Santa Paula Punch Bowls (5.5-6)
Details
The Santa Paula Punchbowls is stunning, awesome, very rewarding, and makes for a great day hiking! It features a big swimming hole and a beautiful waterfall at the end which is very refreshing to dive into after the hike out. The trail goes along santa paula creek for a few miles with a few creek crossings and boulder hops, then eventually turns up the ridge and down into the swimming hole. The full hike comes out to about 7 miles and about 1000 feet of gain. It is is certainly a good challenge, but a large portion of it is flat, and as always it is more than worth it the effort!
This hike is pretty popular and there is usually quite a few people there, however there is always parking alongside the road. The trailhead is just past the St Aquinas college and is easy to spot. Lets meet at the sign right by the trailhead in the dirt lot around 1030 and get going by 1045!! Be sure to bring lots of snacks and water, and a swim suit if you want to dive in at the end.
See you all there! 😎
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/santa-paula-canyon-to-first-falls