Historic video found, see it at the bottom of this page. (If the video isn't visible hit refresh on your browser)
This website is dedicated to preserving the historic Reagan Ranch now part of Malibu Creek State Park,
and to preserving the scenic viewshed of world famous Mulholland Highway. We don't accept donations,
this is not about money....it's about preserving a piece of scenic history and the will of the people. The
California State Park Service has partnered with a special interest group to build a 7 acre RV park in the
scenic corridor of Mulholland Highway on historic ground. Join us, leave your comments. Become a
part of history, help save this scenic historic place. (Click Here for google street view of site)
Historic Reagan Ranch 1950's. Ranch was owned by the
Reagan's from 1951 to 1966. Reagan's cowboy persona
in the political arena began here. Click here for video
about the ranch.
Historic Reagan Ranch 2010 (Note the ridgelines we used
to line up the two pictures) RV Park and Equestrian
Campground will be built here by California State Parks
(Mulholland Highway is on the right of picture)
This is what the California State Park Service intends to
build adjacent to Mulholland Highway (except add,
31 fire pits, 30 RV spaces with corrals for 60 horses and
greatly reduce the number of trees)
An RV Park by any other name is still an RV Park
"We do not plan to exclude RV’s" Ron Schafer, District Superintendent California State Parks (see full quote bottom of page)
Horses will be allowed at this RV Park, but that doesn't change the fact that it will be an RV Park.
Calling this facility the Ronald Reagan Equestrian Campground doesn't change the fact that Reagan
would not have supported such a project at this location and neither does the public. Many equestrians
in the area don't even support this project at this location (my wife included). (Click here to enlarge the
ugly campground/RV Park plan pictured above)
Email Ron at rscha@parks.ca.gov to help save this historic site. Urge him to build the RV park outside
the Mulholland scenic corridor. You can help protect the historic scenic view from Mulholland Highway.
Click for Google Street View (He's a nice guy, and he returns emails. He will listen to reason.)
Click here for google street view of nearby public Rancho Potrero Equestrian Center to envision the future aesthetic.
Ron Schafer, Angeles District Superintendent, California State Parks. rscha@parks.ca.gov
New: click here for slide show of historic photos
.
Click here for actual video of the Reagan Ranch in 1966. (Ranch appears 4 min into video)
Or click here for short version of the video (it's also on youtube)
Update: Malibu Times prints our side of the story. Click Here.
Click here for recent fire photos.
SoCal Mountain Bikers Comment on the Reagan Equestrian Campground Join the forum here
Update: Sugar Daddy Gets Cold Feet. 3 million NOT raised at fund raiser. Acorn has changed
it's online article. Read it HERE or scroll to bottom of this page for excerpt.
Update: We love Zev, 3rd District Supervisor Go to bottom of this page for details.
(Zev, does not support a specific location for the Reagan Equestrian Campground and RV Park)
Update: The Reagan Ranch to be considered for inclusion in the California Register of Historic
Places. (See bottom of this page for details)
A deer strolls the historic Reagan Meadow
Choosing the historic Reagan Meadow for the site of the new Ronald Reagan Equestrian Campground
and RV Park in Malibu Creek State Park is an abomination. This facility with mar the view for miles
along a state designated scenic drive: Mulholland Highway.
State park plans call for massing of vegetation at this site to protect the view.
Massing vegetation will destroy the historic view of near by mountains from the park and from Mulholland.
Fire pits of this facility are a threat to public safety. Massing vegetation at this site will make the problem
worse. This will likely be where the next Corral Canyon fire begins wiping out hundreds of homes.
The concentration of animal waste at this site will lead to more fish kills in nearby historic Malibou Lake.
I believe the state should consider restricting horses from some public trails to protect the Malibu Creek watershed.
The location of this RV park contradicts the Park's own general plan by reducing the narrow wildlife corridor
between Paramount Ranch and Malibu Creek State Park.
This RV Park will destroy a historic site that will soon be placed on the National and California registries
of historic places. The sale of this ranch was credited by Reagan himself for allowing him to run for office.
(click for reference) The integrity of this historic place is worth preserving..
President Reagan himself supported the preservation of the Reagan Meadow. (click here for reference)
There are insufficient water resources to establish the shade trees depicted in this plan. The result will
be a barren half paved field full of unsightly buildings, recreational vehicles, and dumpsters storing horse
manure. Even if there are a few trees in a hundred years the scenic view will be ruined and the historic
Reagan Meadow now enjoyed by all will be gone forever.
This facility is located within sight of the ridge line where the Corral Canyon fire started. It is immediately
upwind of hundreds of homes in the densely treed historic community of Malibou Lake. The prevailing
Santa Anna winds blowing from the fire pits at this facility pose a grave danger to hundreds of homes.
This facility is literally a few hundred yards uphill from Malibou Lake which feeds into Malibu Creek. Both
these bodies of water already have water quality problems. We already dump enough bacteria on the beaches
in Malibu to force closures.
