Hike travels through former ranch




FORMER GRAZING LAND—Even though the trailhead is located in a residential neighborhood, development is hidden from sight for a significant portion of the hike. DAWN MEGLI-THUNA/Acorn Newspapers

FORMER GRAZING LAND—Even though the trailhead is located in a residential neighborhood, development is hidden from sight for a significant portion of the hike. DAWN MEGLI-THUNA/Acorn Newspapers

ACORN SERIES /// A Trail Less Traveled

Before Lang Ranch was an upscale residential development in the northeast corner of Thousand Oaks, it was the Lang Ranch, a 3,000-acre expanse of picturesque rolling grasslands, oak woodlands and riparian corridors.

The Lang family purchased the land in 1941, more than 20 years before the City of Thousand Oaks incorporated.

Newspaper reports from the time say that when the family sold it to the Janss Realty Corporation for around $11 million in 1967, the ranch was the largest undeveloped property in the city.

More than 900 acres of the ranch were preserved as open space, and the stone foundation of a ranch-era structure can be seen off the path about oneeighth of a mile past the Lang Ranch Parkway trailhead.

Ten miles of trail system through the area provide connections to other open space units, including China Flats, Cheeseboro Canyon, Palo Comado Canyon, Sunset Hills and North Ranch.

 

 

For a moderate 4-mile loop, take the Albertson Motorway trailhead on Lang Ranch Parkway then follow Meadow Vista Trail to Alapay Trail. Alapay Trail will return to Albertson Motorway.

To get there from Avenida de Los Arboles, take Westlake Boulevard south to Lang Ranch Parkway. Turn left and go 0.8 miles.

The trailhead is on the right, just before Lang Ranch Parkway makes a sharp left turn.

To read the entire Trail Less Traveled series, go to toacorn.com/category/community/ acorn-series/the-trail-lesstraveled.