Hiking Trail Guide: Placerita Canyon

>> Back to Hiking Trail Guide

Placerita Canyon

Distance
5 miles

Elevation
700 feet gain

Difficulty
3/10

City
Newhall ,CA (91321) 32.17 miles from you Weather Map

Trailhead
From Highway 14 (Antelope Valley Freeway) in Newhall, exit on Placerita Canyon Road and turn right (east) two miles to Placerita Canyon State Park. Park in the large lot near the nature center.

Description

This is a very pleasant easy hike through an oak and sycamore shaded canyon. The hike meanders next to a seasonal stream, with the turn-around point at a lovely 25 foot waterfall in a dark, steep walled box canyon. Although this is a great hike anytime, it is especially pretty in the spring after rain when the hills are green and the waterfall is flowing. The nature center at the trailhead is a must-see for kids with lots of great exhibits. Also note that this is the location of the first gold rush in California, seven years before Sutter's Mill. Included in the photos is a great horned owl I saw on a rock alongside the trail!

Map / Directions: