About the Santa Susana State Historic Park

Located in the middle of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, the Santa Susana Pass SHP is one of California State Parks that bear natural, cultural and historical significance. The 680-acre (2.8 sq km) park squarely sits at a point where the rather rocky Simi Hills join with the majestic Santa Susana Mountains. The wide expanse of the park largely features a rugged natural landscape whose beauty is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Like Big Sky Park in Simi Valley, Santa Susana Park is an absolutely beautiful place to visit.

A Quick Glimpse into the History of the Park

The Santa Susana State Park consists of a 174-acre portion that preserves certain historic sites and artifacts. This section of the park mainly includes village site remains and trading routes that can be traced back to the times of the Chumash and Tongva people and the Native Tataviam Americans. Parts of the Santa Susana Stage Coach road, which formed the main route from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara that was used for mailing and traveling between 1861 and 1876, have also been preserved in the park.

Inside the park also lies land that previously formed part of the old 500-acre Spahn Ranch, otherwise known as the Spahn Movie Ranch, which was linked to the infamous Manson Family. The Ranch was on many occasions used to film Western-themed movies and TV programs. These portions of the park have now been classified and named by the commission of California State Parks.

Key Park Features:

  • Sweeping Views of the Area around: The Santa Susana Historic Park is located on an elevated ground where one can enjoy panoramic views of San
    Fernando Valley, traverse mountain ranges, ancient rock formations, seasonal waterfalls, sandstone cliffs and the Chumash grinding basins.
  • Wildlife Hub: The State Park is a prime wildlife hub and also acts as a corridor for wild animals passing from the northern part the 118 Ronald Reagan Freeway traversing the towering Santa Susana Mountains as well as from Simi Hills going into Santa Monica Mountains. Some of the animals that can be spotted in the park include foxes, coyotes, hawks, snakes, tarantulas and more.
  • Perfect Hiking Spots: Hiking through the vast park, including along the old Stagecoach road which served as a passageway between Simi Valley and Los Angeles, is truly an exciting and adventurous activity.
  • The Chumash Campsites: A visit to the Chumash Campsites allows visitors to discover old village sites spanning hundreds of years ago, including some stone artifacts that are thousands of years old.

Park Entrances:

The main traditional Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park entrance point has always been the Devonshire Street. However, due to the ongoing environmental cleanup, by Chatsworth Park South, of what used to be a shooting range, the entrance is still closed.

Visitors can enjoy access to the park from these alternative entrances:

  • Larwin Avenue: The Larwin Avenue is located just one block away from the Devonshire Street to the south. At the end of the block is a chain-link fence, with a gap that’s easy to pass through.
  • Santa Sasuna Pass Road: It is located on the park’s northwestern corner
  • Lilac Lane: Is found in the park’s northwest quadrant
  • Near the intersection of Lassen and the Andora & Valley Circle: Located southwest of the entrance to the famous Oakwood Memorial Cemetery.

You can learn more about The Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park and Simi Valley by going to our home page.

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