Bridle Path is a truly unique equestrian community of 630 homes nestled in the southwestern foothills of Simi Valley between First Street and Erringer Road. It is distinguished by great views from many homes, one-half acre and up zoning, a sidewalk that is a horse trail running through the community, seven arenas and two round pens, and a private 1,700 acre mountain park that is owned by the Bridle Path Homeowner’s Association. The community was developed from 1976 until 1988 with homes ranging from about 1,400 to 2,400 square feet, although many homes have subsequently had significant additions. In sum, Bridle Path is a family-friendly community with space to breathe.
An Early Image
Bridle Path was developed in two primary phases. The first development phase began on First Street and then moved eastward up the hills on Nonchalant Drive and Mellow Lane where they met at Rambling Road, which itself began right near First Street. While the homes were fairly small in the 1,400 to 1,800 sq ft. range, the properties all were at least one-half acre in size. The picture to the right shows a portion of the development in 1981. The houses at the top of the photo were on Rambling Road, while the houses at the bottom were on Meander drive and Wrangler, which forms a semi-circle connecting to Rambling at both places. If you look carefully, you'll see driveway that would become the entrance to the mountain park.
The first phase was completed around 1984 and a second phase began in 1986 with homes that run on Azure Hills Drive up Sunnydale Avenue to Rambling and continuing in another semi-circle that turns into Rocking Horse Drive, which connects into Meander Drive. The bridle path itself runs by all of the homes with a regular sidewalk on the other side of the street. Thanks to Bridle Path resident Jill Hartman for providing the early photo.
The Great Views
Simi Valley's White Face landmark from a back yard in the Bridle Path.
Many Bridle Path homes have wonderful views of Simi Valley down below to the North or the Mountain Park to the South. From many of these homes, you can see the lights of Simi Valley at night or even the snow-capped mountains to the Northwest after a cold storm in the Winter. From homes that look South, you can see the beautiful Mountain Park that our community owns. The park is a great place for either riding or hiking, and offers spectacular views of Simi Valley from the top of the small mountains. Since it’s a private park only for Bridle Path residents, you and friends will often be the only people you encounter on its several trails. The northern view from one of our homes is above.
Bridle Path
While not every home has a view like the one above or even a view of the southern Simi Hills mountains, most have a view of the Bridle Path itself, which is one of the sidewalks that run past every home. Where else in Southern California can you look out your window and see the peaceful sight of people slowly riding by on horseback? It is a truly unique experience living in such a community, and it is one of the most affordable equestrian communities in Southern California.
Space to Breathe
Because we are an equestrian community, every Bridle Path home is at least one-half acre in size and many have a lot more. It’s a requirement of equestrian communities. Residents, however, are not required to own horses, and only about half of our homeowners do. Many, however, have dogs or cats or other animals including chickens, goats or even a occasional llama (only one per property). In addition to the animals, many residents have extensive back yards including swimming pools, sports courts, and even pickle ball courts. As we like to say, we have lots of space to breathe.
The Mountain Park
View of the Mountain Park near the entry on Meander Drive.
Our mountain park is one of our most prized benefits. We are one of the few communities that own any of the mountains in Southern California. The park is gated on all sides and requires a key fob or card key given to homeowners for entry. The park is restricted to either riding horses or hiking on foot. We do not allow bicycles or motorized vehicles of any type, except for authorized park maintenance.
The park’s main trail runs between the mountains and is fairly flat, while there are at least three trails that take you to the top of the mountains and can be strenuous while either riding on a horse or hiking. The views from the top are spectacular, which can be seen on our In the Park page under Views.
The Homeowners' Association
There’s one last thing you should know about us. We have a Homeowners' Association with CC&Rs in order to maintain a level of standard for all homes in the community. Our HOA, however, is run by volunteer members of the community and we have one of the lowest HOA fees in Southern California. At this writing, our fee is $84 per month, which is unbelievably low in comparison to most HOAs. Many have fees of several hundred dollars per month for houses where you can reach out your side window to shake hands with your next door neighbor and have only a fraction of the amenities in Bridle Path.
