The Santa Clara River Valley is a rural, mainly agricultural valley in Ventura County, California that has been given the moniker Heritage Valley by the namesake tourism bureau. The valley includes the communities of Santa Paula , Fillmore , Piru and the national historic landmark of Rancho Camulos . Named for the Santa Clara River , which winds through the valley before emptying into the Pacific Ocean between the cities of Ventura and Oxnard , the tourist bureau describes it as "Southern California's last pristine agricultural valley nestled along the banks of the free-flowing Santa Clara River."
11-607: The Santa Clara River Valley is bordered by the Topatopa Mountains , Los Padres National Forest , and Sespe Condor Sanctuary to the north and the Santa Susana Mountains to the south. The valley stretches from the boundary of northwest Los Angeles County and the northern Santa Clarita Valley on the east to the Oxnard Plain on the west marked by South Mountain on the south bank of the river. The Santa Clarita Valley
22-541: A mountain range in Ventura County, California , north of Ojai , Santa Paula , and Fillmore . They are part of the Transverse Ranges of Southern California . A name for the mountains was first inscribed within the archives of Mission Basilica San Buenaventura in 1943, citing a nearby Chumash ranchería named "Si-toptopo". In 1945, American linguist and ethnologist John Peabody Harrington noted that "topa"
33-810: Is a Chumash word meaning " reed " or " rush ". The Topatopa Mountains lie in an east–west direction east of the Sierra Madre Mountains , and west of the Sierra Pelona Mountains . To the south lies the Santa Clara River Valley into which various creeks drain starting in the mountains into the Santa Clara River . The range reaches an elevation of 6,738 feet (2,054 m) at Cobblestone Mountain , about 14 mi (23 km) north-northeast of Fillmore and about 16 mi (26 km) northwest of Castaic . Snow frequently falls on
44-486: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Cobblestone Mountain (California) Cobblestone Mountain is a peak in the Topatopa Mountains , in Ventura County , about 14 mi (23 km) north of Piru , California . At 6,738 feet (2,054 m), it is the highest peak of the Topatopa Mountains. Second highest is Hines Peak . Snow frequently falls on the mountain during winter. When viewing
55-547: Is part of the upper watershed of the river. The valley has been called one of the "most dangerous wind and fire corridors in Southern California." It forms a connection between the high desert and the coast, which serves as a "wind-tunnel -like-corridor" for funneling Santa Ana winds , which spread wildfires. This served to spread the Maria Fire , one of the 2019 California wildfires . This valley has also suffered through
66-684: The Saddleridge Fire in 2019, the Creek Fire and the Thomas Fire in 2017, and the Sayre Fire in 2008. Further information: Great Flood of 1862 The failure and near complete collapse of the St. Francis Dam took place in the middle of the night on March 12, 1928. The dam was holding a full reservoir of 12.4 billion gallons (47 billion liters) of water that surged down San Francisquito Canyon and emptied into
77-417: The post-war urban development that has almost entirely eliminated citrus cultivation throughout most of Southern California. 34°22′0″N 118°59′0″W / 34.36667°N 118.98333°W / 34.36667; -118.98333 This Ventura County, California –related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Topatopa Mountains The Topatopa Mountains are
88-580: The Santa Clara River, flowing down the river valley to the ocean. A footpath through the valley was the only route linking the San Fernando and San Buenaventura missions for 18th-century Spanish missionaries. Thomas Bard launched a campaign in the 1870s to build a road through the valley as he wanted to connect the new Hueneme wharf with ore mines in Inyo County The valley is an exception to
99-494: The Topatopa Mountains and foothills. They are part of the home range of the endangered California condor . The habitat is of the California montane chaparral and woodlands ecoregion . Sespe Creek flows through the range, creating Sespe Gorge, with Riparian habitats of willows and woodlands. [REDACTED] Media related to Topatopa Mountains at Wikimedia Commons This Ventura County, California –related article
110-845: The Topatopa Mountains from the east, Cobblestone Mountain is the most visibly prominent mountain of the entire range. It can be seen from the Santa Clarita Valley , the San Fernando Valley from higher areas, on the westbound descent of the Santa Susana Pass on State Route 118 , and in Gorman heading southbound on Interstate 5 The peak is in the Sespe Wilderness , which is part of the Los Padres National Forest . This Ventura County, California –related article
121-470: The high peaks during winter. Several major tributaries of the Santa Clara River flow down from the Topatopa Mountains, the largest being Piru Creek and Sespe Creek . Lake Piru is the only major reservoir located within the mountains. The Topatopa Mountains are within the southern Los Padres National Forest . The Sespe Wilderness Area, and the Sespe Condor Sanctuary , are primarily within
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