Tarantula Hill, is a 1,057-foot-high (322 m) peak in Thousand Oaks, California.[1][2] It is located on a 45-acre (18 ha) open space and is operated by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA). Climbing Tarantula Hill is a steep 0.5-mile (0.80 km) trail;[3] the trailhead is located at 287 West Gainsborough Road, across the road from the main entrance to Conejo Valley Botanic Garden. Atop the mountain there is a 360-degree panoramic view of the Conejo Valley, the Simi Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains. There is also a fenced-in water reservoir located on top.[4] It was once a popular hang-gliding site.[5] It was once a volcanic mound but went dormant 16 million years ago.[6][failed verification – see discussion]
| Tarantula Hill | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,057 ft (322 m) |
| Coordinates | 34°11′46″N 118°53′16″W / 34.1962°N 118.8879°W |
| Geography | |
  Tarantula Hill Tarantula Hill  Tarantula Hill Tarantula Hill (the United States) | |
| Location | Thousand Oaks, California, U.S. |
The hill is located near the center of the Conejo Valley.[7]
The origin of the name "Tarantula Hill" is unclear, although it has been called that since at least 1966.[8] A brewery in Thousand Oaks is named for it.[9] The hill is occasionally referred to as "Dawn's Peak",[10] although that also refers to "Peak 6582, California" in Riverside county.[11]
Sources
edit- ^ Philipp, Cathy (1997). On the Trail - Malibu to Santa Barbara. Cathy Philip Pub. Page 107. ISBN 9780965584807.
- ^ "Thousand Oaks Acorn | Thousand Oaks, CA News". Archived from the original on 11 October 2016.
- ^ Stone, Robert (2011). Day Hikes Around Ventura County. Day Hike Books. Pages 202-203. ISBN 9781573420624.
- ^ McKinney, John (2013). HIKE Ventura County: Best Day Hikes around Ventura, Ojai and the Simi Hills. The Trailmaster, Inc. Pages 82-83.
- ^ Philipp, Cathy (1997). On the Trail - Malibu to Santa Barbara. Cathy Philip Pub. Page 107. ISBN 9780965584807.
- ^ "Story of the Conejo Valley written in peaks, bluffs and ridges | VenturaCountyTrails.org News". www.venturacountytrails.org. 22 June 2017. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
- ^ Sprankling, Miriam (2002). Discovering the Story of The Conejo Valley. Newbury Park, CA: Conejo Valley Historical Society. Page 75. ISBN 0-9725233-0-8.
- ^ "Battle flares over radio antenna tower atop 'Tarantula Hill'". Ventura County (Calif.) Star-Free Press. May 5, 1966. p. C-8.
no one is sure how it came to be christened.
- ^ "T.O. natives crafting city's first brewery". Thousand Oaks Acorn. 21 December 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ McKinney, John (2013). HIKE Ventura County: Best Day Hikes around Ventura, Ojai and the Simi Hills. The Trailmaster, Inc. Page 83 refers to it as such.
- ^ "Peak 6582". www.peakbagger.com. Retrieved 20 August 2024.