Hiking Fox Canyon In Ojai, Ca

A great little hike that forks off of Shelf Road (Valley View Trail). Its a little bit under 2 miles and a little steep at times with quite a few switchbacks.

Fox Canyon Trail in Ojai, California

Overall it’s a hike that will make you sweat but shouldn’t take all day. You should still pack your hiking hat.

Looking down on the town of Ojai

You are awarded with views like this as you stop to take a breath. Ojai truly is a beautiful place.

That little red thing is the roof of a house that sits right off of Shelf Road.

Fox Canyon Trail connects to Pratt Trail

From here the trail splits in two and connects over to Pratt Trail, which is another way to get here.

Green bark Cianothus

The price of the trail being carved into the hillside for all of us to enjoy. A green bark ceanothus tree just happened to be growing in the way of the trail…

It’s quite beautiful to see the color of it’s wood-flesh.

A look back toward Fox Canyon

This is about where we met up with Luci’s Trail. This is looking back toward Fox Canyon.

Fork in the road

A sign for Foothill Trail, right to Luci’s Trail, or go straight on to Fuel Break Road which leads over to Gridley Trail.

Luci’s rocky trail

Going down Luci’s Trail is a little rough, it can be touch and go if you’re not careful.

Phacelia, a plant that can actually cause a poison-oak like rash

Here is my buddy James showing me a plant to avoid called phacelia.

Closer picture of phacelia.

From Wikipedia:

As with many species in the Boraginaceae, contact with the hairs of some species of Phacelia can cause a very unpleasant rash similar to that from poison oak and poison ivy in sensitive individuals. The major contact allergen of Phacelia crenulata has been identified as geranylhydroquinone. The similar-appearing species Eriodictyon parryi (poodle-dog bush), a common chaparral plant of Southern California, is also a frequent cause of skin irritation.

Native grass sptouting up

Here is a plant that you don’t have to avoid, just because.

Checking out our route

Here is a view of Fox Canyon Trail from Luci’s Trail.

Steep little Switchbacks

Some very steep and tiny switchbacks. What are these? Switchbacks for ants?

Awesome old water tank

Luci’s Trail winds by an interesting old steel drum of some kind. I assume it used to hold water maybe?