Santa Maria Sun / News

City of Santa Maria opens valley's first regional open space park

BY AMY ASMAN

Wild west The newly opened Los Flores Ranch Park boasts almost 2,000 acres of open space (pictured here) where locals and tourists can hike, jog, bike, or ride horseback. The park is also home to all sorts of animals, including jackrabbits, snakes, wild pigs, bobcats, and more than 100 grazing cattle. PHOTOS BY AMY ASMAN

Northern Santa Barbara County residents, grab your hiking boots and pack a picnic lunch: You now have access to Los Flores Ranch Park, an almost 2,000-acre open space area where you can hike, bike, or ride horseback.

The park—a rolling expanse of golden hills peppered with oak trees—is located at 6271 Dominion Road, about eight miles south of Santa Maria, in the Solomon Hills between Orcutt and Los Alamos. To date, Los Flores Ranch Park is the only regional open space park in the Santa Maria Valley.

“With all the state parks closing, we think [the ranch] will be really popular,” said Billy Vinnedge, park coordinator and City of Santa Maria Parks and Recreation Department employee.

People using the park will have access to several miles of trails and could catch a glimpse of the land’s many inhabitants, including birds, jackrabbits, coyotes, snakes, wild pigs, and bobcats, along with the 150 to 200 head of cattle that roam the property. But to protect environmentally sensitive lands, members of the public must stay on the designated trails. Vinnedge said the Recreation and Parks Department is considering allowing off-trail docent-led hikes.
An outdoor education center is currently under development as well, as are environmental education classes on topics ranging from ecosystems to land management.

PHOTO BY AMY ASMAN

“Look around in the North County and there’s nothing like this,” Recreation and Parks director Alex Posada said.

Hikes and other educational activities, such as workshops and school tours, will be led by volunteer docents, who are currently being recruited by the city. Training includes learning about park history, safety measures, and other information. The city is also looking for volunteers to help with park maintenance.

The Los Flores Ranch land will also be used for more than recreation. A couple hundred acres—which the city purchased from Chevron in 2006—will be used for the new Santa Maria landfill. However, the park and the landfill are separate projects, according to city officials. The remainder of the land is being leased and processed by Greka Oil and Gas.

The Los Flores Ranch Park is open Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to horseback riders only, and Friday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to the rest of the public. Equestrians can trailer their horses into a corral off of Highway 101. Entrance to the park is currently free of charge, but city staffers are considering charging a yearly family fee of $50.

For more information about Los Flores Ranch Park, call the Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department at
925-0951, Ext. 260.