Bell Canyon Park

Park in the American state of California

Bell Canyon Park is a large open-space regional park located in the Simi Hills at the western end of the San Fernando Valley in West Hills, Los Angeles and Bell Canyon, California.[1] Bell Creek, a primary tributary to the Los Angeles River, flows through the park with riparian zone vegetation along its natural banks. The geographic landmark Escorpión Peak (Castle Peak) is high above it to the south in adjacent El Escorpión Park.

## Trails

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Bell Canyon Park has trails along riparian Bell Creek and upstream beside the Bell Canyon community.[2] Trails have junctions to connect with El Escorpión Park[3] and Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve and their miles of trail networks.[4] A secondary route to the top of Escorpión Peak (Castle Peak) begins in the park also. The peak and both other parks are adjacent directly to the south of Bell Canyon Park. The trails are available for walking, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and equestrian riding.

## Access

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Access to the park and parking is off Bell Canyon Boulevard (Bell Canyon Road) near the intersection with Overland Drive, west of Valley Circle Boulevard in West Hills, Los Angeles 91307 and in the lot in the community of Bell Canyon. The park is open from sunrise to sunset, 7 days a week. Rattlesnakes live in the area, requiring observant footfalls and handholds. Unauthorized motor vehicles and motorbikes are not permitted. The park's land, with public access via trails only, extends upstream past the 'guard-gated' road into the Bell Canyon community to junctions with other trails.[5] Bell Canyon Park is operated by the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks.[6]

## History

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Southwestern San Fernando Valley, from 1880 map of Los Angeles topography, showing Rancho El Escorpión.

The area was inhabited for around 8,000 years by Native Americans of the Chumash-Ventureño and Tongva-Fernandeño tribes that lived and traded in the Simi Hills and close to tributaries of the Los Angeles River.[7] A village, Hu'wam, of the Chumash-Ventureños, was located at the base of Escorpión Peak (Castle Peak) along present Bell Creek near the mouth of Bell Canyon.[8] It was a meeting and trading place for them with the Tongva-Fernandeño and Tataviam-Fernandeño indigenous people.[9]

In 1798 the land became the property of the 'new' Spanish Mission San Fernando Rey de España (Mission San Fernando). In 1845 a Mexican land grant established Rancho El Escorpión here, one of the few granted to Native Americans. The former adobe rancho buildings were located within the current park (adobes existed 1840s-1960s).[10][11][12] The rancho was purchased by George Platt in 1912, becoming the Platt Ranch in 1912.[13][14]

## Adjacent parks

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* El Escorpión Park
* Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve

## See also

[edit]

* Los Angeles portal

* Burro Flats Painted Cave
* Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
* Wildlife corridor
* Rancho El Escorpión
* List of parks in Los Angeles

## References

[edit]

1. ^ http://www.recreationparks.net/CA/los-angeles/bell-canyon-park-los-angeles Archived 2016-07-29 at the Wayback Machine Bell Canyon Park Accessed 10/17/2009
2. ^ http://www.bellcanyon.com/BCtrailsmap.pdf Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine Bell Canyon Map Accessed 3/28/2010
3. ^ http://www.recreationparks.net/CA/los-angeles/el-escorpion-park-los-angeles Archived 2016-03-13 at the Wayback Machine El Escorpión Park Accessed 2/28/2010
4. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2012-02-08.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Upper_Las_Virgenes_Cyn.-park Accessed 2/28/2010
5. ^ http://www.bellcanyon.com/BCtrailsmap.pdf Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine Bell Canyon Trails Map Accessed 3/28/2010
6. ^ [1] Archived 2016-07-29 at the Wayback Machine Bell Canyon Park Accessed 2/28/2010
7. ^ USA Today article USA Today Accessed 5/22/2010
8. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-03-14. Retrieved 2010-03-23.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) SSPSHP Ethnohistory Accessed 2/28/2010
9. ^ ""Wishtoyo - Projects - Cultural - Ahmanson Ranch". Archived from the original on 2009-03-13. Retrieved 2010-03-24. Ahmanson Ranch Becomes Private Preserve," [Wishtoyo Foundation website. Accessed 10/23/2007
10. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Rancho El Escorpión
11. ^ Map of old Spanish and Mexican ranchos in Los Angeles County Archived 2016-07-27 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 4/29/2008
12. ^ [2][permanent dead link] CSUN: Rancho El Escorpión photos Accessed 4/29/2008
13. ^ http://www.co-hs.org/ Archived 2017-05-12 at the Wayback Machine April 2007 Bulletin-Canoga/Owensmouth Historical Society Accessed 2/28/2010
14. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-03-14. Retrieved 2010-03-23.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) SSPSHP Ethnohistory. Accessed 2/28/2010

## External links

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* L.A.Rec+Parks: official Bell Canyon Park website
* Upper Bell Canyon Trails: hiking + equestrian trails Map.
* Bell Canyon photo gallery: 'Nature' sections
* L.A.Rec+Parks: official El Escorpión Park website
* official Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve website

34°12′05″N 118°39′48″W﻿ / ﻿34.20139°N 118.66333°W﻿ / 34.20139; -118.66333

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