EXPLORE

Ventura River Steelhead Preserve was acquired in July 2011. This preserve offers some of the river’s best refuge for the endangered South­ern California steelhead, as well as a home for 29 other rare, threatened, or endangered species. The Ven­tura River Steelhead Preserve also has historic buildings that date to the 1930s.

Tip: This preserve is not open to the public, but you can visit by attending an OVLC event. Check our calendar for upcoming events.

In 2021, the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy (OVLC) joined in partnership with The Trust for Public Land (TPL) to announce the acquisition of 28 acres located just upstream from the confluence of the Ventura River and Cañada Larga Creek. The property, once restored, will protect and restore critical wildlife habitat along the Ventura River, provide opportunities to mitigate stormwater flooding, and provide neighboring communities with increased access to open space along the Ventura River.

The first parcel is nine-acre gem including a year-round section of San Antonio Creek and dramatic views of Sulphur Mountain. A longtime eyesore covered in junked cars, debris and ramshackle buildings, the property was generously donated and cleaned-up by Betty McCurley in March 2002.

In 2023, OVLC acquired a second 9.55 acre parcel in San Antonio Creek to add to the preserve. The acquisition signifies a milestone in the ongoing efforts to protect and restore the Ventura River watershed and the natural landscapes of the Ojai Valley forever.

These properties are closed to the public.

Where San Antonio Creek joins the Ventura River, you’ll discover the Ventura River Confluence Preserve. This 13-acre parcel hidden off Highway 33, and home to numerous endangered species, is one of the last old-growth cottonwood and sycamore riparian forests along the Ventura River.

Tip: You can walk or ride the Ojai Valley Trail to get a glimpse of this preserve.

Thanks to a 2009 grant from the California Coastal Conservancy, the 53-acre Rio Vista Preserve is protected forever. Less than half a mile from the Ventura River Confluence Preserve, this natural beauty also sits alongside the Ojai Valley Trail and is an important piece of the puzzle in protecting a free-flowing river and wildlife corridor.

The Ilvento preserve represents a milestone as OVLC’s first land acquisition. Donated by the Ilvento family in 1997, this 80-acre chaparral ridge protects a diverse native plant community and important wildlife corridors. A hiker is likely to encounter at least 150 plant species—fern grottos and wildflower displays are a highlight each spring. Live oak forests, coastal ash, toyon and several species of sage can be found throughout the preserve.

The Fuelbreak Road Trail runs east/west and is approximately one mile long, connecting the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) Fuelbreak Road and Gridley Trail. This easement ensures trail access is permanent.

The trail is one of many area trails which provide numerous link and loop possibilities to other USFS and OVLC trails, including those on the nearby Valley View Preserve. It passes through easements on private lands and trail users are asked to stay on the trail.

The OVLC protects about 200 acres of natural habitat through voluntary land preservation agreements called conservation easements.

Conservation easements transfer with the title of a property, ensuring that the land will be preserved forever.