Great Hikes: Whales and Turtles, Ho!:

This Sunday, March 12, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the “10th Annual Whale Festival” will be held at point Mugu State park, in Sycamore Cove. While it may seem a stretch for a hiker’s adventure, the California State Parks and the Santa Monica Mountains Natural History Association have been mounting this big event for a decade — and it’s great fun.Park naturalists will be on hand to talk about the annual return of the gray whales — a migration that landlubbers have been fascinated by for generations. There will also be music, live performances, food stands, arts and crafts, and more. You’ll enjoy a sense of the outdoors without breaking a sweat, or your pocketbook! Call (805) 488-1827 for more informationNow that whales have your attention, on Tuesday evening, March 21, the National Park Service is presenting one of the more eccentric and interesting programs of its lecture series: “The Personalities of Turtles.” Not only do turtles apparently have varying personality traits, but biologist Rosi Dagit is a bona fide turtle personality expert and will share her insights and experiences in getting to know the seemingly reclusive lot at a special presentation at the NPS Visitor Center. Call (805) 370-2301 for all the details. For those of you who are getting restless and want to actually hit the trails, on Thursday, March 16, the Sierra Club is supervising a four hour hike in Topanga State Park. This is an eight -mile adventure with 1,200 feet of overall uphill gain, starting at 8 a.m. Although described as moderate, you know it’s not for beginners when the Sierra Club reminds you to bring your “lugsoles” along with lunch, water and a hat. (Decent boots will do). The hike includes Dead Horse Trail, Musch Trail and Eagle Rock Loop. If you don’t know Topanga State Park, this is the hike to discover it. The Sierra Club does a great job in providing experienced guides, including a sweep to watch out for the slow pokes. If you’ve been to Topanga then you know how much fun and scenic these trails are.Of course, you are always welcome to hook up with our free Monday and Wednesday night hiking group, at 6:30 p.m. We rotate through 21 different local trails, usually two hour treks designed for the reasonably fit. No lectures and highly unlikely to see whales or turtles.Fearless readers interested in free Monday and Wednesday night hikes should call Scott Regberg at (310) 475-5735.