The Japanese have a term known as forest bathing, where you immerse yourself in nature, be calm and quiet and use your senses to soak in your surroundings. (And yes, clothing stays on.).
The Lion Canyon Trail north of Ojai leads into the Los Padres National Forest backcountry and it's fair to describe it as forest bathing with a scrub brush. It not only engages your senses of sight and sound, but touch, too.
The six-mile route is a Y, with two backcountry camps at the end of each fork. The challenge it offers is not in distance - only 6 miles roundtrip - nor in elevation gained - not more than 600 feet - but in simply following the trail.
It starts easy, departing from Middle Lion Campground, which is tucked into a canyon off Sespe Road. After crossing Lion Canyon Creek, it is well trod and climbs gently, eventually putting pine trees at eye level and offering sweeping views of the canyon below.
Things get interesting after the trail descends back to the creek bank. It disappears at points due to erosion and flooding and you find yourself walking in the creek bed on the rocks and through willow thickets. We only stayed on track thanks to the map we downloaded from AllTrails and the pink ribbon some conscientious previous hiker tied to bushes at regular intervals.
Reaching the junction of the Y, we went right to West Fork Lion Camp. We took a break there, sitting on a log next to the still-flowing creek to enjoy snacks and rest.
After back-tracking to the junction, we made our way to East Fork Lion Camp. Here the brush was much thicker, closing in around us and grabbing at us with thorny tendrils. We walked with our hands up to shield our faces and to move larger branches out of the way. Although we considered turning back, we pushed forward, taking care to avoid contact with the poison oak.
Our perseverance was rewarded with both solitude and beauty. To that point, we had seen only two other people on the trail. And no one was at the falls when we arrived. We picked our way around trees and rocks to get a better view of the small cascades tumbling between large boulders.
It sounded like there were larger falls further up out of view, but couldn't see a clear path to reach them.
With the sun already over the canyon wall, the fading daylight brought a growing chill. That, and dinner plans, were our cue to return to the car.
Rather than cooking at our campsite in Wheeler Gorge, we met up with friends for dinner in Ojai. It was their first visit to town, so we spent some time wandering, making sure to stop at Bart's Books.
After browsing the shelves of the outdoor used book store, we headed to Majestic Oak Vineyard for a glass of wine. Its sunken patio, with vines growing overhead, is a lovely setting in which to sip. We sat and chatted, and I watched the resident cats pace back and forth.
From there, we made our way to Ojai Rotie. Also featuring an inviting patio space, this casual eatery offers juicy rotisserie chicken, hearty housemade sourdough, an array of delicious sides, plus a diverse selection of local beer and wine.
After a lengthy day of forest bathing that engaged sight, sound and touch, it was nice to not only sit and rest, but to end the day indulging our sense of taste with a warm, hearty meal.
Eric Harnish resides in Castaic, which could be enlivened with more patio dining options.

Take a Hike!
Lion Canyon Trail
insidescv.com/lioncanyon

Wheeler Gorge
insidescv.com/wheelergorge

Majestic Oak Vineyard
majesticoakvineyard.com

Ojai Rotie
ojairotie.com