This location was a nice place. There were multiple groups of people setting up for birthday…read moreparties and there was still plenty of space for everyone to enjoy the park. It's pretty much a long stretch of land going around the coledesack near the back of Dearborn Elementary Charter Academy . There were so many beautiful trees at this park, perfect for shade and enjoying the breeze. It also had a couple of basketball courts. The playground was gated which I thought was good for if littler kids are playing. It was a nice and peaceful place. There's street parking right along the front of the park from end to end so plenty of places to park easily. This was a nice park, I'd go here again

If you know me, you know I'm always on the look out for a good park that I can bring my dog to to…read morepractice her training and to play ball with her. This park looks nice and clean, well taken care of, and well shaded. I came by around 1130 and I saw a very nice large green area open, I wish I had my dog with me because this is perfect. I usually put her on the 30 or 45 feet lead and let her explore and throw the ball. Also I love that this park is closer to me than lake balboa so I can alternate environments for her. The park is surrounded by houses in a neighborhood and I found parking easily on the street. The kids playground is nice too, very clean and well kept as well!

One of my goto parks. Tip: Porter ranch is known for wind. Check weather, there's usually at least…read morea breeze. The sunset sets beautifully over the hills and is visible throughout the park. This park is on the hills of Porter Ranch. The park has several amenities: A music themed gentle playground for toddlers with lights! A challenging climbing playground for the older kids. Id say ages 3y-16y/Adult with lights! Introduce the younger ones before you let loose. They do have a few terrains that need to be introduced by an adult A small Pickelball and Basketball court with a beautiful view Terrain and walking path that has a few hills and a small set of stairs. I didn't walk it myself but I'd say 20minutes round trip. Clean restrooms Plenty of parking This location is recommended for afternoons over summer months. Check winds and weather!

I went a couple of months ago, scenery at park is so beautiful and your up the hill overlooking the…read moreSan Fernando valley, went around evening and it's so so beautiful. The park is also very clean, modern playgrounds and fun for all ages, came with my 1 year old nephew and he enjoyed the tall slide so much, for sure would come back with my nephew when in the area.

This spot is such a hidden gem. I love that not everyone knows about it. The little stream flowing…read moreinto the pond is super relaxing, plus you've got orange trees, turtles, ducks, koi fish, and fun little trails to wander. Huge thanks to CSUN for creating such a peaceful escape right in the middle of the city.

Unfortunatley the food canister was broken. As we approached the larger pond with most of the…read moreturtles, they started climbing the rocks and approaching the edge. We tried several different quarters, but the food wouldn't come out. None of the quarters went all around (imagine a gumball machine). My 1-yr old nephew was quite disapponted that we didn't stick around the area. But quite honestly, he was disappointed that he couldn't jump in with them. There were ducks in the area too. Online it says that you can take a fruit from the citrus tree, but they weren't quite ripe, so we didn't bother. My nephew enjoyed running over the bridge and checking out the HUGE Koi fish. Needless to say, he was also disappointed that he couldn't jump in with them either. Please don't bring your own food to feed the animals. Here's What I Think...The next time we come back to the area, we'll have my sister, a current student, check to see if the food canister is working.

Came here on a wednesday around 9am no wait to get in. Ticket 5 dollars parking lot free. Serivce…read morefriendly. Took around 30 minutes to walk everything. Its in a loop. Restrooms inside clean. It was a really nice and relaxing well kept garden. Cool history and plenty of photo opportunities. It had wildlife as well ducks and goose. All in all a hidden gem.

