Mount McCoy (previously known as Verde Hill)[3][4] is a 1,325-foot-high peak in Simi Valley, California known for its characteristic 12 foot white cross on the top. There are numerous trails leading to Mount McCoy, which sits in a 200 acres (81 ha)[3] nature area operated by the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District (RSRPD), while the cross and its immediate surroundings are owned by the Simi Valley Historical Society.[5] By 1813, the cross on Mt. McCoy was a landmark for the Friars and others in the Simi Valley.[6]
An 1858 map of the Simi Valley does show a cross on Mt. McCoy, but a newer cross was erected by Robert E. Harrington in 1921, and a concrete one later in 1941.[7] Mount McCoy has been a landmark for the area since before the town was founded. In 1986, Mount McCoy was designated Ventura County Landmark No. 106.[5] The main trailhead is located at 2 Washburn Street at the western end of Simi Valley. A trailhead to a shorter hiking trail is located around 56-58 Presidential Drive on the way to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
