Santa Clarita is chock full of trails but they are unfortunately unknown by many. When asked, most students knew only one trail, or none at all. One freshman claimed he knew about trails outside the city like Texas Rock, but when asked about ones in Santa Clarita he responded with, “What trails?”

With the pandemic, even more people are aiming to get fit and venture outside more. This would be challenging to follow through with if the only thing to do in the city included strolling the sidewalk while breathing “tasty” car air or walking in circles at the park.

Alas there is a solution: hiking trails! These hiking trails are hidden secrets winding throughout the city. {There’s one behind central park, one connecting to Heritage Park. There are even ones running through the wells}  

San Francisquito Creek Trail by the intersection of Copper Hill Drive and Avenida Rancho Tesoro 

But, wait there’s more! These trails aren’t just for exercise. During sunset and sunrise they are beautiful. Some might say they’re stunning, but it can be argued that they’re more – they’re breathtaking!

 Haskell Canyon Trailhead / On Copper Hill Rd

Another cool fact about the trails is that many of them are full of vegetation and plants, contrasting the yellow grass of Southern California area.

Mentryville Park / 27201 Pico Canyon Rd Haskell Canyon Trailhead / On Copper Hill Rd

See natural green plants ↟

(Wow they’re not yellow..)

Here’s the location of one of the more hidden trails. This trail is unnamed and hidden but will let you see Bison for free. It is so unknown that on Google Maps it is called “American Bison” and is labeled as a zoo with only 5 reviews. Even though this trail looks sketchy and is hidden, it is a recognized trail with the entrance labeled with the common trail sign saying it is open during daylight. 

This trail is located in Newhall  just by the William S. Hart Museum. Near the museum is Market Street which a short drive down reaches the entrance to the parking lot depicted below.

Screenshot from Google Street View

On these trails, one can both spend time with friends and family while also prioritizing their health! Going on the trails is encouraged, just please don’t litter on the trails.

Below are some resources to find these wonderful trails.

Google Maps

City of Santa Clarita Website