What an amazing oasis in the middle of the SFV! I'm so glad this garden has reopened to the public…read more The grounds are beautiful and serene, and I really appreciate how they've integrated nature with sustainability by using reclaimed water to supply the garden's pond. We visited today and were lucky enough to catch a performance by the Taiko Project. Their performance honestly gave me chills! Love that they also talked about the history of taiko in Japan and US and they even had volunteers at the end of the show to try taiko drumming! There was also Kamishibai storytelling in the tea garden, which the kids really enjoyed. They also have Japanese Garden "I Spy" sheet for the kids to do and Clean Water Patrol activity book. This is def one of those low stress, high vibe activities that I highly recommend. Just a heads-up though, outside food and drinks aren't allowed inside, but water is ok. There are restrooms near the entrance as well as behind the tea garden. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for kids. We had such a relaxing afternoon and are already looking forward to coming back for more events at this little oasis.

Once a year this former reservoir site turned nature preserve opens its doors to the public for…read moretheir annual Earth Day Open House. It was a fun experience and a great opportunity to learn about the history of the site and about the trees, plants and animals that make this special place their home. There were a number of informative environmental/community-related booths. One of the booths even gave away free fruit trees. There was Native American Storytelling. My kids got to enjoy the live animal exhibits where they held snakes and other reptiles. The guided nature hike allowed you to walk a loop within the inside of the preserve. The grasses were green and the wildflowers were blooming. The Ecology Pond was brimming with tadpoles while blue dragonflies skimmed the surface. It's a shame that the public is restricted to visiting only one day a year but it's entirely understandable considering how people will reliably ruin good things. Overall, it was a fun and inexpensive way to spend quality time with the family. It will be an event that I will look forward to attending every year.

Nice park for nearby residents to picnic, play at the playground, bring dogs, and see sunsets…read more It's clean. There's trash cans and no restrooms. Which is perfect because for those who live nearby, we don't need restrooms. There's picnic tables and a playground. Ample street parking. Multiple levels and very spacious. Also leads to trail heads as well. And some say this us where ET was filmed.

I am a fan of Wilbur-Tampa park and wished I had something like this closer to my area!…read more The trail can be a loop depending on how you go about it. Being a loop it is a little over 2.5 miles. The trail is very easy with some slight incline/declines as it snakes through the area between Tampa and Reseda. My sister lives in the area and I feel jealous that she has something like this literally in her backyard. The trail is clean (except for the hill side) and not too many people go. This trail is perfect for a jog, brisk walk, biking, horse riding solo or with your friends and family. I come an visit once in a while when I want to get a quick hike in with my sister and nieces. During my first ever visit I was amazed that a trail like this is available without driving too far. At that time the trail area was nice and green and some trees from a previous year's fire were still standing. Parking: street parking VERDICT: Rinse and repeat

A great park at the north end of San Fernando Valley. So many areas to spread out and enjoy…read more O'Melvany is listed as the second-largest public park in Los Angeles(behind Griffith Park), but still seems a pretty good secret, for the most part. On any given day you may see dogs playing, or training in social skills, exercise classes, families picnicking and kids running around. BUT ALSO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR WILDLIFE! Coyotes and mountain lions are very common, as are rattle snakes. But also bunnies, squirrels and an array of birds, for those who take the time to stop, listen, and try to identify. There is not a playground at this large park. Instead, the draw is toward it's many, well marked, hiking trails. This use to be John O'Melvany's ranch, until he deeded the land to Los Angeles(1976), with specifics for it to be used as a park. You'll still see orchards of grapefruit as you enter, with signs requesting you not remove the fruit from the area. The fruit has not been properly tended to in decades, so it's not really yummy grapefruit, but on occasion you'll see some people plucking and tasting to quell their curiosity. Mainly, to avoid the spread of fruit flies, the city requests that the yellow spheres be left in place. BUT OH THE AROMA OF THE FLOWERS FROM THESE TREES! And so many happy bees flitting about. Quite nice. This is also a park that allows access for equestrians. A very large dirt area for trailers to park and horses to be staged and prepped before heading off into the hills on the marked Equestrian Trail. If you do take the time to hike one of the many trails, you'll be rewarded with beautiful view of SFV. If you squint, you can almost imagine what it looked like pre-WWII, before the tract homes welcomed the veterans here. Many beautiful, very old, oak trees, eucalyptus and various maple species, along with a LOT of native shrubbery are found throughout the park and the one large bathroom at the center is well maintained. Hours are dawn to dusk, with gates at both the pedestrian entry and parking lot. Plenty of free parking in the lot and along the street. If you're up for an easy, but fairly long excursion, check out Bee Canyon Park. It starts just across the street from O'Melvany and DOES have a play area for kids. Also, it's trail runs all the way to Balboa. Cheers! "CC"

