O'Melveny Park - Half Desert and Half Lawn

O'Melveny Park is the second largest park in the city and is located at the northern end of Granada Hills; it is half desert and half lawn. It is famous for its picnic gardens with white fences as well as large eucalyptus trees; this park is a challenge for those hikers as it has several kilometers of steep paths and primal trails. The profile of the route constitutes a walking tour where its highest point is in the mountains of Santa Susana known as point of the Mission.

The park honors the name of one of the original members of the state park commission in the state of California: Henry W. O'Melveny, in 1927. Originally named C.J. Ranch, it was then purchased in 1941 by attorney John O'Melveny Park of the O'Melveny & Myers law firm. Years later it was acquired by The Trust for Public Land where it would finally be converted into a park. How to get?

To get to this place; exit Highway 118 on Balboa-Boulevard located in Granada Hills. Drive northbound for 2 miles to Sesnon Blv. Take a left (west) direction and continue 1 mile and you will have reached the parking-lot for O'Melveny Park.

Begin your walk on the Grassland-Trail. The path descends through a narrow mountain range that divides 2 parallel ravines. You can see Los Nogales typical of L.A right at the bottom of the ravine. You can stumble across various mountain animals such as deer or coyotes along the way.

Stay straight where a natural trail is located on the left. It is normal to feel different due to height gain. Turn right and then continue climbing up to Mission Point, the highest point of O'Melveny Park.

Mission Point is a great attraction for its summit with live oaks. Here is a little stone monument in honor of the doctor Mario De-Campos, a lover of the mountains. If you look down, the San Fernando Valley stretches endlessly. From here you can also see the new L.A reservoir and the dry bed of the old reservoir, Van Norman.

If you want to appreciate a view with the most beautiful and green slopes of Santa Susana, we recommend that you walk a little more northbound about 0.5 miles. There you will have a view of a ravine dotted with live oaks, fir trees and valley oaks.

Assuming you have plenty of time and energy, you can expand your hiking tour by exploring the reaches upstream of Bee Canyon. To the left hand side of the canyon, walnut trees and California live oak are noted as survivors struck but proud following the passage of fire and flood.

To the right of the canyon, you will encounter the sterile sedimentary cliffs rising to 500 feet in height. The movements along the Santa Susana fault, thats cuts east-west, have helped produce these imposing features that many tourists like.

Furniture store close to the area, see more