12 Geography of Thousand Oaks, California

The Conejo Valley is a region spanning both southeastern Ventura County and northwestern Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States. It is located in the northwestern part of the Greater Los Angeles Area.

Arroyo Conejo is the longest creek in the Conejo Valley, sprawling over the cities of Thousand Oaks and Camarillo, and the communities of Newbury Park, Casa Conejo and Santa Rosa Valley. Arroyo Conejo is the primary drainage for the City of Thousand Oaks. Its watershed covers 57 square miles (150 km2) of which 43 square miles (110 km2) are in the Conejo Valley and 14 square miles (36 km2) in the Santa Rosa Valley.

Arroyo Conejo Open Space is a 302-acre (122 ha) open space reserve in the western Simi Hills in northern Newbury Park, Ventura County, California. Most of it is part of the 250-acre (100 ha) Arroyo Conejo Nature Preserve.

The Conejo Canyons Open Space consists of 1,628 acres (659 ha) of open-space areas in northernmost Newbury Park, Ventura County, California. It consists of deeply eroded canyons, numerous ridgelines and plateaus in the northwestern portion of the Conejo Valley. The area consists of diverse natural features such as deep canyons with perennial streams, prominent ridgelines, volcanic mountains, and a variety of natural habitats. While some of the flora includes chaparral, riparian habitats, oak woodlands and coastal sage, fauna includes mountain lions, coyotes, mule deer, and bobcats.

Conejo Valley Botanic Garden is located in Thousand Oaks, California, and consists of a peak with vista views along with fifteen hillside botanical gardens. It lies next to Conejo Valley Community Garden and immediately across the street from Tarantula Hill, the highest point in Thousand Oaks. It provides a teaching laboratory for what flora works and what does not work in the Conejo Valley.

Gardens of the World is a botanical garden in Thousand Oaks, California. Directly across Thousand Oaks Boulevard from Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, it is situated within the downtown core of the city. Established in 2001, the park was given to the city by the owners of a local travel agency. It is home to a French garden and waterfall, an English rose garden, an Italian grapevine garden and a Japanese garden with koi ponds and a pagoda. The park is used for walking and picnicking, and guided tours of the gardens are available. The Californian Mission Courtyard includes native California flora and murals of the remaining 21 California Missions. There is also a statue of Father Junipero Serra in this part of the park. The botanical garden is 4.5 acres (1.8 ha).

Hidden Valley is a valley in the Santa Monica Mountains, in southeastern Ventura County, Southern California. The Unincorporated community in the valley is an equestrian ranch community with single family houses on 20-acre or more (8.1 ha) parcels of land. Residents rely on wells as the Hidden Valley Municipal Water District does not provide drinking water.

Hill Canyon is a deep canyon in the western Simi Hills and within northern Newbury Park and Thousand Oaks, in Ventura County, southern California.

Pepper Tree Playfield is a 21.7-acre community park located in western Newbury Park, California. It is located at the corner of Reino and Old Conejo Roads, and was acquired by the Conejo Recreation & Park District (CRPD) in 1977, but not developed nor opened until 1983. It contains a 0.83-mile fitness trail loop, and is nearby numerous trailheads. The park is within walking distance from the Conejo Vista Trailhead in Old Conejo Open Space, located immediately north of Pepper Tree Playfield, and the park is directly across the street from the Knoll Trailhead in Knoll Open Space, which is to the park’s immediate east, crossing North Reino Road. It is also an access point for trails leading to the Conejo Mountain. Pepper Tree Playfield is named for its many pepper trees, which surrounds the park area.

Tarantula Hill, also known as Dawn’s Peak, is a 1,057-foot-high (322 m) peak in Thousand Oaks, California. 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; 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. It was once a popular hang-gliding site. It was once a volcanic mound but went dormant 16 million years ago.

Wildwood Regional Park is a suburban regional park in the western Simi Hills and Conejo Valley, in Ventura County, California. It is located in western Thousand Oaks, northern Newbury Park, and southern Moorpark.