We should not encourage a large number of big animals to roam the hillsides defecating and urinating
next to Malibu Creek. On Nov 5, 2009 Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board voted 5-2 to ban
septic systems in central and eastern Malibu. (Click here for reference) Steelhead trout continue to die in Malibu Creek.
We should not subsidize the life style of a well heeled special interest group at a time when the parks can
barely afford to remain open,
Private R & R zoned properties are available for this land use. Express your opposition to this location by
writing District Superintendent of the California State Parks Ron Schafer rscha@parks.ca.gov and
Email a copy of your opposition to Ruth Gerson to ruthgerson@aol.com
(She is the primary backer and fund raiser for this proposal)
The Ugly Reagan Campground Plan
This picture is what the State Park service currently considers protecting the viewshed of scenic
Mulholland Highway and maintaining a fire safe environment. The picture was taken from Mulholland
Highway at the southern end of the Reagan Meadow. Can you see why we are concerned?
Click Here for the park's detailed plan. (Be patient, the link is a slow loading .pdf file) Note the picture
at the end and you get the idea what the Ronald Reagan Equestrian Campground/RV Park will look
like except subtract out the trees. There will be 30 to 75 RV/Campground spaces & 60 horse corrals.
(The numbers keep changing but so far none of the numbers are small)
Save this Wildlife Corridor
There is a narrow wildlife corridor between Malibu Creek State Park and the Paramount Ranch that is the Reagan Meadow.
The Reagan Equestrian Campground and RV Park will be built in the middle of it. Don't allow the Ronald Reagan Equestrian
Campground and RV Park to force the deer to use Mulholland Highway to move between the two parks. This corridor is bounded
by ridge lines on both sides. The natural migration of animals is through the historic Reagan Meadow. Click here to read why
wild life corridors are important.
New: Baby Mountain Lion kittens found near by. (June 2010)
Click here for an aerial view.
This picture was taken at approximately the same location as the historic Reagan Meadow photo at the top of the blog.
We used the ridgelines to line up the two pictures. State Park and County Officials promise the "new facility will be
done right". However, note that the state park service has a large pile of dry stacked wood in a meadow of sage brush
in the foreground. They aren't fire safe even now when nobody is in this meadow, can you imagine 70 campers and RVs?
Mulholland highway is in the background towards the right. The number of campsites keeps changing, will update when it firms up.
Help Save this wildlife corridor by NOT contributing to the Ronald Reagan Equestrian Campground/RV Park.
Sierra Club Quote: "At last report P12 [mountain lion] was hanging around Malibu Creek State Park with no barriers to
prevent him from roaming from Point Mugu to the 405 Freeway" (Unless of course, the state builds this unsightly facility.)
A quote from Woody Smeck Superintendent Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area:
Wildlife corridors are also a top priority for Smeck, who's been tracking a local family of mountain lions that has faced un-
expected hardship in recent months. "Connectivity is critical and we have made investments to acquire parkland to conserve
habitat and nature for people to enjoy," Smeck said. The corridors, enabling genetic exchange, are crucial....
(reference: Moorpark Acorn Oct 20, 2006)
We are also strong supporters of the Campaign to Save Topanga State Park and the Temescal Pool .
Stop the Ronald Reagan Equestrian Campground and RV Park
Malibu Creek State Park is planning to convert
a scenic meadow in a protected corridor to an
RV park/Equestrian Campground for a few
well heeled special interest groups. Please help
me stop them.
Tell your friends NOT to donate to the Reagan Equestrian
destroy the integrity of a historic site and damage the scenic
Mulholland corridor.
Last year the Los Angeles County shelter took in
Save the Reagan Meadow for everyone to use!
Why does the State Park Service restrict mountain bike use of trails
while it promotes equestrian use? Equestrian use is more damaging to the environment.
Click here to see a study of impacts by various groups
on fragile trail systems. We support equal access to all trails by equestrians, mountain bikers, and hikers.
The California State Park service has a history of poor management practices involving equestrian facilities at nearby Will Rogers State Park
Save the Reagan Meadow seeks support from the following Organizations
I have contacted the following organizations to enlist their support of the historic Reagan Meadow. I urge other concerned citizens
to do the same.
Opponents of the Historic Reagan Meadow are Wrong
Supporters of the Ronald Reagan Equestrian Campground and RV Park like to say Reagan rode horses on his ranch
so they should be able to "continue the land use" with a 60 horse Campground/RV Park. But adjacent to this site
is Paramount Ranch National Park with many equestrian trails. However, before this land became a park it was a
race track. The concrete of the track is still used today by joggers and equestrians alike. My question to supporters
of the RREC is this: Should some special interest group like car racing enthusiasts be allowed to build a new bigger
racetrack at the site of the historic race track in Paramount Ranch? Perhaps we have found common ground.
