Dixie Canyon Park: One of Sherman Oaks' Best Kept Secrets

If you feel like getting out into the wilderness but don't have the time or the money to make the trip, there is a perfect spot for you, and it's right here in Sherman Oaks. Walk up to the top of Dixie Canyon Avenue and you will encounter 20 acres of  serene, unpaved, green wilderness.

The place is called Dixie Canyon Park, and it has a hiking trail, a stream and open space. The park is part of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, a state agency that oversees the park.

The story of Dixie Canyon Park goes back to the 1980s, when the property's owner, actor Warren Beatty, donated the land to the state to keep it from being developed as homes and condos.

It's a wonderful place to visit that's very close, quiet and beautiful.