Best National Park Thousand Oaks Near Me

4worldlovers: Trailer Height Alert: The maximum Trailer Height at this park is 13'6"

Trailer Length Alert: The maximum combined length for vehicles and trailers at Thornhill Broome Campground is 31 feet. The total lengh of the towing vehicle + trailer + hitch/tongue may not exceed 31 feet. Visitors with vehicles AND trailers exceeding a combined total lengh of 31 feet will be denied entry. Refunds will not be issued for camping and/or parking fees. For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Leo Carrillo State Park has 1.5 miles of beach for swimming, surfing, windsurfing, surf fishing and beachcombing. The beach also has tidepools, coastal caves and reefs for exploring. Giant sycamores shade the main campgrounds. The park also features back-country hiking.

Junior Rangers and campfire programs are offered during the summer. School field trips are offered durring the school year.

The park was named after Leo Carrillo (1880-1961), actor, preservationist and conservationist. Leo Carrillo served on the California Beach and Parks commission for eighteen years, and was instrumental in the state's acquisition of the Hearst property at San Simeon. He was related by blood and marriage to a long line of distinguished original Californians. Leo's greatest fame came from his portrayal of Pancho, the sidekick to Duncan Renaldo's Cisco Kid, an early 1950's TV series.

Location: The park is located 28 miles northwest of Santa Monica on the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1.)

Firewood Policy: Burning firewood, Duraflame, and charcoal briquettes is allowed in the fire rings only when fire level permits. Check the sign near the entrance kiosk for the day's fire level.

Showers: The park has only token-operated showers. The token machines accept ONLY one dollar bills. Change for larger bills is not available at this time.

4worldlovers:
In 2003, the County of Ventura transferred Oakbrook Regional Park near the intersection of Westlake Boulevard and Lang Ranch Parkway to Conejo Recreation and Park District along with the Native American Interpretive Center, Village, and Trail. The center is managed by a concessionaire, Oakbrook Chumash Interpretive Center, Inc. The grounds surrounding the center include an oak woodland, seasonal creek, and many opportunities for trail exploration. For more information about the Chumash Interpretive Center, go to their website at www.chumashmuseum.org.

4worldlovers: Two threads of local history intertwine to establish the identity of Rancho Sierra Vista/ Satwiwa. Ranch structures and introduced grasses represent over a century of ranching, while native plants reflect an environment that Chumash Indians lived in for thousands of years.


The gentle slopes yield trails that picnickers, hikers, bikers, and equestrians enjoy during every season. Big Sycamore Canyon Trail descends from Satwiwa to the Pacific Ocean along a historic Chumash trade route.


The Satwiwa Loop Trail is designated for hikers only, and meanders through an area considered sacred by the Chumash. Keep an eye out for deer and coyote in the coastal sage scrub, hawks and falcons soaring overhead, and sweeping views of Boney Mountain and Sycamore Canyon. Follow all trail guidelines by only biking or horseback riding on designated trails.

The May 2013 Springs Fire burned much of Point Mugu State Park and portions of Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa. Whether recreating on foot, bike or horseback, be on the lookout for signs of plants, soil, and animals recovering from the effects of this wildfire.

Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa features the Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center (open on weekends from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM). Native Americans, representing Native cultures from throughout the United States, lead workshops, presentations, and art shows throughout the year. Call for information on accessible parking: 805-370-2301.

*Not allowed on Satwiwa Loop Trail and Boney Mountain Wilderness Area

Main entrance cross street is Via Goleta and Lynn Road, Newbury Park, CA, 91320

GPS Coordinates for Entrance (Via Goleta & Lynn Road): N 34.1569 W -118.9733

GPS Coordinates for Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center: N 34.1504 W -118.9613

Main Entrance: Ventura Fwy (101) to Lynn Rd exit. South on Lynn Rd 5.25 miles to Via Goleta. Park entrance is on the left.

Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center: Walk 0.3 mile up gravel road from the main entrance parking area to brown wooden building.

Accessible Parking for the Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center: Ventura Fwy (101) to Lynn Rd exit. South on Lynn Rd 4.5 miles to Reino Rd. Left on Reino Rd veering right at the "Y". Park entrance will be on your left through white rail fence. Parking at the end of the road. Note: There is one (1) accessible parking spot at this location. Additional parking is available at the Main Entrance Parking Lot.

Wendy Trailhead: Ventura Fwy (101) to Wendy Dr. exit. South on Wendy Dr to dirt pullout at intersection with Potrero Rd.

Free. The main parking lot is open from 8:00 AM to sunset. You may still visit if the gate is closed (parking is available in front of the gate). Parking is available any time at the Wendy Trailhead.

