La Sierra Preserve

Nestled in the central Santa Monica Mountains near the communities of Cornell and Seminole Springs, the La Sierra Preserve protects 213 acres of diverse open space with abundant natural and cultural resources.

This protected area encompasses the headwaters of La Sierra Creek and the surrounding canyon hillsides, which function as an important natural corridor in a heavily degraded section of the Santa Monicas. Habitats found here include lush riparian wetlands fed by perennial springs, surrounded by wide seasonal floodplains and steep chaparral-covered slopes. These lands are ancestral to the Ventureno Chumash people, whose ancestors lived, hunted and held ceremony within the modern boundaries of the Preserve. La Sierra is home to several major archaeological sites from both the pre-historic and historic periods, including the homestead of Alice Ballard, the first African American woman to call the Santa Monica Mountains home.

La Sierra Preserve burned in the Woolsey Fire of 2018, which ravaged the local area. Post-fire recovery has been robust and encouraging, helped by multiple wet winters and the easing of Southern California’s drought. Shrubs and oaks have regrown to nearly their original heights, while willow forests are beginning to create new canopy.

Mulholland Highway, which travels through the Preserve, was heavily damaged in the Woolsey Fire and continues to remain closed to vehicular traffic where it passes through La Sierra. There is currently no parking available to the general public, however TreePeople Land Trust is hoping to establish a permanent parking solution that will provide access to hikers in the event that Mulholland Highway does not re-open.