The Barnyard at William S. Hart Regional Park finally re-opened to the delight of the public, staff and probably the animals, on Aug. 15 in Newhall. The grand re-opening included animal presentations, feeding animals, barnyard tours and children’s activities.
The Barnyard closed on Feb. 27, 2019, during a Los Angeles County mandatory quarantine for facilities that displayed birds. The issue was Virulent Newcastle’s Disease. The Barnyard’s birds were healthy at the time of closure so the quarantine was to keep them protected from the disease.
Then in 2020, the facility had to close due to COVID-19’s social distancing rules that wouldn’t work for the enclosure’s aisle-ways. On top of those two closure mandates, in March of this year there was a rabbit quarantine — Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease — that kept the Barnyard closed through July.
Some of the eclectic animals at the Barnyard include, or have included, alpaca, wild boars, chickens, deer, ducks, geese, horses, pheasants, pot-bellied pigs, rabbits, tortoises and turkeys. The park also has bison but they roam on nearby hills.
The park is named after William S. Hart who is credited with being the first movie star cowboy. Hart made movies from 1914-1925 during the silent movie era. He donated his mansion and approximately 200-acre ranch to the public in his 1946 will.
The Barnyard is open, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on days when the park is open (closed on Mondays). The Hart Park Gift Shop and the Bookstore have also re-opened. William S. Hart Regional Park, 24151 Newhall Ave., Newhall. 661-259-1750. friendsofhartpark.com/Zoo/animals.html