Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve, Regional park in San Fernando Valley, US
Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve is a regional park spread across rolling hills dotted with oak trees and canyons lined with sycamores. It sits at the western edge of San Fernando Valley and protects varied natural habitats.
The land was once managed as Ahmanson Ranch before being purchased in 2003 by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to protect it from residential development. This transition turned the property into protected public parkland.
The area was once home to the Chumash, Tongva, and Tataviam peoples, who established a village called Huwam near Bell Creek within these lands. Today, visitors walk through a landscape that held deep meaning for these communities.
The preserve can be accessed from two main trailheads: Victory Trailhead at Victory Boulevard in West Hills, or Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Trailhead at Las Virgenes Canyon Road in Calabasas. Both entry points provide good starting spots for exploring the area on foot.
The area functions as an ecological corridor connecting the Santa Monica Mountains to ranges further north, serving as refuge for endangered species like the California red-legged frog. This role makes it a critical wildlife haven within an otherwise developed region.
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