We stopped by Bart's Books to purchase a map, but ended up whiling away hours perusing through all the used books. There are even books for sale on shelves lining the exterior of the building. Customers are asked to pay by an honors system. A sign reads "When closed, please throw coins in slot in the door for the amount marked on the book."
By the time we decided to head out, it was pretty late, so we settled on the one-mile, round-trip hike to Rose Valley Falls, a two-tiered waterfall that cascades about 300 feet over a sandstone cliff. Apparently, the waterfall, located outside of Ojai, is the largest in the Los Padres National Forest.
We drove the 15 miles out of Ojai on Highway 33 and turned off on Rose Valley Road, continuing another three miles to a road that forks off to the right and leads to Rose Valley Campground. There is no sign for the campground, but the road is located before the Rose Valley Work Camp. The trailhead is clearly marked inside the campground. Along the way, be sure to purchase an Adventure Pass at the Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center (all vehicles are required to display it).
We enjoyed hiking along the shaded trail, which follows a creek to the lower portion of the waterfall. I think we chose the perfect time to visit the falls -- in the spring after an especially rainy winter -- because there was a decent amount of water trickling over the mossy cliff.
