Park Escape

It’s leisure city here for anyone who enjoys the calming effect of a slow-moving stream and sunshine while resting under an old oak tree with a good book.

That’s because the Conejo Recreation and Park District offers 12,000 acres of play space and 75 miles of hiking trails in three dozen locations, along with classes for kids, teens and adults, senior center activities and plenty of special events.

The largest park in the district is Conejo Creek Park. With an adjoining equestrian center, the park spans a couple of miles between Avenida de las Flores and La Jolla Drive and is divided by California 23.

A 32-acre portion of the park at 1379 E. Janss Road is Conejo Creek North, a secluded, circular commons that was built as the only district-wide park--a recreation area that primarily serves residents within a 30-mile radius.

“Conejo Creek North is designed to provide citizens relief from the noise and congestion of the city without having to travel a great distance,” touts the district’s Web site.

To reach Conejo Creek North, eastbound drivers should exit California 23 at Janss Road and drive east on Janss. After less than a mile, turn left into the entrance for the Thousand Oaks Library.

Drive counterclockwise on the tree-lined circular drive to reach the park, behind a row of white buildings that house the library, the Goebel Senior Adult Center and the Thousand Oaks Teen Center.

After driving over a small bridge that spans Arroyo Conejo, visitors will see Willow Bend, the first of three picnic areas. A wooden footbridge leads to this grassy enclave. Although it is the smallest site at the park, Willow Bend is the most secluded and picturesque. It sits several feet below the parking lot near the water and is surrounded by several types of tall trees, manicured shrubs and a grassy area.

It’s a nice spot for a quick workday lunch with a friend, but its nine concrete picnic tables and large barbecue can also be reserved for a group up to 75. There is also a prep area and a sink.

Driving farther around the loop and closer to the hum of the highway, the next picnic stop, Lakeside, is the site’s largest because its 52 tables and large cooking area can be reserved for parties of more than 400.

On a recent Friday, though, two sisters and their four young children, ages 2 to 7, sat lakeside and enjoyed a fast-food lunch of burgers and fries.

“This place is great for kids of all ages,” said Maggie Stroyeck, a Simi Valley mother of two boys, 2 and 5. “My kids come to see the waterfall.”

The lake, actually a small recirculating pond, gives young children an eyeful as water trickles from one area down a pile of small rocks and into another area, creating a small waterfall. Although there are two sand volleyball courts and a jogging path nearby, Stroyeck and her sister, Catherine, chose to watch as their children romped at a playground that offers various sizes of slides, ladders and tunnels for kids of all ages.

The Lakeside site also has a large play structure accessible to disabled children, which includes several slides, climbing bars, ladders, chinning bars and sliding poles. There is also a two-seat swing set.

It’s the playgrounds that appeal to another Simi Valley mom, Jennie Zarraonandia. She and a group of friends bring their kids to the park every few weeks.

“It’s a soft sand ground so they won’t get hurt, and the area is nice and big,” Zarraonandia said about a play area at Creekside, the third and final leg of the loop.

Fewer trees and more boulders dot this section of the park, which also has picnic tables and a large cooking area that can accommodate about 200 people.

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The most striking feature of the park can be found at Creekside, where the Conejo Valley Veterans Memorial--a cluster of five concrete pillars that form a fountain--sits in the middle of another pond.

Two park benches are placed on a small deck bordering the pond, where people can sit and watch a family of ducks play or reflect on the area’s local veterans. There are ample restrooms and drinking fountains conveniently located throughout the park and each picnic area has electrical outlets and seating areas for the disabled. There are also paths from the park that lead to nearby hiking trails. The park is bordered on one side by a residential neighborhood.

Grocery stores and eateries that serve food to go are nearby at Moorpark and Janss roads.

To reserve a picnic area for a large group or for more information, call the Conejo Recreation and Park District at 381-2733 or go to the district’s Web site (below).

DETAILS

Conejo Creek North, 1379 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks. Open: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (hours will expand in April); 32 acres, lots of amenities. Information: 381-2733. https://www.crpd.org/parks/.