Verdugo Mountains, Shrubland area in Los Angeles, California.
The Verdugo Mountains are a mountain range in Los Angeles County that rises to about 3,100 feet at its highest point and spans several miles. The slopes are covered with dry chaparral scrub on sunnier south-facing sides and denser woodland on the cooler north-facing slopes.
The range takes its name from Jose Maria Verdugo, who received land grants in this area during Spain's and Mexico's rule of California. The mountains have shaped the geography of Los Angeles County for centuries since.
The Tongva people lived within these canyons for thousands of years, drawing water and sustenance from the springs found here. You can still see signs of their long presence woven into the land today.
The mountains are accessible through several parks including Wildwood Canyon, Stough Nature Center, La Tuna Canyon Park, and Oakmont View Park, each offering trails of varying difficulty. Visit between October and May when temperatures are cooler and the landscape is less dried out.
Despite being surrounded by one of California's most densely populated areas, these mountains form an isolated wildlife habitat with intact coastal chaparral and woodlands. This unexpected refuge allows animal species to survive that might otherwise vanish in the urban sprawl.
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