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Chatsworth Park South
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
3 reviews for Chatsworth Park South
It used to be a fascinating place, one that I visited regularly when I lived in Woodland Hills. So, five stars for the history here.
A couple weeks ago, when I was in the area, I stopped by, for old time's sake.....only to find the facility surrounded by a chain link fence. Locked up tighter than a drum, including the historic cottage and its gardens, and even the museum. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I wondered if this closure of the entire park space had anything to do with the attack of 3 high school girls by some teenage boys, back in May '08, but apparently not. My research reveals that the reason is lead contamination.
Part of the park was an old shooting range, some fifty years ago, and pieces of clay pigeons & even some lead bullets were found on the park grounds. So it was determined that the risk to young children was too great, and the space was closed.
This makes me very sad.
Niko's previous review gives a history of the park, and a wonderful description of the landscape. You feel like you've stepped onto the set of an old Western movie (and many were filmed here). The rock formations are indeed reminiscent of AZ. No wonder locals have dubbed the place "rock park". http://static1.px.yelp...
The 100+ acre park space evidently is on the site of an old stage coach route from the 1800's.....talk about history.
When in the park, you can hear the sound of train whistles from the tracks nearby. It's a sound I love; in Chicago, trains are everywhere, and as a kid I would lay in bed at night listening to distant freight train whistles, as I imagined where the train might be going and what grand adventures it might discover.
It would be wonderful if the lead issue at Chatsworth South could be resolved, because the park is rich with much to offer. Its loss is a shame.
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Chatsworth Park South sits toward the very northwest corner of the San Fernando Valley. Here the Simi Hills meet the Santa Susana Mountains at the Santa Susana Pass.
The landscape is unique, in that these particular mountains look different than those to the immediate north or south. Here the mountains are composed of jagged bright red rock and are adorned with little vegetation. The landscape is semi desert and has an old western film feel. (I read that many western movies in the 60s and 70s were indeed filmed near this location).
The park is hidden at the very western end of Devonshire. It consists of a series of large green grass fields at the base of the arid mountains. Hiking trails ascend the terrain from a number of trail-heads in the park. There are numerous trails and fire roads that cris-cross cross and meander through the entire park. One may feel that it could be easy to get lost, however the trails tend to converge multiple times, and the park is bound by railroad tracks to the north and west, so there's little chance you'll lose your bearings for very long.
One does not have to hike far to get a sense of isolation from the rest of the city. The landscape makes you feel as if you're somewhere in Arizona. The trails culminate on a high ridge about a thousand feet above the base of the park. The views of the valley are spectacular. One aspect of this area which is common to LA hikes and takes away from the experience is the presences of houses in the mountains above the ridge.
It is also of note that there is an abundance of wildlife in this park. I've hiked the park twice and encountered a variety of unique birds, lizards, hawks, and even a coyote. One should take care to avoid rattlesnakes which I would imagine are numerous in such terrain. (though I've not yet encountered any).
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My husband and I wanted to bring our dogs here to check it out because it was so close to home but unfortunately it was closed due to maintennance....BUMMER! It looked really rural and great for hiking. Does anyone knows when they plan to reopen it ? It wasn't posted anywhere for the public and it was not listed on the website for parks in L.A. Parks and rec website.
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