Wildwood Park History

The content of this page should be moved to the Wildwood Page.

The Chumash lived in Wildwood Park for nearly 8,000 years until the early 19th Century. During the Spanish colonization of California, the land became part of “Rancho El Conejo” in 1803. Cattle and sheep grazed on these rich grasslands through much of 20th Century. From the 1930’s through the 1960’s, numerous Hollywood movies were filmed here, including “Spartacus” and “Wuthering Heights,” as well as TV series including “Wagon Train,” “The Rifleman,” and “Gunsmoke.”

In 1967 the Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD) acquired Wildwood Canyon and Mount Clef Ridge from the Janss Corporation. Wildwood Mesa was added to the Park in 1987. Today the 1,765 acre park falls under the jurisdiction of the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA), a joint powers authority of the City of Thousand Oaks and the CRPD.

Outdoor activities for people of all ages take place in Wildwood, including nature hikes, summer day camps, and interpretive programs. For more information, contact the CRPD Outdoor Unit at 495-2163. Additionally, the Conejo Open Space Trails Action Committee (COSTAC) coordinates an annual program for 4th Graders of Conejo Valley public schools.