Creek

At the end of August in Southern California you don’t expect to find running water and a beautiful cascading waterfall – but that is exactly what we found during our hike through Wildwood Regional Park in Thousand Oaks, California.

Thousand Oaks is situated at the southern end of Ventura County adjacent to Los Angeles County. The area in and around TO, as it is called by its residents, is full of parks and recreational facilities.

Our surprising waterfall was hidden within a deep valley at the park - near Avenida De Los Arboles and North Big Sky Drive intersection. Free parking is available off West Avenida De Los Arboles.

Sturtevant Falls Hiking Trail is located in the foothills above Arcadia and Pasadena in the heart of the Angeles National Forest.  This is only one of many hikes available in the Chantry Flats area, but it is my favorite hike because of the reward at the end of the hike – the waterfall.

Once you reach the Chantry Flats area, find a parking spot and purchase a parking tag (Wilderness pass) - they cost $10. There is a general store at the flats that sells snacks, gear, maps and the parking tags.

Oak Canyon Nature Center is located in the Anaheim Hills area. It is a hidden nature sanctuary in the middle of urban development.

The center has many hiking trails with varying difficulty. They range from easy to moderate. A year-round stream meanders through the park and crosses many of the trails.

Check out more details and directions at www.anaheim.net/ocnc.

Located in the east end of Anaheim, it is one of the largest parks in the area with acres of turf, trees, lakes and streams. It also has multiple playgrounds for kids of all ages, a very long bike trail, volleyball courts, horseshoe pit, two baseball diamonds and a physical fitness course.