All Conejo Valley Trails and Open Spaces are closed until further notice. The Open Space Challenge is suspended.

Published by Steve Clark on 03/28/202003/28/2020

We at the Conejo Open Space Foundation are sad to inform you that all trails in the Conejo Valley Open Space are closed until further notice. The text of the press release from the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) announcing the closure follows. You can also view a PDF version of the press release.

Press Release – For Immediate Release

March 27, 2020
Contact: Brian Stark, COSCA Administrator
(805) 449-2345 – bstark@toaks.org

As of Friday, March 27 all Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) trails are closed until further notice. The closure follows events in Los Angeles County that have led to the closure of nearly all open space areas in LA County and the added pressure these will add to local trails.

On March 22, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority closed trails under their
management in Los Angeles County. On March 23, Los Angeles County announced that all Los Angeles County multi-use trails were closed, and earlier today, Los Angeles County closed all County beaches and bike paths. Finally, a late release from California State Parks stated that State Parks located in Los Angeles County would close as well.

With few outdoor opportunities available in the greater Los Angeles area, the trails of the Conejo Valley were left among few remaining open trail systems in the region and we became concerned about the impacts larger crowds will have on local open space.

Since the Stay Healthy at Home orders were released and our community was asked to practice social distancing, our local trails have experienced local use beyond what we traditionally experience on the busiest of holidays. Our local open spaces simply cannot absorb all outdoor visitation for both Ventura and Los Angeles Counties in a safe manner. Therefore, for the protection of the land and our visitors we must close our trails. This is only temporary, and in the meantime let’s come together as a community and support each other any way we can.

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COSCA is a small agency with a big mission. We believe in making vital outdoor experiences available to our area residents because we think they make a difference in people’s lives and make us a stronger community.

Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency
A Joint Powers Agency: City of Thousand Oaks / Conejo Recreation and Park District
2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91362 – Ph: (805) 449-2345
www.conejo-openspace.org