The Santa Susana Mountains are an east–west range located north of the City of Los Angeles. It separates the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley on its south from the Santa Clara River Valley to the north, and the Santa Clarita Valley to the northeast. The Oxnard Plain is located west of the Santa Susana Mountains. The Santa Susana Pass Historic Park is located where the Santa Susana Mountains meet the Simi Hills. The highest peak in the Santa Susana Mountains is Oat Peak which provides great views of the San Fernando Valley.  It has an elevation of 3,750 feet.  The second highest peak is Mission Point which rises to 2,771 feet.

The Michael D. Antonovich Regional Park, located in the Santa Susana Mountains offers incredible views and extensive hiking trails. 

Rocky Peak, located within Rocky Peak Park, is the third highest peak in the Santa Susana Mountains. It offers spectacular views of the San Fernando Valley.  It has an elevation of 2,715 feet.  Sand Rock Peak stands at 2,511 feet.

 

Santa Susana Pass

The Santa Susana Pass is a mountain pass in the Simi Hills connecting Chatsworth and the San Fernando Valley to Simi Valley. The pass forms an important wildlife corridor between the Simi Hills to the south and the Santa Susana Mountains to the north. The area contains many scenic sandstone formations and huge boulders that have provided the background for many films. The Santa Susana Pass is the location of the Santa Susana Pass Historic Park consisting of more than 680 acres of open space.

The Santa Susana Tunnel, built in 1900-1904 and reconstructed in 1992, is located beneath the Santa Susana Pass. It runs between Chatsworth and Simi Valley and is 7,369 feet long. The tunnel is used by Amtrak, Metrolink, and the Union Pacific Railroad.

 

Rocky Peak - Rocky Peak Park

Rocky Peak Park is a 4,800-acre regional open space preserve in the Santa Susana Mountains between Simi Valley and Chatsworth. The park forms a critical wildlife link between the Simi Hills and the Santa Susan Mountains. The preserve offers several hiking and equestrian trails and excellent views of the San Fernando Valley and Simi Hills. Rocky Peak is the fourth highest point in the Santa Susana Mountains rising to 2,715 feet. The area was the home of the Chumash, Tongva, and Tataviam people for more than eight thousand years.

 

Newhall Pass

The Newhall Pass, previously called the Fremont Pass and the San Fernando Pass, separates the Santa Susana Mountains from the San Gabriel Mountains. The pass links the Santa Clarita Valley to the San Fernando Valley and is the primary entry into the Greater Los Angeles area from Santa Clarita. The Newhall Pass is located within Los Angeles County.

 

Tapo Canyon Regional Park

Tapo Canyon Regional Park is located in the hills and canyons of the Santa Susana Mountains north of Simi Valley in Ventura County. The park includes an RV camp ground, a volleyball court, playground, and picnic areas. The park also has an equestrian arena, and extensive hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails.

 

Santa Susana Mountain Park Association

The Santa Susana Mountain Park Association (SSMPA) is a non-profit corporation organized for the purpose of preserving and protecting the Santa Susana Mountains, the Simi Hills, and the surrounding open space. The organization is governed by an elected board of directors and is located in Chatsworth.

 

Michael D. Antonovich Regional Park

Michael D. Antonovich Regional Park is a 2,326-acre regional park located on the southern slopes of the Santa Susana Mountains between Chatsworth and Simi Valley. The beautiful park offers excellent views of the San Fernando Valley, the Simi Hills, and the Santa Monica Mountains. The park is a watershed for the Los Angeles River and is adjacent to the 4,815-acre Rocky Peak Park which is to the west.

 

East and Rice Canyons

East and Rice Trails

East and Rice Canyons are two neighboring canyons in the Santa Susana Mountains and Santa Clarita Valley with extensive trails and some of the most lush vegetation in Southern California. The East Canyon Trail leads into the 480 acre Michael D. Antonovich Open Space Preserve which straddles the ridgeline of the Santa Susana Mountains. Entry to the two canyons and trails is at 24255 The Old Road in Newhall.

 

Santa Clarita Woodlands Park

The Santa Clarita Woodlands Park consists of more than 4,000 acres of public parkland on the north side of the Santa Susana Mountains. The park is a critically important habitat corridor that links the Santa Monica Mountains to the Los Padres National Forest. Mountain Lions, black bears, and many other animals make the Santa Clarita Woodlands Park their home. The park has several perennial streams, wildflowers, and thousands of trees.

 

Placerita Canyon State Park

Placerita Canyon Nature Center

Placerita Canyon State Park, in Los Angeles County, was created to preserve and protect the site of the first discovery of gold in California in 1842. Its location links the Angeles National Forest, the Santa Susana Mountains, the Simi Hills, and the Santa Monica Mountains. The 342 acre state park features a nature center with gardens, extensive hiking trails, picnic areas, a waterfall, and various educational programs. The park contains the “Oak of the Golden Dream” site of the first discovery of gold in California and the historic Walker Cabin built in 1920. The Placerita Canyon Nature Center is located at 19152 Placerita Canyon Road in Newhall. Placerita Canyon was home to the Tataviam People, also known as the Tataviam Indians for thousands of years before the area was claimed by Spain and later by Mexico. Wildlife includes coyotes, bobcats, black bears, mountain lions, deer, rabbits, fox, badgers, and skunks.

 

 

O'Melveny Park

O'Melveny Park, established in 1973, is a 672-acre public park located in the Santa Susana Mountains in and above the community of Granada Hills in the far north end of the San Fernando Valley. O'Melveny Park is the second largest public park in Los Angeles County after Griffith Park. The park offers extensive hiking and equestrian trails, numerous picnic areas, and excellent views.

 

Brown's Creek

Brown's Canyon Wash

Brown's Creek, also referred to as Brown's Canyon Wash, is a 10.3 mile long tributary of the Los Angeles River. It is located in the western San Fernando Valley which is in Los Angeles County. The creek originates in the eastern Santa Susana Mountains and runs adjacent to Browns Canyon Road and under the Ronald Reagan 118 Freeway, south to Chatsworth, then Winnetka, and finally to Canoga Park where it joins the Los Angeles River.

 

Bull Creek

Bull Creek is a 9.6 mile tributary of the Los Angeles River in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. The creek originates at Oat Mountain, in the Santa Susana Mountains, and then runs south through Granada Hills, North Hills, Van Nuys, and Lake Balboa. It joins the Los Angeles River inside the Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area.

 

Santa Susana Depot

The Santa Susana Depot is an historic train station, located in Simi Valley, that opened in 1903. Southern Pacific closed the station in 1970, and shortly thereafter, it was purchased by Ventura County for $1.06. The county designated the building an historic landmark in 1976. A non-profit was formed to restore the property and it was opened as a railroad museum in 2000. It is operated by the Rancho Simi Parks and Recreation Department.