Thanks for checking out my article on the amazing Cave of Munits! I’m Lily Yu – a traveler known as Deaf Journey. I have been profoundly deaf since birth and also have a deaf, older brother in my hearing family. American Sign Language and English are my primary languages.
Last year during the COVID-19 pandemic, I decided to pack everything up, move out and drive across the coast to Southern California. I have always wanted to live in California and that was my dream for many years until I made it happen. I now work from home full-time.
I was born in New York City, raised in New Jersey and lived in the Washington Metropolitan Area for over 10 years. I’m still new to California and love exploring new places. Food is one of my biggest passions in life and I’m always out trying new foods. I love supporting local restaurants by advertising and collaborating with them on social media.
Hiking is another passion of mine and I enjoy a good workout. I come across Southern California hiking trails on Instagram and I always add them to my bucket list. That was how I found out about the Cave of Munits.
My Experience Hiking to the Cave of Munits
I used the AllTrails app for the Cave of Munits to get myself on the right trail, so I wouldn’t get lost. It’s important to download offline maps before hiking as you might lose signal and be without Internet on the trails.
Hiking to the Cave of Munits was moderately difficult. However, this route is recommended for experienced hikers. It was easy to park on the street near El Scorpion Canyon Park at the end of Vanowen Street in West Hills. The park doesn’t have any official parking but there is plenty of street parking.
There is also a sign for the park at the trailhead. I recommend arriving early to avoid the crowds and to enjoy cool weather. The trail distance is 2.6 miles and it took me about 2 hours to complete. As you explore the park, be sure to keep an eye on where you are walking because some of the trail is off-limits due to high erosion and you might end up on dirt roads.
After about a mile of gradual uphill, you will see a tree in the middle of a circle with a few metal posts. Turn right and climb up a small dirt trail to the Cave of Munits. You will notice it right away because it’s at a dead end.
At the beginning, the trail is mostly flat and easy to hike until you arrive at the Cave of Munits. Then it’s steep, so you have to climb the incline up the mountain behind the cave. Wearing hiking shoes with good traction is highly recommended. This way you will have no problems doing the hike.
Since I hiked in the afternoon, it was sort of packed as the cave is small. Once you get inside the cave chimney, the view is stunning! You can see natural lights inside the cave from the holes in the ceiling. The best part is you can see this epic view of the valley from the entrance of the cave.
We explored the cave and took pictures for about 30 minutes. The Cave of Munits should be on every traveler’s bucket list because it’s one of the true hidden gems of Southern California. The history here is also fascinating.
I learned that the Cave of Munits is an important part of the history of the Chumash Native American Tribe. A mythical Chumash shaman was killed in the cave after murdering the son of a Chumash chief. This cave also appeared in films such as The Canyon of Missing Men and the Golden Lion.
Need to Know Before you Go
After hiking the Cave of Munits, if you are in the mood to explore more, you can continue the hike up to the summit of Castle Peak where you will have a 360 degree view of the San Fernando Valley. Before hiking there, bring some snacks, water and sunscreen. The sun can be intense so wear a hat. You can stay in Los Angeles nearby. Enjoy the hike to the Cave of Munits!
