Ventura, California

Looking for the best running in Ventura? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Ventura. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Running Spots in and near Ventura

  • Goleta, California

    Camp at El Capitan Canyon

    5.0
    El Capitan Canyon is a gorgeous collection of permanent tents, yurts and cabins located across the highway from El Capitan State Beach and its campground. It's also the perfect place to ease your friends or loved ones into the world of camping. We all have that special person in our life who we'...
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  • Los Angeles, California

    Los Liones Trail

    5.0
    4.41 mi / 1115 ft gain
    Los Liones Trail is an out-and-back trail that is moderately difficult located near Pacific Palisades, California.
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  • Los Angeles, California

    Sepulveda Basin: Upstream Of Balboa

    4.0
    3.7 mi / 75 ft gain
    Sepulveda Basin: Upstream Of Balboa is a loop trail that takes you by a river located near Encino, California.
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  • Los Angeles, California

    Canyonback Nike Loop

    4.5
    6.02 mi / 1693 ft gain
    Canyonback Nike Loop is a loop trail that takes you by a river located near Encino, California.
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  • Los Angeles, California

    Inspiration Point Loop Trail

    4.0
    2.36 mi / 486 ft gain
    The Inspiration Point 2.3 mile loop hike in Will Rogers State Park is a family-friendly hike or after-work run near Los Angeles, California. It’s a great dirt trail for all skill levels and features scenic views and beautifully budding wildflowers. You’ll get to escape the city and take in the br...
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  • 1501 Will Rogers State Park Road, California

    Backbone Trail via Will Rogers State Park

    5.0
    3.02 mi / 656 ft gain
    You'll make your way up Will Rogers State Park Road, located just minutes from Santa Monica, Brentwood, Westwood, Malibu, Palisades, and much of west Los Angeles. Once on the road, head all the way to the top and you'll dead end into the parking lot. Always worth supporting State Parks with the p...
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  • Santa Barbara County, California

    Torrey Pines Trail

    4.71 mi / 584 ft gain
    The vast diversity of terrain of Santa Rosa Island in the Channel Islands National Park is matched in uniqueness only by its own flora and fauna, in particular the endangered and endemic Torrey Pine. The best way to view and experience these strange, broad trees is via the Torrey Pines Trail, whi...
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  • Santa Barbara County, California

    Black Mountain via Cherry Canyon Trail

    6.54 mi / 1329 ft gain
    Words fail in describing the beauty of the Channel Islands National Park and Santa Rosa Island, the second largest of the Channel Islands and perhaps the most diverse in terms of terrain, flora and fauna, and also the only to allow backcountry beach camping. While the opportunities for exploratio...
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  • Santa Monica, California

    Santa Monica Concrete Stairs

    3.0
    0.08 mi / 23 ft gain
    The concrete Santa Monica Stairs are a great way to get in some intense leg burning cardio. There are around 170 steps that are wider and easier than the Santa Monica wooden staircase. This place has been a hot spot in the Santa Monica fitness scene for some time so it is also a good place for m...
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  • Santa Monica, California

    Santa Monica Wooden Stairs

    4.0
    0.09 mi / 79 ft gain
    The wooden Santa Monica Stairs are a great way to get in some intense leg burning cardio. There are around 120 steps that are steeper then the Santa Monica Concrete Stairs, which can provide a deep burn on the intended muscles! This place has been a hot spot in the Santa Monica fitness scene for...
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  • Lake Hughes, California

    Hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Horse Trail to Bear Campground

    11.63 mi / 2396 ft gain
    This is part of the Pacific Crest Trail. If you're through-hiking or sectional hiking, you'll have to hit it eventually. Try and avoid it in the late summer or early fall because of heat, and gnats. Find a way to check the bug report, we got marauded by gnats 90% of the way (early October) and ap...
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  • Santa Clarita, California

    Hike to Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Monument

    3.2 mi / 153 ft gain
    The Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Monument, established in 2019, memorializes the site where the Saint Francis Dam, built by famed engineer William Mulholland, collapsed in 1929, tragically killing more than 400 people in the middle of the night as a 150+ foot wave of water crashed through ...
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  • Santa Monica, California

    Santa Monica Pier, Boardwalk, and Beach Trail

    4.0
    3.33 mi / 20 ft gain
    The Santa Monica Pier, Boardwalk, and Beach Trail in Santa Monica, California, offers a unique blend of coastal and urban hiking. The trail is a flat, paved 3.33-mile loop that is suitable for all skill levels. It starts at the Santa Monica Pier, a historic landmark known for its Ferris wheel and...
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