HAPPY TRAILS FOR NEW PARKLAND.

Byline: Lisa Mascaro Staff Writer

Hikers, equestrians, a Girl Scout leader and other nature enthusiasts streamed into Ahmanson Ranch on Monday to explore 15 miles of trails that opened to the public for the first time.

``We're welcoming Southern Californians to their new park, hoping they will care for it,'' said Rorie Skei, chief deputy director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, which now owns the land. ``People seem to be very excited and pleased that it's now public open space.''

Less than a month after the state paid $150 million to purchase the 2,900-acre site from Washington Mutual, which had planned to develop the ranch, dozens of people turned out to see Southern California's latest park - located north of Calabasas.

``I thought this would never happen. I thought there would be homes,'' said Woodland Hills resident Walt Acha, taking an afternoon stroll with his wife, Jan. ``I'm glad there's no homes here,'' he added. ``We want to see it like it was - is.''

Hiker Linda Jeffers had to keep shutting off the music from her headset to admire the sounds of birds overhead. Mountain bikers Douglas Kubler and Albert Molinaro showed up to try out the trails and map them on their global positioning system. Girl Scout leader Barb Butler didn't have time for a proper hike, but had to stop by and get a look for future excursions.

The park is open from sunrise to sunset and dogs on leashes are welcome. Many of the trails are still closed for habitat restoration.

For now, the only official entrance with parking is at the northern terminus of Las Virgenes Road in Calabasas. Skei said the plan is to eventually open the eastern entrance at Victory Boulevard in the West Valley.

For years, developers wanted to turn Ahmanson Ranch into a 3,050-home master-planned community with shopping, a golf course and other amenities in eastern Ventura County, just over the border from Los Angeles.

But a Hollywood-led opposition movement, backed by filmmaker Rob Reiner and other celebrities, joined local residents to block the project that they said would destroy the area's natural beauty.

Earlier this year, Washington Mutual signaled its willingness to sell and the deal was closed this fall.

``I just think, of course, this is better,'' said Molinaro, one of the mountain bikers, who took the afternoon off from his business selling vintage musical instruments. ``That's why we're here - just trying out the new trails, exploring.''

Richard Barrett, who built his own Woodland Hills home in the 1960s, thought he'd take a peek at what's been in his back yard all these years.

``I thought, I'll just go over and see how it is. I think it's really good for the area,'' he said. ``Gets the heart pumping, beats sitting there watching TV.''

Finishing a morning hike, Jeffers said: ``I was just walking and I was thinking I can't believe I'm in L.A.''

Lisa Mascaro, [phone]

lisa.mascaro(at)dailynews.com

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3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2) Douglas Kubler of Thousand Oaks, above, turns to wait for his friend to go on a ride at the Las Virgenes Road entrance to Ahmanson Ranch that opened to the public Monday. Above left, a milk thistle is detailed in the dry hills of the ranch.

(3) Park staff members Paul Quilici, left, and Bob Perrine remove no-trespassing signs Monday at the ranch.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach