained trail disappears. But there is a tremendous view in about 1/4 of a mile that is worth the (accidental) side-trip.The proper Little Mutau Trail actually makes a left turn at the junction.The ascent to the summit was easier to follow than I remember. The switchbacks were easy to find and well maintained. Looked like recent work had been done.At the summit, there is a motorcycle trail that leads toward the road. The trail appeared to continue a little further. I followed the trail to a sign marking the boundary of the Sespe Wilderness. From then on the whole area was like a game of giant pick-up-sticks of fallen trees. There was cell service up here. Rather than continue to search for trail I bushwhacked down to the road.Mode of transport: Hike Trail condition: Needs some work Condition details: Thorniest rose bushes in the whole forest - Little Mutau Trail Survey - 07-12-2014 - by Jim
Link: Little Mutau Trail Date: 07-12-2014 Surveyor Name: Jim Trail description: Started at Little Mutau trailhead  for the 4 mile hike to Mutau campground. Campground is ll but gone but but a suitable site was found just east. Water was in the creek with some ponding still clear. I considered the hike down into the creek area from the trail to be moderate for those use to mountain hiking. All in all summer is probably not the premier time to visit and I would guess a trip prior to winter road closures best.  Wildlife is abundant and all bear protective meaures should be used their scat was everywhere. Good luck and have a good trip. Mode of transport: Hike Trail condition: Needs some work Number of trees down: 504443 People Seen: 0 - Little Mutau Trail Survey - 06-28-2014 - by Steven Calkins
Link: Little Mutau Trail Date: 06-28-2014 Surveyor Name: Steven Calkins Trail description: Trail is getting overgrown and hard to follow at times, many dead falls on trail, and signs of motorcycles using trail. I was concerned this time of year for water so I carried extra although I did find a small portion of Mutau Creek above ground just about 1/4 mile east of Little Mutau Campground. Mode of transport: Hike Trail condition: Needs some work Number of trees down: 10 People Seen: 0
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Survey / Report Form - Please click this box to open the form.Last Updated: Wednesday, February 24, 2016
