Dramatic change of Golden Valley Ranch Open Space

A family hikes along a bridge on Sunday at Golden Valley Ranch Open Space off of Placerita Canyon Road. Samie Gebers/ The Signal
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Cameron Boswell has hiked around Placerita Canyon Road for years, but he feels as though the same, familiar place is completely different. 

“It makes you respect nature,” Boswell said as he looked onto the grassy hills on Sunday. “We live in an area that is constantly changing.”

Just in the past year, Golden Valley Ranch Open Space has changed dramatically. The area was devastated by the Sand Fire in July. Now, the grassy hills and streams are enjoyed by hikers.

Gabriel Hirahara, 7, walks over to his mother to show her the stick that he found on Sunday at Golden Valley Ranch Open Space off of Placerita Canyon Road. Samie Gebers/ The Signal

“This all used to be burnt, it was so brown,” Janet Vargas said.

Vargas took a trip to the space with a friend, curious to see how the rain affected the area. On Sunday, she discovered a stream running along Placerita Canyon Road and transformed hillsides.

“It looks like a completely different place,” Vargas said.

Janet Vargas, right, and Jeff Casey, left, observe a stream along Placerita Canyon Road at Golden Valley Ranch Open Space on Sunday. Samie Gebers/ The Signal

While many hikers are fairly pleased with the change of scenery, Kevin Klapp and his wife see the transformation as bittersweet.

“There’s less birds and wildlife,” Kevin Klapp said, looking at the burnt treeline. “Today, we seem to miss the woodpeckers. It’s a bummer.”

Shae Stanford and Logan Kelley, both 17-years-old, took a hike and were pleasantly surprised with what they found.

“We used to hike here every Saturday,” Kelley said. “Then the fire happened.”

”Now, this area is kind of relaxing,” Stanford said. “Walking next to a stream with new life is something else.”

Aleena Hirahara, 7, cleans the mud off of her shoe using a stick on Sunday at the Golden Valley Ranch Open Space off of Placerita Canyon Road on Sunday. Samie Gebers/ The Signal
Kevin Klapp, left, and Samantha Klapp, right, gaze at the stone remains of a building on Sunday at Golden Valley Open Space off of Placerita Canyon Road. Samie Gebers/ The Signal

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