Friday, March 6, 2009

Corriganville - Stagecoach Trail

Hiked up from Corriganville to Lilac lane, retracing parts of the historic Old Stagecoach Trail. Starting at the Rotary Club picnic area (1/4 mile down the trail East from the parking lot), there are multiple trails that lead off. Taking the road Northmost winds around the mountain in a loop. The Middle one takes a trail up and under the 118 freeway through a wildlife corridor, eventually hooking up with Hummingbird trail. The one heading off towards the RR tracks is the one to take to the top and follow what remains of the Old Stagecoach Trail. Keeping off of the tracks, make your way up the left (North) side of the canyon. This is the Corriganville-Stagecoach trail. You will notice almost immediatly that there is a trail across the canyon on the south side. This is the Old Stagecoach Trail, and the loop will head back down it.

20090225 020Shortly after, both trails will join after crossing the canyon bottom. Then shortly they will separate. The trail leading to the right (up the South side) continues on the original trail. It is presently not feasible to take this trail. Sections have been washed out, it is terribly overgrown and boulders have been toppled from the walls above. We will meet up with it again. Continuing on up the North side of the canyon on the maintained trail, about a half of a mile up the canyon you will notice that the trail has widened. I believe that this section was once part of the Old Stagecoach trail as well, and it may be that there were a few different ways that the trail wound through the canyon according to weather and washouts. Looking across the canyon you will see hints of where the trail road is or was. 20090225 025 At the next water crossing, you are back on the original trail and heading up the South side of the canyon.

20090225 024Take time to view the rocks and imagine what it was like to pull a team and wagon through here. There is a small water flow crossing about half way up. This is where the original road was buried under the slope of Santa Susana Pass Road. At the top of the trail, you hook up with Santa Susana Pass Road and directly across the street is present day Lilac Lane, formerly Old Stagecoach Trail.


Taking the trail back down and making the South side run after the trails join, you will be following Old Stagecoach Trail. 20090225 028 Keep your eyes open on the rocks to your left and you will see etched in the stone, a T and F transposed with the year 1918 next to it. 20090225 027 Follow the trail down to the RR track where you cross back over to Corriganville Park.

Special thanks to Alexander D. Bevil's report for historical info. I will add my own maps here soon.

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