Step out of your car and the drive is suddenly worth it; feel your breath slow and your chest open up.
You do have to pay to park here (do so in the second lot on your left and the hike starts opposite the lot, at the bottom of the stairs) and dogs are not allowed. But those inconveniences don’t stack up against the payoff: a naturally diverse hike that also includes some Hollywood sparkle. Parts of the 1968 movie “Planet of the Apes” were filmed here — the “Planet of the Apes wall,” at the rock pool, is a popular climbing destination — as were scenes from the long-running TV series “MASH.”
Follow the signs to the MASH hike, and you’ll spot a jeep and ambulance, among other things, inspired by the show.
While this isn’t a steep or difficult hike, it does include at least one creek crossing near the end. The afternoon we visited, due to recent rain, the water was knee-deep, though the current was mild. Bring waterproof shoes if you have them.
Or just walk right in with regular sneakers on, as the young woman trudging behind us did. She appeared unfazed. Her open-midriff T-shirt summed it up best: “C’est la Vie.” A most appropriate message while on the trail.