Twin Lakes Oat Mountain, CA

Browns Canyon Road runs north out of Chatsworth and keeps going after the valley houses end, and that is the way into Twin Lakes. Homes cluster along a few winding lanes near the bottom, where the houses vary widely in age and size, and they spread out as the road climbs toward open ranch land. Nothing here is a tract, and no two driveways approach their houses the same way. Devil Canyon Trail drops into the next canyon over from the edge of the houses, and a short drive south brings the sandstone of Stoney Point, a longtime climbing spot, and the riding trails of Chatsworth Park South. Everything practical is in Chatsworth. That means driving down for groceries, coffee, a hardware store or a restaurant, then back up the canyon. The 118 freeway follows the base of the hills, and trains to downtown Los Angeles and Ventura County leave from the Chatsworth station. The tradeoff with the most daily weight is the wildlife. Mountain lions roam the surrounding slopes year-round, along with coyotes and bobcats, so pets come in at dusk and anyone keeping chickens, goats or horses builds sturdy enclosures. Brush clearance and evacuation plans are part of the fall routine too. Living in Twin Lakes puts the city at the bottom of the road instead of at the end of the driveway. At night the loudest thing is usually the wind moving through the dry grass on the slope above.