During the week before Christmas, the southland of California was blessed with clear skies and warm temperatures. I was able in those days to walk around a huge park not far from our home.

Just a few miles north of our home is O'Melveney Park. It's hard to believe such a wilderness is within a ten minute ride of our urban home. Some of the trails are steep and deep breaths and a few resting stops were needed to climb but the view was worth it. As usual I had my digital camera with me.

O'Melveny Park is located above Granada Hills in the San Fernando Valley.

The park surrounds the Bee Canyon wateshed and abuts the Santa Susana mountain range below Oat Mountain. Hiking trails and fire roads invite exploration of this 672 acre park. Ouside of Griffith Park, O'Melveny Park is the city's second largest park.

Originally known as the "CJ Ranch", it was purchased in 1941 by attorney John O'Melveny of the respected large law firm O'Melveny and Meyers and used to grow citrus and graze cattle.

For anyone living in the LA Area the park can be reached by taking the 118/Ronald Reagan Freeway and exiting Balboa Blvd. Turn north driving 2 miles to Sesnon, turn left going west .6 mile, turn right at park entrance.

The River Trail from the parking lot to the north park boundary is 2.1 miles, the trail continues for several more miles outside the park boundary but is not maintained. To the west of the Nature Trail after entering the park is another trail that leads up to Mission Point.