Topanga State Park
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Topanga State Park | |
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CA Dept. of Parks & Recreation |
Topanga State Park (/təˈpæŋɡə/ ⓘ) is a California state park located in the Santa Monica Mountains, within Los Angeles County, California. It is part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
The park is located adjacent to the community of
History of area
- Native American
The word Topanga is an old
- Colonial
- American
California became part of the United States in 1848, and a state in 1850. Eventually ownership of the Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica
In the 1920s, the canyon became a popular weekend get-away destination for residents of growing Los Angeles. Summer cabins were built along Topanga Creek and throughout the area in subdivisions in the surrounding hills. In this same trend, in 1917,
The next year, 1964, a park bond was approved by voters to purchase Trippet Ranch and some adjoined land. Topanga State Park was opened to the public in 1974. Its land includes more than 7,500 acres from the Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica land grant. Additional acreage has been added in the form of 1,500 acres from the Palisades Highlands and another 1,600 acres added in 2002, near the mouth of the Topanga Creek.[3]
Natural history
Geologically, the park has many sedimentary sandstone rock formations, marine fossils, exposed faults, and volcanic intrusions.
Flora
The primary
Fauna
There are over eighty mammal species and more than sixty reptile and amphibian species. Snakes present include the
Topanga Nature Center
The Topanga Nature Center houses a collection of mounted native animals and birds, as well as hands-on displays of natural artifacts. It is dedicated to the flora, fauna and geography of the area. The center is located in the lodge formerly used by Trippet Ranch for skeet shooting, a short walk from the Trippet Ranch parking lot, and is currently open on Sunday afternoons only.
Recreation
Points of interest in the park include: Eagle Rock, Eagle Spring Trail, and Hub Junction. Three historical attractions of the park are Trippet Ranch buildings, Will Roger's cabin, and the Josepho Barn.[1]
Trails
Many trails exist within the park, which are accessible to hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders, as posted. The primary trailheads are at the Trippet Ranch area, including for the Musch Trail,[6] passing prominent Eagle Rock. Many trails also are wider dirt fire roads. Unpaved portions of Mulholland Drive are accessible through the Temescal Fire Road and Mulholland Drive.[1]
The
The Santa Inez Trail is accessible from Trippet Ranch on the west, or the Palisades Highlands neighborhood on the east. The trail's lower section follows Santa Inez Creek through riparian habitats, and then climbs through unique and massive sandstone formations to the Topanga Fire Road and Trippet Ranch.[6]
Funding
California Department of Parks and Recreation
While never actually closed to the public, Topanga State Park was on a list of 48 California state parks proposed in January 2008 for closure by California's then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as part of a deficit reduction program. In protest, environmentalists and area residents collected more than 17,000 signatures asking that the closure idea be halted, with the petition delivered to the governor by a symbolic delegation of school children. This direct public action was credited with averting the proposed closure.
In July 2012, it was reported that nearly $54 million in "hidden" funds was in the possession of California's state park system, creating widespread anger. The funds were more than enough to have covered any of the alleged state park budget shortfalls, and State Parks Director Ruth Coleman, in charge for a decade, resigned her position, with her second in command being fired. Coleman denied any knowledge of the secret assets.
Federal trail improvements
In August 2012, Congressman Brad Sherman announced that he secured federal funds to help improve parks and public areas. His first project was to help restore sections of the 65 mile Backbone Trail, one of the most popular trails in the park and the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The Congressman said, "The Backbone Trail provides thousands of hikers, bicyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts with an unparalleled recreational experience through the heart of the Santa Monica Mountains. These improvements will enhance that experience and improve safety for everyone that uses this popular trail." The money is going to go to clearing back brush on the trails, fixing and preventing landslides along the trail, and repairing the Chicken Bridge in the park. Hikers have reported significant improvements to the trails, and the project was completed in 2013.[9]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e "Topanga State Park General Plan". California Department of Parks and Recreation. Archived from the original on December 20, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
- ^ "The Name Topanga". www.topangaonline.com. Archived from the original on June 13, 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Topanga Parkland History". Topanga Canyon Docents. Archived from the original on September 30, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
- ^ McKinney, John (2000). Day Hiker's Guide to California State Parks. Olympus. pp. 55–56.
- ^ Sahagun, Louis (August 1, 2019). "Endangered plants bulldozed in Topanga State Park". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
- ^ a b "Topanga SP". Department of Parks and Recreation. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
- ^ Weiser, Matt. "Hidden California state parks funds spark outrage". sacbee. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017.
- ^ "California state parks had hidden surplus for 20 years, auditor's probe finds - State Parks funding - the Sacramento Bee". Archived from the original on July 12, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
- ^ Sherman, Brad (August 15, 2012). "Congress Sherman Highlights Improvements to the Backbone Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains". FDCH Press Releases. Archived from the original on October 5, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
External links
- California State Parks: official Topanga State Park website
- Topanga Canyon Docents — includes information about the park's nature center.
- Image of young woman seated on a rock, Topanga Canyon in either the 1920s or 1930s. Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.