Paradise Falls, typically a quiet, scenic spot in California’s Wildwood Park, shuts down today after ‘record crowds broke down the sense of shared responsibility,’ park attendants said.
This is why we can’t have nice things. Two weeks after reopening to the public, Paradise Falls will remain closed until further notice thanks to the actions of an “unprecedented” number of visitors.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) said that rangers had to haul out “multiple truckloads of trash” each day last weekend, much of it littered about the park despite the availability of trash cans.
COSCA also cited numerous instances of visitors using “areas along the creek both upstream and downstream as a toilet,” trampling vegetation in the process.
“COSCA has worked diligently to encourage visitors to be respectful of the environment and fellow visitors, and to obey posted rules, but many have not answered these calls,” the agency said.
Other trails throughout Wildwood Park will remain open. But all access to Paradise Falls is prohibited, and officers will be on-site to issue citations for violating the closure.
