2022 Map of Matilija

About this map

Lake Casitas dominates the southwestern corner of this survey, its complex shoreline defining Chumash Bay, Willow Creek Arm, and the Dead Horse Canyon Arm surrounding Main Island. To the northeast, the developed corridor along the Ventura River and Maricopa Hwy connects a series of residential and agricultural communities, including Mira Monte, Meiners Oaks, and the city of Ojai. The landscape is sharply divided between these valley settlements and the steep, rising slopes of the Santa Ynez Mountains within the Los Padres National Forest. Local history is anchored by sites such as Nordhoff Cem and Saint Thomas Aquinas Cem, while the northern canyons harbor Matilija Springs and the Matilija Lake reservoir, highlighting the region's historic reliance on mountain watersheds.