Cheeseboro (or Cheesebro) 1 hr. Wildlife Trek - Great for kids!

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Cheeseboro (or Cheesebro) 1 hr. Wildlife Trek - Great for kids!

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Difficulty: Easy
Length: 2.0 miles / 3.2 km
Duration: 1 hour or less

Family Friendly • Dog Friendly

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Overview: Cheeseboro (or Cheseboro or Chesebro) Park is one of the many National Park Sites within the SMMNRA (Santa Monica Nationa Recreation area) and is very popular with visitors due to its relatively level terrain. And it's great for kids and families!

This guide is a one hour (two mile) hike, relatively flat, and has a great deal of wildlife all of the time ! Deer, birds, bobcats, coyotoes, native foxes, and more are common sights.

This hike is especially great during the summer as it is mostly alongside a creek and under a canopy of valley oak trees.

Cheeseboro Canyon has plenty of wildlife, but most of it is in the area of this trek, as this is a wildlife corridor connecting the Simi Hills (where Cheeseboro Canyon is) with the Santa Monica Mtns to the south of the Ventura Freeway.

If you only have one hour to spend at Cheeseboro Canyon, this short trek is great. It is 2.0 miles total round trip.

FYI - The official name of the park site is Cheeseboro, but the street name is Chesebro. Go figure.

Tips: Bring a snack ! Have lunch under native oak trees. If you have REAL little ones, they may not be able to make the full one hour hike. If that is the case, you can always turn right around and head back to the car.

NO water! Bring your own water.

CELL phones may not work all of the time here.

FAMILY friendly - bring the entire group.

DOG friendly - MUST be on leash, to protect your dog from wildlife and other dogs. Carry water for your dog especially on hot days.

Hiking with small ones - Youll see many other familes with kids of all ages. Only you know how long your little ones will go for. If they start to tire, simply turn around and head back to the parking lot.

Strollers - If you have little ones in a stroller, it might be best to shorten your trek by only going half way (to the Morrison Ranch house), then doubling back.

This is a popular site, you will always see people during the weekends.

In an emergency, call Angeles Dispatch at 661-723-3620 to talk directly to a Park Ranger.

Points of Interest

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Trailhead - Start here

Trailhead - The official address is 5792 Chesebro Road, Agoura Hills, 91301. Park either before the gated, or on the left side (as you head into the park) of the paved road. Be aware the park closes at sunset, so if you may be later than sunset, park BEFORE the gate, and you will be OK.

Bring water and leash for dog, if you have a dog.

NOTE: Hide all valuables when you park.

Head up the paved road to start your journey.

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Bridale Path

If not on a horse, you can walk up the road via the adjacent horse bridalepath, but watch out for horses. The first part of this trek is slightly up hill, but not for long.

Watch out for horses if on the bridalpath Photo

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Watch out for ...

Watch out for cars if on the paved road, or watch out for ruts in on the bridalpath.

Dead oak - I wonder what killed it ? Photo

The bridalpath may not be in good shape depending on the time of year Photo

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Picnic tables

Before you start on your trek, you can take a break or have lunch here. Its a shady spot to sit down.

Above you are two 'Valley Oaks', which differ from the other native oak tree here, the 'Coastal Live Oak', which keep their leaves during the winter, unlike the deciduous Valley Oaks.

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Main parking lot

This is the main parking lot, which often fills up on weekends. The park is open every year, from sunrise to sunset.

Travel up the MAIN road heading East. The trail to your North connects to a trail along the ridge of the hills to your north. Great views!

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MIT - The Mobile Information Trailer

Here at the MIT, or mobile information trailer, you can find out information and/or warnings about the trails. The MIT is manned by volunteers on the weekend and some holidays. Stop by and say hi!

Near the MIT is the park kiosk with valuable info about the park.

You will also see little 'tree shelters' throughout your trek - these protect growing Vallye Oak seedlings.

Park kiosk - information about Cheseboro Canyon Photo

The NPS MIT = Mobile Information Trailer Photo

Tree shelter containing Valley Oak seedlings Photo

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Bathrooms - the only ones at this park

These are the only bathrooms in the park, so be prepared!

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Wildlife spotted!

Look to the East - you will see the Calabasas Landfill, which accepts rubbish from LA county. It is scheduled to be filled in 2018 which at that time it will be given to the National Park Service as an extension of this park.