Great hiking trail! It is uphill the whole time, so it's a little harder, but take breaks as…read moreneeded. Nice hike to see nature!

4 stars because I'm a fan of old westerns. It is cool to walk where the Lone Ranger rode and…read moreimagine the ambushes and shootouts of countless films. But it is tiny and cramped. Not really a hiking spot and might be OK for Instagram, but not for the kind of photography I do. The worst part is that the movie ranch that was here has been replaced by a subdivision. Boring beige boxes of unremarchitecture that have become so emblematic of SoCal suburban sprawl. It is undoubtably cool to have this location in your backyard, but not so great to have those houses in your photo background. Worth a quick stop if you are in the area and a film buff.

What do you associate with the northwestern SFV city of Chatsworth? It's surely that it is known as…read morethe 'Porn Capital' of USA. Even non-Cali residents are aware of this scandalous 'fun fact'. But there is more to this city edging the 118-freeway than just a perverted satisfaction. Chatsworth is also the home to some of the most gorgeous geolithic structures in the Valley. Anyone who has driven on the 118 has seen these glorious rock structures comprising of Stoney Point, Santa Susana, and of course Garden of the Gods. What is Garden of the Gods? Garden of the Gods is located essentially in a Chatsworth neighborhood on Redmesa (a very aptly named street) and isn't a park in the traditional sense of having a lot or ornate entrance. Rather, this entire acreage of Chatsworth is basically one large rocky, cavernous, geographic wonder making Valley residents feel like they are at a national park in Utah. Okay, it isn't on the level of Utah but it is pretty damn good for Los Angeles. After parking on the street, a sign welcomes visitors to the glorious area. A plaque proudly boasts of the Hollywood history of Garden of the Gods: it was part of the ranch that filmed countless westerns on the grounds from Buster Keaton classics to the opening credits of Lone Ranger hence Lone Ranger Rock. Garden of the Gods can also be seen in several big-budget films creating either an African or desert backdrop. Pretty cool, right? The 'trails' (if we want to call them that) vary from light rock climbing to open spaces and from bushes/grasses to sand stone outcroppings. Garden of the Gods is simply breathtaking and you can't help but take a moment to truly think about the amazing-ness of Mother Nature and the age of the rocks. There are several cave-like spots, smooth eroded boulders and stunning views of the SFV and the neighboring rock formations. One can see all the way across to the Verdugo Mountains and the tip of the LA National Forest. I visited the Garden of the Gods with a crew for a lingerie modeling shoot. That's right: I was basically naked here (and actually completely 100% naked when changing). I suppose that is fitting for the Porn Capital? We didn't come across many people (golden hour on a Wednesday in November) so Garden of the Gods was peaceful, quiet and serene. This place is perfect for a modeling shoot or for your IG with various nooks and crannies that make love to the camera. Or perhaps that was me doing that. Be careful though, because there of plenty of snakes and mountain lions who call Garden of the Gods home. So why am I not giving this gorgeous wonder of the world (or at least LA) 5 stars? Simply because people are assholes and decided to use Garden of the Gods as a garbage can. You will come across a lot of trash, bottles, and broken glass EVERYWHERE! These losers also defaced some of the beautiful rocks with tags and graffiti. News stories run rampant in the Stoney Point/Garden of the Gods/Santa Susana area of murders, fights, drugs, etc. Geeze Chatsworth, calm down. I would suggest, for the ladies out there, to not venture here alone. Although Garden of the Gods was quite empty during my visit; we did come across some hikers, families with small children and even mountain climbers with legit gear practicing on the rocky faces. Garden of the Gods caters to a diverse cast of characters. Side note relating to Covid: some people wore masks and some didn't but obviously there is plenty of room here for social distancing. Chatsworth may be known for porn but the rocky topography of the area is much more orgasmic and certainly worth more of a visit than just from from your car window when driving on the 118. Hey you never know: you might see someone modeling in lingerie!

