Conejo OS Challenge Hike 1: Potrero Ridge in Dos Vientos
Details
Hike Stats: The hike will be 6.4 miles with lots of hills. We'll hike at a moderate pace and there will be time to take photos. We'll need to hike together as a group so that nobody gets lost by taking a wrong turn at one of the several forks we'll pass.
http://www.venturacountytrails.org/RecentPhotos/2013-03-24DosVientos/IMG_3967.jpg
The Conejo Open Space Challenge: For the fourth year running, the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA (http://www.conejo-openspace.org/)) is putting on an event to get us to experience some of the beautiful but possibly less well known trails in the Conejo Valley. To encourage us to complete the challenge, prizes are offered to some people who complete all ten segments of the Challenge before June 1, and also to those who take the best photos along the way. You show you hiked the segments by emailing photos of some view along the trail to the organizer. You can learn more about the Challenge from this flyer (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwnGWwrV3x1DdnVFY2xnOEFhODA/view).
For this challenge, we'll hike a lollipop loop, starting at the Potrero Ridge trailhead on Reino Road, climb to the top of the ridge and follow it west to the heart of the Dos Vientos trail system. From there we'll make a clockwise loop along several trails, starting with Sierra Vista, then return to the cars via Potrero Ridge.
If you like this hike, please consider supporting COSCA by making a tax deductible donation to the Conejo Open Space Foundation http://cosf.org/donate/ and by participating in one of their many volunteer opportunities (http://cosf.org/volunteer/) available throughout the year.
Afterwards, you are welcome to join us for lunch at some local establishment that serves good food and beverages. We'll talk about which establishment to visit during the hike.
Here's the schedule for all the Challenge hikes:
• March 15: Potrero Ridge in Dos Vientos
• March 22: Shooting Star Trail into the Santa Rosa Valley
• March 28: Hidden Meadow Trail and Albertson Mtwy (shuttle hike)
• April 11: Hillcrest Ridge in North Ranch
• April 18: Woodridge Loop in Sunset Hills
• May 3: Hawk Canyon and Hill Canyon Trails in Conejo Canyons
• May 9: Space Mountain in Thousand Oaks
• May 10: Powerline Trail in Dos Vientos
Driving Directions: The parking for the Potrero Ridge Trail (AKA the Reino Trail) is on the west side of Reino Rd, just south of Dunaway Drive and just north of Paseo de Leon. From the 101 freeway, turn south onto Wendy Drive, towards the ocean. Continue for about 0.7 miles and turn right at Borchard Rd and head west 0.5 miles. Turn left on to S. Reino Rd taking this south for about a mile. You will pass an Albertson's supermarket, then Dunaway Dr. About 500 feet past Dunaway Dr, on the right, is the gravel driveway to the parking area. We will meet at the trailhead at the end of the driveway. In the unlikely event that the gate to the parking is closed, I park in the church lot across the street.
Map: Use this Google Map to help you find your way
Dogs: Please leave your pets at home for this hike. Dogs should only accompany their human companions on hikes that are billed as “Dog Friendly.”