Coyotes are often spotted to your left again the hillside. They are looking for gophers and ground squirrels.

We happen to spot one to the south today - looking for lunch! He also looks like he/she is marking their territory! Click on the video here.

Cheseboro Canyon coyote marking his spot Video

Looking East to the Calabasas landfill Photo

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Head to your right...

Head to your right at the first FORK where you can follow a road to your left or right. If you go LEFT, you will head to the main park area, which is also very nice, but can be a much longer hike. Head to your RIGHT to go SouthEast which takes you to a shadier part of the parksite.

Oak shelter - part of a valley oak restoration project by the NPS Photo

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Creek to your left...

You will be heading near the Cheseboro creek on your left. Keep your eyes out for wildlife. Bobcats have been spotten along the creek. Also you will spot many owls here at sunset. At this point you should be heading South.

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Check the oak trees...

Did you know - Over 5,000 species of insects, 58 species of reptiles and amphibians, 105 species of mammals and over 150 species of birds rely on oaks for some of their life cycle. This oak, as many you will see, have plenty birds that call it home.

Do you see the holes in the bark ? Thats from an Acorn woodpecker - they store acorns in the holes during winter.

Check out the birds that live in the oaks Photo

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Morrison Ranch House

This is the old Morrison Ranch House, named after the rancher that used the area for a working ranch before the National Park Service purchased it. Morrison Ranch in Agoura Hills is named after this rancher. The ranch house is currently fenced off and scheduled to be renovated soon.

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Coyote napping

Another coyote! And he looks like he is napping. Don't be alarmed, and don't get near coyotes or any other wildlife. This guy was enjoying the noon time sun. This is also why it is important to keep your dog on a leash.

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Creek crossing

Be warned the road across the creek at this point is fragile! Youll still be heading South. Keep an eye out for hawks and other birds.

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What are these things ?

To your left are more tree shelters, with small Valley Oak seedling in them. Nearby you will also see monitoring wells - concrete circular things in the ground. These wells are tested for any runoff from the adjacent Calabasas landfill.

Tree shelters containing Valley oak seedlings Photo

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Landfill power station

If you look to your left you'll see a power generating station on the landfill property which generates power from the escaping methane gas inside of the landfill. You might also hear it as you walk along the road.

Power station on landfill property to East Photo

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Oak canopy

Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife as you walk along the adjacent creek. Deer, coyote, bobcat are common. In the trees you might see owls, especially at dusk.

Wildlife are commonly spotted near oaks Photo

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Coyote paths

If you look around, you'll see coyotes trails all around. These are used by not only coyotes but deer and other mammals.

Look for owls and hawks in the oaks Photo

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Animal crossings

At this point, many animals cross the creek and road here, as they follow the treeline from south to north.

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More coyotes!

A pair of coyotes are hunting for food in the short grass. Winter is the best time to see wildlife as the grass is short and the food needs of mammals is high.

Again, keep your dog on a leash and stay away from coyotes - and they will stay away from you.

Where you see oaks you'll see animals Photo

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Entranace gate / More oaks

Near the entrance gate to the park, you'll see more oaks. This is another spot where you may see more animals, as they tend to cross Chesebro Road nearby. At this point, you can cross the road by going UNDER the brown gate to the other side of the road where youll meet up with the trail back to the parking lot. If not, continue SOUTH along the road to another road crossing point.

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Cross the road here

Follow the trail to this point to safely cross Chesebro Road.

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Head north...

On this side of Chesebro Road, you will also see many animals, especially deer. This are leads you back to where you parked. Stay heading NORTH and stay on the main trail if you encounter and forks in the trail.

The trail on this side of Chesebro will cross the creek a few times, and a great place to see frogs when the creek has water.

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Stay to the right...

..if you encounter any forks in the trail. Either way, the trail does lead back to the parking lot and your car.

This area gets less foot traffic than the rest of the park, so wildlife likes this area. You might find a napping deer, or small mammals like a fox or raccoon.

Look for tracks in the mud! You will always see tracks in undisturbed mud deposits, as mammals use the creekbed as their food source.

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Creek crossings

Around here you will cross the creek a few times. Keep an eye out for small wildlife, hawks and owls.

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Almost back...

As you get cloer to your car and the parking lot, look out for a large patch of native pumpkins. They are small but were used by the native Chumash Indians for food. Calabasas is name after this native pumpkin.

Pictures in this guide taken by: dusterdoo

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