Day 18: Oakbrook Vista Trail Loop

Sunset while heading onto the Oakbrook Trail

Day# 18: Oakbrook Vista/Oakbrook Trail Loop
Oakbrook Vista Trail/Edison Rd/Oakbrook Trail
Thousand Oaks, CA
Monday, July 13th 2015
Time: 2 hours, 49 minutes
Pace: 38:30/mile
Distance: 4.39 miles
Elevation Gain: 710 feet
Dogs Allowed?: Yes

Directions:
From the 23 Freeway in Thousand Oaks:
Exit Avenida De Los Arboles and head east for 1.4 miles to Westlake Blvd
Turn Right onto Westlake Blvd and continue 0.2 miles to Lang Ranch Pkwy
Turn Left onto Lang Ranch Parkway. Trailhead is 0.2 miles ahead on the right.
Park on the street.

 I had a few unfound geocaches in this area so I decided to see if I could make a loop out of it.  I started on the Oakbrook Vista Trail located on Lang Ranch Parkway.  The trail begins by switchbacking up the hill and eventually widening into almost a fire road continuing steeply to the top of the hill.

Once at the top of the hill I made a sharp right turn onto a fire road leading toward a water tank.  I looked on the maps and saw this ends in a neighborhood and across the street from here is the Oakbrook Trailhead, so I could use that to loop back through to my car.

Heading up the fire road toward the water tank

 Once I got into the neighborhood I found out I had made one mistake....this is a gated community with no way out for pedestrians without a key. I inspected the gate and figured I could climb around, but it was tall enough that it would be quite a pain to do so.  But I found my way out....the gap under the gate was big enough to crawl through.  Lesson learned, stay away from gated communities. 

Once under the gate, I crossed Westlake Blvd and continued onto the Oakbrook Trail. I followed this through a nice open space area and as the light was fading the frogs started croaking. I was able to spot this little guy right next to the trail.

 Once at the end of the trail, simply cross back over Westlake Blvd to Lang Ranch Pkwy where you parked. This was a fun loop but due to the issues with the gated community entrance, not one that I would recommend trying for yourself.