Linden H. Chandler Preserve

(Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA)

★★★☆☆

Hilly, with not much shade except in the lightly wooded areas along the intermittent streambeds. The higher areas have clear views of the LA Basin to the north and east (Downtown LA to Saddleback), but mostly you can see the golf course it wraps around, a couple of Little League fields, and the suburban neighborhoods that surround it. Lots of up and down, mostly scrub habitat with some grassy areas.

After this year’s comparatively dry winter (not as bad as some, but below average and way below the deluges of the previous two years) the grass was green, but the scrub was just kind of scrubby, and the streams were little more than a trickle. I did spot a couple of rabbits, some dragonflies and bumblebees, and some hawks, but not much else in the way of wildlife. (I imagine the noise from the baseball game didn’t help much.)

And peacocks! There’s a population of feral peafowl on the peninsula, dating back to the early 1900s, that I hadn’t run into on any of my hikes out at Point Vicente or up in the canyons. I did see some near the Malaga Cove library the last time I was in that area. But they were just wandering around the neighborhood! At least half a dozen. All males, though - I didn’t see any hens. I don’t know if they weren’t out, or if I just didn’t see them because they don’t stand out as much. I stopped to let one cross the street on the way in, and watched another strutting along the trail while I was hiking.

Where Else?

Unless it rains some more this spring, I don’t really have much interest in returning to this particular preserve this year. The habitat is similar to Entradero Basin (which is easier to get to), the view is better at Vista del Norte, there’s more shade at Valmonte/Frog Loop, and the canyons at George F. and Agua Amarga are interesting in the dry seasons too.

The Palos Verdes Land Conservancy operates a bunch of small preserves all over the peninsula where they could buy out some land, convince someone to donate it, or make arrangements with one of the cities. Mostly areas that are too steep or have historically been too unstable to build on. Chandler isn’t adjacent to any of the others, but several along the south side of the peninsula form a continuous wildlife corridor now.

Getting There

You have to go through winding residential streets. There’s a parking lot next to the baseball fields, and room for a few cars to park at the end of Buckskin Lane near the trailhead there. In addition there are connections to the bridle trails that riddle the peninsula. Dogs (leashed) and horses are allowed on the trails, so watch your step!