Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.

~ Aldo Leopold

Our Mission

To conserve the original vision of Coto de Caza;

one of historic rural character, open space and undeveloped ridgelines, active and passive recreation,

existing in harmony within a one of a kind residential community,

to honor the intent and integrity of the Coto de Caza Specific Plan for current and future generations.

Quotable Quotes

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.  ~ Margaret Mead

There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.  ~ Sir Winston Churchill

Welcome... take a walk around our community,

and remember, each box tells a story...

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Coto de Caza is part of an area in Southern California once populated by the Luiseño and Juaneño Bands of Mission Indians. To date, eleven probable temporary Indian settlement sites and over thirty locations of isolated Luiseño and Juaneño heritage finds have been identified. All artifacts recovered over the years have been turned over to appropriate agencies.

Click on the button below to find out more about Coto de Caza's early beginnings.

Early Beginnings

In the 1960’s and 1970’s, Coto de Caza’s Cañada Gobernadora Valley served as hunting lands for community hunting lodge members and guests.

By the end of the 1980’s, residential construction development was well underway in the town now well-known as Coto de Caza, translated meaning “hunting preserve” in Spanish. 

Land title documents govern over a large portion of the northern portion of Coto de Caza for “Club/Resort Uses,” intended to protect the integrity of the Coto de Caza overall plan of golf, tennis, equestrian, riding/hiking trails and general open space, to be enjoyed by residents and visitors.

> More about Coto de Caza's Early Beginnings
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> Overview

Coto de Caza is situated within some of the most beautiful and protected wildlife areas in Southern California. The area is rich in natural resources. All along the valley floor and central riparian  spine, majestic oak groves, two major ridgelines, finger side canyons, and grazing and dry-land agriculture grass lands are major features of the region (see Coto de Caza Specific Plan, Amendment 3, pg 9.)
 
Click on the button below to find out more about Coto de Caza's Environmental setting.
 

Environmental Setting

Topography – Coto de Caza is nestled within the Cañada Gobernadora Valley and Ridgelines. The ridgelines are designated Resource Preservation Areas and have been protected with resource preservation easements dedicated to the County.

Biology – Six biotic communities are identified: southern oak woodland, riparian, native grassland, introduced grassland/cultivated land, coastal sage scrub, and chapparal.

Hydrology  - Coto de Caza is part of the Upper San Juan Watershed System.

Wetland Mitigation Area – Area adjacent to Coto de Caza Equestrian Center. Parcel 2 of Parcel Map No. 89-108. (Former site of OC Polo Club, now privately owned by a local resident.)

Orange County title document 19900047929 provides oversight to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pursuant to Section 404 of the Federal Clean Water Act and § 1600 et seq. of the California Fish and Game Code. Grantee shall at all times conform with all negative covenants such as prohibitions upon pruning or tree removal, application of herbicides or pesticides, limitations on physical access contained in the Stream-bed Permits or applicable laws and regulations (County title document 19900047929, page 5 and 6.)

San Juan Creek Watersheds Special Area Management Plan - Environmental Impact Statement

Cañada Gobernadora Multipurpose Basin project

Conservation Land Areas – Coto de Caza is part of the California Natural Community Conservation (NCCP) area and related Habitat Conservation Planning (HCP) areas.

>More about Environmental Setting
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Coto de Caza Golf & Racquet Club is the first private 36-hole country club in Orange County. The North Course was built in 1987 and is rated one of the nation’s top 25 courses
 
In addition to the two courses designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., the Club also includes a 44,000-square-foot clubhouse, a racquet club with 10 courts and an aquatic center with three pools. The Club offers golf, tennis, spa and social memberships.

Golf and Tennis

> Link to Golf and Racquet Club
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Vic Braden

    • His Tennis efforts contributed in large part to Coto de Caza's early community success.
    • Voted into the 2017 Tennis Hall of Fame.
    • World-recognized pioneer in Tennis neuroscience, research and education.
    • His "Laugh and Win!" teaching style drew millions to the game.

One of Many Notable Quotes: If you buy an ice cream cone and make it hit your mouth, you can learn to play tennis!

Tennis and Vic Braden

> Play Vic Braden Video
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Coto de Caza offers a rare feature not found in many communities around Southern California – over 20 acres of public equestrian facilities as well as rural zoning for adjacent and nearby equestrian communities.

 

Click on the button below to find out more of Coto de Caza's equestrian history.

Equestrian

Nearly fifty years ago Coto de Caza was conceived as an unincorporated community with resort-like amenities focused on the outdoors – hunting, golf, tennis, equestrian, riding and hiking trails coupled with abundant open space. Some of the first buildings constructed were the hunting lodge and equestrian “pole barns”, now referred to as the “upper barn” and the “lower barn”. Unfortunately, the lower barn was demolished in November 2016 by real estate developer Oak Grove, LLC under permit by the County.

Famous horse jockey and equestrian center developer, Eddie J. Milligan, designed the Coto de Caza Equestrian Center at the same time as the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. The 1984 Olympics Committee took notice as the outstanding facility played host to the 1984 Summer Olympics Pentathlon event. Built on this rich history, the Coto de Caza Equestrian Center has been a primary feature of the community for over thirty years, home to a wide community of trainers, boarders and spectators – for both local and surrounding community residents.

>More Equestrian History
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The Coto de Caza community contains a unique and varied Open Space Network trail system for horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking. Over 40 miles of trails connect to regional riding and hiking trails in and around the community, including on and off-street biking systems.


