Hikers Irked as More Dogs Foul Topanga State Park Trails

Avid hikers of Temescal Gateway Park and Topanga State Park say as more dogs have been brought to the trails in the last few months, they are increasingly stepping on unwelcomed surprises.

California State Parks rangers agree, and the warmer weather will prompt them to increase enforcement of the no-dogs rule. Citations for various dog violations in the parks can average from $200 to $300 and may sometimes range higher.

Santa Monica resident Julia Duke told Patch Tuesday she's been hiking Temescal Canyon for nine years. She continues into Topanga State Park, where dogs are not allowed, and hikes Viewpoint Trail to the waterfall and then to Skull Rock. In the last two months, Duke said she's seeing dogs all along Viewpoint Trail and back into Gateway Park.

On Sunday, Duke said she was was running down the trail and happened to run full force into dog poop. She also noted the trail has begun to smell more and more of what the dogs leave behind.

"I'm not against dogs, but having designated trails is the way to go," she said.

Officer Danny Duarte of the State Parks Angeles District Topanga Sector said rangers are receiving many complaints about dog droppings in the areas described by Duke.

"People aren't too happy about it," he said. He said there are good owners who bring their dogs to Gateway Park on a leash, but dogs are not allowed at all in Topanga State Park.

"There's plenty of signage posted on the trailheads," he said. "People see them and continue to do it. When we do get dogs, we issue citations."

In nearby Will Rogers State Park, Duarte said there have been several recent dog bite incidents, which elevates the issue and becomes a more serious problem.

"Some people are terrified of dogs," he said. "The trails are narrow and not enough room for people to get around dogs."

Dog owners caught with their dogs off leash and/or in a prohibited area could face citations between $200 and $300. Owners with dogs caught attacking other animals or people could face stiffer penalties.

Duarte noted the Gateway Park is managed by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Calls made to the SMMC offices Tuesday were not immediately returned.

One of Duke's friends, a Pali resident who did not want to be named, said she hikes Temescal just about every day.

"For the past several months, I have noticed that more hikers are taking their dogs up when it clearly states that dogs are suppose to be on a leash and can only go up so far," she said. "These rules are not being followed as I have seen plenty of dogs up the canyon and their owners are not cleaning up after them. I would like to enjoy my hikes without worrying about stepping on something very unpleasant."

Pali resident Randy Stickles said Tuesday he hikes Temescal Canyon once a week with his girlfriend and they have noticed more and more dogs brought on the trails by their owners.

"I'm an animal lover at heart, but when I am running and need to avoid piles of dog doo or the owners and their dogs take up the entire trail, it messes with my routine," he said. "I hope someone can clear up this mess because I was told this was a dog-free hiking trail."

Duarte provided this flyer about dogs in California State Parks. View this map for more information, too.

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