Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park facts for kids
Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park is a special place in California. It's a state park that covers about 680 acres (2.75 square kilometers). You can find it right on the border between Ventura and Los Angeles counties. It sits between the towns of Chatsworth and Simi Valley.
This park is where the Simi Hills meet the Santa Susana Mountains. It has tall, narrow ridges and deep canyons. You'll see lots of different plants here. The park offers amazing views of nature, which is a big change from the busy towns nearby. It's also very important for its history and culture.
Park History
This park holds a 174-acre (0.7 square kilometer) area that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important historical site!
- Native American History: The park has old trading routes and village sites. These belonged to the Tongva, Chumash, and Tataviam Native American people. They used these lands long ago.
- The Old Stagecoach Road: A big part of the park is the Old Santa Susana Stage Road. This road was super important from 1861 to 1876. It was the main way to send mail and for people to travel. It connected Los Angeles to places like Simi Valley, Santa Barbara, and the San Francisco Bay Area. But then, new train lines opened, and the stage road was used less. This historic road is now a special landmark in both Los Angeles and Ventura County.
- Movie Ranch Past: Some of the land in the park was once part of the Spahn Ranch. This ranch was used for many years to film movies!
What to See and Do
The State of California started buying parts of this land in 1979. More areas were added until the late 1990s. In 1998, it officially became a State Historic Park.
- Trails and Views: The park has many trails for hiking and exploring. You can find amazing views of the natural landscape.
- Connecting Trails: The park's trails are also part of a bigger plan. This plan aims to create a long trail for hiking and horseback riding. It would connect the Santa Monica Mountains all the way to the San Gabriel Mountains. Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park is a key link in this big trail system.
How to Get There
The main entrance to Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park on Devonshire Street is currently closed. This is because of an environmental cleanup happening nearby. But don't worry, there are other ways to enter the park!
Here are some ways to get into the park:
- From Larwin Avenue: This is often the easiest way.
- Turn left (south) onto Larwin Avenue from Devonshire Street.
- Go one block until you see a chain link fence on your right.
- You'll also see old power lines overhead.
- Park your car along the curb and enter the park through a gap in the fence.
- From Santa Susana Pass Road: You can also find an entrance in the northwest part of the park.
- From Lilac Lane: Another entrance is in the northwest area of the park.
- Near Lassen, Andora, and Valley Circle: There's an entrance southwest of the Oakwood Memorial Cemetery.
In 2008, there was a plan to close many California state parks, including this one. But thankfully, the park was saved and remains open for everyone to enjoy!