The Cañada Gobernadora Valley & Ridgelines provide a beautiful backdrop to trails that meander throughout the community, adjacent to the Cleveland National Forest, Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park area of Bell Canyon, General Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park and the Wagon Wheel community. Public components of the trail system are dedicated to Orange County via recreation easement.

Riding and Hiking Trails

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Coto de Caza is a regional community focused on providing a strong foundation for generations to come. The master planned community places a high value on residential living within a natural, spacious environment with local community amenities like golf, tennis, equestrian and riding/hiking trails for residents and friends of all ages. Living in harmony with nature is one of the core tenets of the Coto de Caza community. 

 

Click on the button below for more about the community.

Community and Family

The community is nearly 5000 acres in size and contains over 4000 homes. Approximately 15,000 residents call Coto de Caza home – about 50% are children under the age of 18. Several choices for nearby public and private schools are available, and according to Great Schools, most receive a 10 rating.

 

> More about Coto de Caza's Community and Family
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The Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park surrounds our community on its eastern, northern, and southern borders. It is a Wildlife and Plant Sanctuary known for its biological diversity.


The Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park shares portions of their western border with our community. Abundant Wildlife, fertile valleys and specimen groves of native trees, accentuated with seasonal wildflower displays are all protected natural wildlife resources in common with our community.


Click on the link below to read more;

Our Wilderness Park Neighbors

THOMAS F. RILEY WILDERNESS PARK; In the early days going back to the 1800's, the land was used to graze cattle and establish one of the largest Ranchos of those times. Now, through steadfast efforts of General Thomas F. Riley, the park was opened in 1994 in his honor. The park and several thousand acres of open space land are now preserved for all to enjoy.

The Park's Nature Center houses an educational center for outdoor education for local schools and community groups. It also serves as an ecological preserve for the native endangered plant and animal species.

RONALD W. CASPERS WILDERNESS PARK;  The park is an 8,000 acre protected wilderness preserve and camping park nestled among the river terraces and sandstone canyons of the western coastal Santa Ana Mountains. In 1973 the Starr Foundation donated a portion of the Starr Ranch to the National Audubon Society for use as a wildlife sanctuary, for which it remains today. Under Supervisor Ronald W. Caspers direction, Orange County voted in 1974 to purchased the southern 5,500 acres of the ranch for use as a public recreation facility, and on April 12, 1974 the Starr Viejo Regional Park was opened as a primitive, wilderness day use and camping facility. The park was later renamed to Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park on his behalf.

The entire region was home for thousands of years to Native American Luiseño and Juaneño Indian tribes up until the late 1700's.

Few places remain as they appeared hundreds of years ago, yet these treasures are two of those landscapes.

 

> More about our Wilderness Park Neighbors
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Coto de Caza was the site of the 1984 Summer Olympics Modern Pentathlon and Women's Volleyball Training.


The Coto de Caza Equestrian Center, designed by Los Angeles Equestrian Center architect Eddie J. Milligan, played host to the 1984 Summer Olympics Pentathlon event. The landmark event attracted thousands of spectators and housed some of the world’s finest equestrian competitors during the games.


Click the link below to replay video portions of the Modern Pentathlon activities from the '84 Games.

1984 Summer Olympics

> Play Modern Pentathlon Video Clip
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[1] The Coto de Caza Specific Plan has been prepared for the purpose of regulating the growth and development of the community known as Coto de Caza.


Consisting of text and maps, this Specific Plan specifies the distribution, location and extent of the existing and proposed use of land within the area covered by the Coto de Caza Specific Plan and sets standards and criteria by which development can occur.


[1]  Coto de Caza Specific Plan, page 1

Orange County Land Planning - Specific Plan

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Current Proposed Developments

  • General Lyons
  • Via Terracaleta Custom Estates
  • The General Store
  • Oak Grove / Merryhill School

Community Development Projects & CPAC

> View Projects & CPAC Information

Who is Aldo Leopold?

Among many things, Leopold was a conservationist and writer. One of his best known ideas is the land ethic, which calls for an ethical, caring and interconnected relationship between people and nature.

“When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect... We are all part of the thinking community that needs to shape a land ethic for the 21st century and beyond... To do that, we must engage in thoughtful dialog with each other, inviting a diversity of perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds. Together, we can form a land ethic that can be passed down to future generations."

~Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac, 1949

 

Click here to learn more

More Quotable Quotes

Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children's children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.

~ Theodore Roosevelt

Any fool can destroy trees.

~ John Muir

The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit and freedom.

~ Sharon Ralls Lemon

Practice like you've never won... Perform like you've never lost.

~ Bernard F. Asuncion, excerpt

When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.

~ John Muir

Success in this game depends less on strength of body than strength of mind and character.

~ Arnold Palmer

Some horses will test you, some will teach you, and some will bring out the best in you.

~ Equestrian Co.

Every day two million Americans play tennis and one million of them lose.

~Vic Braden

For fast riders - we have fast horses.  

For slow riders - we have slow horses.

For those who have never ridden - we have horses that have never been ridden.

~ Anonymous

It is not enough for a man to know how to ride, he must know how to fall.

~ Mexican Proverb

Credits

Coto Conservancy has made every attempt to properly credit any media utilized on our website that may not be owned by us. Please contact Coto Conservancy with any issues or concerns.