Click here to see historic information on the race track at Paramount Ranch. Speaking of race tracks, we should
not be building the Reagan Equestrian Campground in a location that will add to the traffic problems on Mulholland highway.
Malibu Creek State Park already causes dangerous traffic conditions on Mulholland Highway. This picture was taken
on Mulholland along Malibu Creek State Park. People park along the sides of the road to avoid paying the park entrance fee.
Note the horse crossing sign on the right of the picture. Park officials want to add RV's towing horse trailers to this road.
Does it look like a good idea to you?
Ronald Reagan Supported preserving The Reagan Meadow
Naming this RV park and equestrian campground after Ronald Reagan doesn't change the fact that Ronald Reagan
would not have supported this project. History says so.
Four state parks were the triumph of a grassroots movement to protect open spaces minutes from Los Angeles in
the 1950s & 60s. Three women, Sue Nelson, Jill Swift, and Margo Feuer further galvanized the movement that helped
make the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area a reality in 1978.
For the latest news in the Conejo Valley try the Conejo Post http://www.conejopost.com/
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Update: The Acorn online article has changed 3 Million NOT raised at fund raiser.
It now says "Equestrian Trails Inc. Corral 63 partnered with the California Department of Parks and Recreation and
aims to raise about $3 million for the facility’s construction.". Click here for the current online version of the Acorn article.
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ZEV YAROSLAVSKY (Third District Supervisor) DOES NOT SUPPORT A SPECIFIC LOCATION
FOR THE REAGAN EQUESTRIAN CAMPGROUND.
(See email below sent to Nan Kane)
"Thanks for your e-mail regarding the Reagan ranch. While I have expressed support for the concept of horse camping,
I have not endorsed any particular proposal since no proposal has been finalized. Any final plan will be the product of
conversations with community and environmental stakeholders. In fact, the process is only beginning. I have asked
State Parks to work with the communities of the area---residents and environmentalists---to insure that what is done is
done with the concerns of ALL stakeholders in mind. My mind is completely open to comments and criticisms of the
State proposal. I would recommend that you make your views known to Ron Schafer of the State Department of Parks
and Recreation. They are the lead on this project. "
Zev Yaroslavsky (Click here to check out Zev's new website)
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An open letter to Ron Schafer: Why is Gillette Ranch not a better location for the RREC?
Click here for the proposal.
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Update: The Reagan Ranch including the "Reagan Meadow" to be considered for listing on the California Register of Historic Resources.
We are currently preparing the application for review by officials of the Office of Historic Preservation. The Reagan Ranch, now
incorporated into Malibu Creek State Park, was known as Yearling Row . It was named and owned by Ronald and Nancy Reagan
from 1951 to 1966. Reagan sold the ranch to pay off campaign debts after he won the 1966 race for Governor of California. The ranch
is historically significant in the context of the 1966 gubernatorial race. On the ranch, citizen Reagan developed a down to earth,
cowboy persona used to great affect in his upset victory in the 1966 governor's race. This persona would eventually take him to the
white house. Nancy Reynolds, a reporter for KPIX in San Franciscio conducted an interview with Reagan on horseback, creating his
cowboy persona in the political arena for the first time. Nancy later became an aide to the governor and then the President and Mrs Reagan.
Click here for interesting historical facts about the ranch.
Thanks to everyone who has sent us historical information about the ranch. (Special thanks to those who provided first hand
oral histories.) If anyone else wishes to send information, please use the contact button below.
Click here for slide show of historic photographs.
Click here for actual video of the Reagan Ranch in 1966. The ranch appears 4 minutes into the video.
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Ted,
Thank you for keeping me in the loop.
I just want to clarify that what is being considered is an equestrian campground, not an RV campground.
We do not plan to exclude RV’s but the focus of the proposed campground would be equestrian camping.
Ron Schafer [District Superintendent, California State Parks, Angeles District]
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Adding buildings and paving major portions of this historic site will forever alter the views. RV parking will forever change
the feel of this once proud ranch. I propose we preserve and restore this site and honor those who once worked the land here.
We should preserve and protect this piece of history for future generations. You decide,
We support the will of the people. Click here for more historic images.
A 3 million dollar public equestrian facility with trail access to the Santa Monica Mountains was recently completed in nearby Newbury Park. See details at the Rancho Potrero Equestrian Center (Note the aesthetics) How many more new public multi-million dollar facilities do we need? Why not just expand this facility which is 15 miles away. (Operated under lease by Circle K Riding Stables.) Click here for google street view. Should we build another of these right next
to famously scenic Mulholland Highway (a state designated scenic drive?)
Your opinion does count on this issue. Email Ron Schafer at rscha@parks.ca.gov He is the Angeles District Superintendent
for California State Parks. He decides what happens here. (He will listen to reason and he does return emails, nice guy).
Ron Schafer, Angeles District Superintendent, California State Parks. rscha@parks.ca.gov
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