The gently rounded hills and canyons of Cheeseboro and Palo Comado are older than the steeper, more recently formed Santa Monica Mountains and provide popular terrain for hikers, bikers, and equestrians.

For over 150 years, ranchers made these canyons their home. Many of the native plants, poorly adapted to heavy grazing, were replaced with European annuals such as wild oats, mustard, and thistles. Despite numerous years of cattle grazing, we can still find a variety of native plant communities, including chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and riparian woodlands.

You can stroll to Sulphur Springs or hike to the top of Simi Peak to view the cities you’ve left behind. Enjoy a picnic under the canopy of an oak or take binoculars to go birding. Oak trees and sedimentary rock areas provide excellent nesting sites for owls, hawks, and other raptors. Keep an eye out for deer, bobcats, coyotes, and rabbits.