Sage Ranch Park

Sage Ranch Park

Sign at the entrance.
Type Open-space park
Location Simi Valley, CA
Coordinates 34°14′33″N 118°40′33″W / 34.24250°N 118.67583°W / 34.24250; -118.67583
Area 635 acres (257 ha)
Created 1980
Operated by Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
Status Open

Black Canyon Road and Woolsey Canyon Road are the only access roads to this park and are private roads. Authorized use is of residents or employees of Rockwell International field laboratories only and is clearly posted. Sage Ranch Park is a 625-acre park (253 ha) and wildlife corridor located at a 2,000 feet (610 m) height in the northwestern Simi Hills on the northwestern plateau of the Simi Valley, bordering Los Angeles County and its San Fernando Valley.[1][2][3] The campground area used to be a cattle ranch and later a filmset for Western movies. Sage Ranch Park is today an intermountain wildlife corridor, which links the Simi Hills with the Santa Susana- and Santa Monica Mountains. The mountainous park is mostly known for its unique sandstone rock formations, maybe particularly on its western side where the Sandstone Ridge and Turtle Rock are situated. On its northern side, there are great panoramic rural and metropolitan views of the Simi Valley, as well as surrounding Simi Hills, Santa Susana Mountains and beyond.[4] It is home to numerous sandstone formations, caves, outcroppings, tilted rock formations, several hiking trails, a camping ground, as well as native flora and wildlife. The area is lined with coastal sage scrub and other flora includes chaparral, bush lupine, California poppy, sunflowers, Cream Cups, bracken, sword fern, prickly pear cactus, eucalyptus trees, oak woodland of ceanothus, coffee berry, California buckwheat, sycamore, Walnut Tree, ferns, orange- and avocado trees. It is a critical cross-mountain wildlife corridor and is home to fauna such as mountain lions, bobcats, eagles, vultures, owls, rattle snakes, coyotes, hawks, grey fox, king snakes, and more.[5][6] Bordering Sage Ranch to the south is the Rocketdyne Santa Susana Field Laboratory, in which the nearby Burro Flats Painted Cave is located.

Simi Valley seen from the northernmost point in the park.

It is an area for a wide variety of recreational activities such as running, mountain biking, hiking, wildlife viewing, photographing, rock climbing, and is also open for camping.[7] Because of its high elevation, you can see as far as the Channel Islands, the Santa Monica Mountains, the Pacific Ocean, and the San Gabriel Mountains on clear days.[8] To get here from Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, follow the Ventura Freeway (U.S. 101) in Woodland Hills, exit on Valley Circle Boulevard and drive north six miles to Woolsey Canyon Road. Turn left (west) and proceed 2.7 miles to Sage Ranch Park. The park entrance is on the left, a short distance past the Rockwell International Santa Susana Field Laboratory, where Woolsey Canyon Road bends north and continues as Black Canyon Road. From Chatsworth, Los Angeles, take the U.S. 101 to the Topanga Canyon Boulevard, south to Plummer, and then turn right. Follow Plummer to the intersection with Box Canyon and turn left into Valley Circle and then turn right at Woolsey Canyon Road. The entrance to Sage Ranch Park is 200 yards north of the intersection between Woolsey Canyon and Black Canyon Road. From Simi Valley, take Kuehner south and turn right at Katherine Road in eastern Simi Valley. Follow Katherine and turn right after crossing the railroad tracks. At Black Canyon Road, turn left and follow the uphill winding road up to Sage Ranch Park.[1] It is situated in the most eastern part of Ventura County and the Simi Valley city limits. The address is 1 Black Canyon Rd, Simi Valley, CA 93065.[3]

Panoramic view of Simi Valley from the Loop Trail. There are short paths from the northern part of the trail leading to great vista points overlooking Simi Valley.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Stone, Robert (1998). Day Hikes in Ventura County, California: 43 of the Best. Day Hike Books. Pages 54-55. ISBN 9781573420198.
  2. ↑ "Parks". Lamountains.com. Retrieved 2015-06-19.
  3. 1 2 "Sage Ranch Map" (PDF). Lamountains.com. Retrieved 2015-06-19.
  4. ↑ Stone, Robert (2011). Day Hikes Around Ventura County: 116 Great Hikes. Day Hike Books. Pages 284-285. ISBN 9781573420624.
  5. ↑ "Parks". Lamountains.com. Retrieved 2015-06-19.
  6. ↑ Murphy, Kelly (2012). Local Multi-Use Trails. Pages 149-151. ISBN 9781479165599.
  7. ↑ "Sage Ranch : Recreation" (PDF). Parks.ca.gov. Retrieved 2015-06-19.
  8. ↑ Wilson, Tracy (May 27, 1994). "SIMI VALLEY : Overnight Campsites to Open Saturday". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-06-19.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, May 01, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.