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SMMTC News

Trailhead in Calabasas Documents Anza Expedition
By Ed Stauss
November 21, 2005

Dedicated on November 19, 2005, the Trail Between Two Valleys is a segment of the 1,210 mile Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail that runs from Tubac, Arizona, to San Francisco. Native plant specialists, historians, archeologists and other consultants contributed to a new trailhead, site of the dedication, at the west end of Calabasas Road. The trailhead adds decorative and interpretive features on a 1.6 mile trail to Las Virgenes Road.

The newly dedicated trail joins others to total over seven miles in the Las Virgenes View Park Trail System in the city of Calabasas. Located at the southeast corner of Las Virgenes Road and the 101 Ventura Freeway, this trail network is within the Santa Monica National Recreation Area.

Federal funding was secured by the city of Calabasas for the project which was overseen by Mountains Restoration Trust project manager Debbie Bruschaber. Assisting were the city of Calabasas, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, and the National Park Service. Representatives of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senator Sheila Kuehl, and the National Park Service were among those attending the dedication.

The dedication included a Chumash smoke blessing and an equestrian parade of costumed riders representing the 1776 Anza expedition.


Riders in historic costumes representing the 1776 expedition of Juan Bautista de Anza arrived during the dedication ceremony.




Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council president Ruth Gerson receives a Chumash smoke blessing.


The Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail is marked with these signs.