Solstice Canyon Loop - Malibu, CA

Take the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu, and find Coral Canyon Road (gas station on corner; at the edge of one of the main public beaches in Malibu). There is only one direction to turn on Coral Canyon Road, so depending on which direction you approach it from: turn left onto road if ocean is on your right, turn right onto road if ocean is on your left. Look for the trailhead parking lot (rather large paved parking lot) on your left and choose one of the two directions to begin this trail loop.

We've tried starting at either side of the loop: take the Rising Sun trail if you want a more spectacular hike with hard hiking at the beginning and an oasis at the middle; take the trail to the left following the stream if you want a more serene hike to start out with the oasis in the middle (from there you can even go back the way you came to avoid the uphill portion of the loop altogether).

The lower portion of the loop (following the stream) is full of large trees and small waterfalls (some even cross a resident's driveway)

Near the turnaround point (or the switchbacks leading uphill if you're in the mood) there is the ruins of a 1950's house that burned down in the 1980's.

Almost adjacent to the ruins are the mysterious catholic-like shrine and stone amphitheater tucked in a small cut in the hill. I've never found any information about it.