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Santa Clarita fills a wide valley along the Santa Clara River, north of Los Angeles between the San Gabriel and Santa Susana mountains. History runs deep here: in 1842, six years before the famous gold rush, Francisco Lopez found gold in Placerita Canyon, and in 1876 Pico Canyon produced California's first commercially successful oil well. The railroad came through Newhall in the 1870s, and the valley later became a favorite location for western movies.
Ranches, film sets and small towns gradually gave way to planned communities, and in 1987 the communities of Valencia, Newhall, Saugus and Canyon Country joined to form the city of Santa Clarita, now one of the largest cities in Los Angeles County. It is known for its parks, network of paseo trails and family-friendly neighborhoods, and it remains a busy area for film and television production.
Thrill seekers come for Six Flags Magic Mountain and its towering roller coasters, while history fans visit the William S. Hart Museum and Old Town Newhall with its Walk of Western Stars. Placerita Canyon, Towsley Canyon and nearby Vasquez Rocks offer hiking among oaks and dramatic sandstone formations.
The historic core of Santa Clarita along Main Street, with restaurants, breweries, cafes, the Canyon Theatre Guild and the Walk of Western Stars honoring cowboy film actors. Thursday evenings and festivals bring people out. Parking structures make it easy to walk the whole district.
A long-running community theater company with its own playhouse on Main Street in Old Town Newhall, staging musicals, comedies and dramas throughout the year with local casts. Tickets are affordable. Combine a show with dinner on Main Street, and book ahead for popular musicals.
The Spanish Colonial Revival hilltop mansion of silent western film star William S. Hart, filled with Western art and memorabilia, inside a park with bison, farm animals and picnic areas. The museum is free; tours run on set days, and the walk up the hill is steep but short.
A collection of historic buildings in William S. Hart Park run by the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society, including the 1887 Saugus train station, a schoolhouse and old homes. It explains the valley's railroad and ranching past. It opens on weekends, so plan visits accordingly.
A historic oil town site in Pico Canyon where California's first commercially successful oil well was drilled in 1876. Old buildings include a schoolhouse and the superintendent's house, and trails continue up the canyon. It is a quiet spot for a short walk and a history lesson.
A natural area in a shady canyon where gold was discovered in California in 1842, before the famous Sutter's Mill strike. The Oak of the Golden Dream marks the spot. There is a nature center with live animals and trails along the creek to a small waterfall after rains.
A park of dramatic tilted sandstone rock formations near Agua Dulce, named after outlaw Tiburcio Vasquez who hid here, and famous as a filming location for Star Trek and many westerns. Short trails lead around and up the rocks. It is hot in summer, so come early or late.
A park in the Santa Susana Mountains with a popular loop trail of about five miles through a narrow canyon called The Narrows, past oil seeps and up to ridge views. The hike is moderate to strenuous. Start early in warm months and bring plenty of water, as shade is limited.
A network of paved paseos and trails, including the Santa Clara River Trail, that link neighborhoods, parks and schools across the city, often with bridges over streets. They are ideal for walking, running and cycling away from traffic. The river trail is the longest and most scenic route.
The city's largest park in Saugus, with sports fields, a dog park, a community garden, a cross-country course, picnic areas and walking paths. It is busy with leagues on weekends and connects to nearby trails. It is a good place for a family picnic or an easy walk.
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California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
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Photo: Jeff Turner from Santa Clarita, CA, United States, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jeff Turner from Santa Clarita, CA, United States, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jeff Turner from Santa Clarita, CA, United States, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jeff Turner from Santa Clarita, CA, United States, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
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