Restrooms located by main parking lot and by the Satwiwa Culture Center.

Water fountains located by the restrooms in the main parking lot and by the Satwiwa Culture Center.

Pets are allowed on leash and under control. Please pick up after your pet. Pets must remain on trail. Pets are not allowed on backcountry trails in Point Mugu State Park.

Main parking lot is paved. ADA parking lot available in main parking lot and one ADA parking space available by the Satwiwa Culture Center.

4worldlovers: Wildwood Regional Park boasts a network of 14 well-groomed hiking, biking and running trails over 1,765 acres, which spans southern Moorpark, northern Newbury Park and western Thousand Oaks, California.

Its convenient location, year-round access and scenic beauty attract everyone from avid naturalists to casual day-hikers to families with young children, with many coming to see Paradise Falls, considered to be the park’s crown jewel.

While most of the trails are wide and flat, changes in elevation can vary from 72 to 1,630 feet and trail widths can become significantly narrower in places.

Wildwood Regional Park has a large 58-stall, no-cost dirt parking lot right next to the Mesa Trailhead. To get there, follow the US-101 Freeway toward Thousand Oaks and get off at Exit 45. If you’re heading north, turn right off the ramp onto Lynn Road.

Going south, turn left. Follow Lynn Road for 2.5 miles, then turn left on Avenida De Los Arboles. Head approximately one mile to find the parking lot on your left just before the road bends and becomes Big Sky Drive.

If you’re coming from the 118 Freeway heading west, follow it until it becomes CA-23 South. Travel another three miles and then take Exit 17. Make a right off the ramp and follow East Olsen Road just over three miles to Wildwood Avenue where you’ll make a right.

Go less than a half mile, then turn left onto Big Sky Drive, which will end right at the parking lot entrance before bending left and becoming Avenida De Los Arboles.

The Mesa Trailhead features a number of signs with information about the area and maps detailing the 17-mile trail network.

As you make your way into the park, you’re immediately greeted by the spectacular Mountclef Ridge to your right, which has served as a backdrop for numerous movies and TV shows like Gunsmoke, Spartacus and Wuthering Heights.

Depending on the time of year, you might also witness fields of flowers in a multitude of colors, from yellow broomsage and shortpod mustard to purple strands of hairy vetch and arroyo lupine.

Major arteries like the Mesa Trail, Indian Creek Trail and Wildwood Canyon Trail are wide enough to fit seven or eight people across and are generally free of large rocks and other obstructions. Gradual rises and dips offer modest exercise.

Offshoots like Moonridge, Lynnmere and Stagecoach Bluff Trails may narrow a bit, but generally allow room for two hikers to walk side by side. Mountain bikers, dog walkers and equestrians frequent these trails as well, and hikers are expected to yield to horses when their paths cross.

To get to Paradise Falls, you’ll follow Mesa Trail less than a mile to Teepee Trail, which branches off to the left. Upon cresting a hill, you’ll quickly see why it’s called that: a giant wooden teepee at the base of the trail offers a shady resting spot and hosts a confluence of other trails.

From the teepee, follow the Moonridge Trail down 300 feet into a ravine where a series of switchbacks lead to the picturesque 40-foot waterfall, which cascades into a freshwater pool surrounded by natural California grassland. Various trails surrounding the falls offer numerous vantage points for photos.

Other points of interest include Lizard Rock, which sits about one mile from the trailhead and resembles a lizard’s head poking out from the hilltop, and Indian Cave, a small grotto accessible by stairs about half a mile east of Paradise Falls.

Five picnic areas are scattered throughout the park, several with barbecue grills and one along the river’s edge, while a few steep staircases offer more athletic types the opportunity for a sweat-inducing workout. The Meadows and Wildwood Canyon Picnic Areas also have restrooms.

Wildlife in the area is abundant. Brightly colored butterflies flitter among southern oak and riparian woodlands, prickly pear, chaparral and desert scrub.

According to the Conejo Open Space Conservatory Agency, which owns and maintains the park, 22 species of reptiles and amphibians, 37 species of mammals, and over 60 species of birds live here. This includes large animals like bobcats, coyotes and mountain lions.

Visitors are encouraged to stay on designated paths to avoid dangers like rattlesnakes and poison oak.

The park is open from 7:00am until dusk every day. The most popular hike down to the falls is about three miles round trip and should take about 75 minutes. However, give yourself four to six hours to explore all the numerous offshoots.

Spring and fall offer the best weather for hiking when temperatures average in the low to mid 70s. Humidity is typically low in the area, except during mid-summer months. While the park does have three water fountains, you’re advised to bring your own water bottle.