A kind of sketchy park. Not a lot of people seem to know about this place. There is a senior…read morecitizens center that has meetings and such. I've seen outdoor AA meetings on occasion. There have been large homeless encampments directly across from the "wash" which separates the park from the back of the train station. Right now it's empty but it's only a matter of time before they return. There are gates separating the encampments from the park but some enterprising folk have pried them open so anyone can walk across from multiple locations. It was mentioned elsewhere that there are some mature trees that provide some shelter, but only about two picnic tables. Lots of undeveloped land. I guess they don't want to encourage kids as there is no playground equipment or a soccer field. There is a grass path around the perimeter where I've seen some brave folks stroll in groups or walk their dogs. I walked with my son there the other day and got a bit nervous when some big homeless bro started walking across the empty encampment towards us. Another time, when I was taking some photos of the epic gangland "murals" on the back of the train station some dude from the encampment came over to ask if I was a cop! Anyway, to sum up, this ain't the kind of park I'd feel too comfortable walking around alone especially in the evening -- unless I was with a pet -- like a Doberman...

Kinda sketchy at times, not only is it next to an actual mobile modular home trailer park its also…read morehome to quite a few motorhomes some that actually think that they are security which is laughable and have taken up permenant residence in the back corner of the parking lot . There are also a few parked around the culdasack. Lots of picturesque views of a smelly concrete converted creek on two sides of the park and a very active very very busy railroad track with an actual sort of train station/unmanned stop i think there are two to four trains every couple of hours mostly metrotrains but frieght aswell lots and lots of tagging on tbe buildings along the tracks which usually isnt very intimidating to me except thus park is on the boundary of several rival gangs clamied teritory yes gun shots ars a constant reminder that were still in los Angeles county not compton but heading that way fast also i cant forget to touch on the tent town along the tracks good place to walk your large pitbull breed protection animal not to take the kiddos they do sereve the senior community of northridge several meals and provide AA/NA buildings to hold meetings another reason fir me to avoid the place but i leave it up to you to make your own informed decision enjoy!!!!

So I'm just doing a little park hopping today since I had a long drive home and I'm always in the…read morelookout for good parks to come to with my dog. This park showed along my route so I quickly turned in and I did not know what to expect arriving to the Oakridge Estate park but when I pulled in I was excited because it looks like a very well paved trail. I walked along the dirt path a little ways and came across a cute little kids play area with a small tractor and horses to play on. There are some really nice wood benches shaped like tree trunks and from afar I could see the "ampitheatre" that someone had mentioned. I didn't get to stay very long to explore more because parks and recreations arrived to lock up the park so I had to go, I asked them how long is the trail but they didn't know so i did a quick Google search and it says it's a short leisurely walk but that they do offer 75 minute docent led walking tours of the estate. This is a VERY beautiful well maintained area that I definitely plan to come back and explore more when it's earlier! They are open from sunrise to sunset.

The park itself gets five stars. It's lovely. Parking is decent and the trail is perfect for my…read moreelderly parents. There's also a cute amphitheater and plenty of seating for outdoor activities. I hope Recs and Parks starts hosting events. It'd be a great location for music and movies. Zero stars for the estate tour. The majority of the house is still being restored and I did not feel safe walking around. A lot of the information given cannot be verified and the guides are primarily just reading a script. Our guide was also very insistent about squeezing our large group into small spaces and only watching him instead of letting us look around.