This park is large and spacious with plenty of free parking. There were kids playing at the…read morebaseball fields, soccer fields, and at the playgrounds. El Cariso Park hosts a regular farmer's market on Sundays. Stopped by for some coffee and pastries at E&V Kaffee! Such a delicious spot for raw honey lattes, chai teas, croissants and so much more. We had a great time perusing through the plants shops, fruit and veggie stands, and other local businesses.

El Cariso Park is one of the most beautiful and well kept parks in the Valley! Been coming here for…read moremost of my life. I cannot get enough of the fresh air, the cleanliness, the multiple recreational areas it has as basketball courts, tennis courts, baseball fields and of course synthetic soccer field. Perfect park for a bbq (Carne Asada) with the family. Walk your dog or go for a nice stroll with a love one. So luscious and green and big park great use of space here in the valley.

A friend took me to Whitney Canyon Waterfall today, and wow what an adventure. The hike is…read moremoderate, about 3.5 miles, and parking is free. Reaching the waterfall is not for the faint of heart. You climb uphill, descend back down, reach a small waterfall, and then go through it to finally arrive at Whitney Waterfall. It's a bit sketchy, definitely thrilling, and absolutely worth it but only if you're prepared. Hiking shoes are a must. This trail is not recommended for kids or beginner hikers due to steep and slippery sections. It was 48 degrees and freezing cold today, so check the weather before you go and layer up. Also, there are no restrooms, so plan ahead. If you're looking for a raw, adventurous hike with a rewarding waterfall at the end, this one delivers.

When you're ending the year 2025 with a hiking adventure. Let's begin this banger review…read more Whitney Canyon Park is a 442-acre park known for its diverse trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, featuring oak woodlands, chaparral, and riparian areas with seasonal waterfalls. It is located next to the freeway in Santa Clarita. I have been eyeing this trail/park for months and I am glad I crossed this on my All trails hiking list. I came on a late Monday morning and it was bloody windy (~45 mph) with a cool temp of 64 degrees. This park has multiple trials including Elsmere Trail. WCP has a wide track trail through a canyon that was known for oil drilling and ranching some of its remnants are still visible. Its trail has little to no tree shade but the trailhead was kept clear. I have seen some hikers (family and kids) and bikers along the way; most are friendly and nice. Parking lot is huge with no shades. Trash bins are available. Overall, it's a nice easy park to go hiking. I recommend it.

What a beautiful park! I don't think I saw a single piece of litter. There were people walking…read moretheir dogs, driving RC monster trucks over the rocks in the stream and people pushing strollers. There was a playground too, but it didn't seem that they were any people there. All in all, it was a very quiet serene place! There's a sidewalk path that goes around the park and then there's also dirt paths within the park that Run alongside the little creek. You can go over some of the little bridges to get from one side of the park to the other easily. The surrounding neighborhood is really nice and has lots of trees. If I lived closer, I would be here every day!

Absolutely a wonderful Park very shaded, serene and peaceful. Unfortunately there are no restrooms…read moreand you must bring your own seating but it was still a wonderful part to enjoy 3 hours out.

Love this place! Recently came here again in 2026. Went on Grotto trail by accident a year or two…read moreago. Omg! It was so intense but so worth is at the top I saw some coyotes on the others side- like a pack but the stayed on their side. Some people bring their hiking sticks and whistles and some just brave the wild :/. While we made it out alive, won't lie. Seeing like 5-6 coyotes at once kinda scared me but they were pretty far off. They have a nice little park (not a kid park with swings) you can walk around for a calmer and easier walk. They have other trails there that I haven't been on. So I'd just say wear good shoes if you're gonna tackle the big trails and maybe there hiking sticks (I need to get one) and anything for safety. It has many signs that there are rattle snakes. I haven't seen one but I believe them lol. I prefer to go early because in my mind, they wouldn't be out and about yet ‍ since it's not too hot.

A great park at the north end of San Fernando Valley. So many areas to spread out and enjoy…read more O'Melvany is listed as the second-largest public park in Los Angeles(behind Griffith Park), but still seems a pretty good secret, for the most part. On any given day you may see dogs playing, or training in social skills, exercise classes, families picnicking and kids running around. BUT ALSO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR WILDLIFE! Coyotes and mountain lions are very common, as are rattle snakes. But also bunnies, squirrels and an array of birds, for those who take the time to stop, listen, and try to identify. There is not a playground at this large park. Instead, the draw is toward it's many, well marked, hiking trails. This use to be John O'Melvany's ranch, until he deeded the land to Los Angeles(1976), with specifics for it to be used as a park. You'll still see orchards of grapefruit as you enter, with signs requesting you not remove the fruit from the area. The fruit has not been properly tended to in decades, so it's not really yummy grapefruit, but on occasion you'll see some people plucking and tasting to quell their curiosity. Mainly, to avoid the spread of fruit flies, the city requests that the yellow spheres be left in place. BUT OH THE AROMA OF THE FLOWERS FROM THESE TREES! And so many happy bees flitting about. Quite nice. This is also a park that allows access for equestrians. A very large dirt area for trailers to park and horses to be staged and prepped before heading off into the hills on the marked Equestrian Trail. If you do take the time to hike one of the many trails, you'll be rewarded with beautiful view of SFV. If you squint, you can almost imagine what it looked like pre-WWII, before the tract homes welcomed the veterans here. Many beautiful, very old, oak trees, eucalyptus and various maple species, along with a LOT of native shrubbery are found throughout the park and the one large bathroom at the center is well maintained. Hours are dawn to dusk, with gates at both the pedestrian entry and parking lot. Plenty of free parking in the lot and along the street. If you're up for an easy, but fairly long excursion, check out Bee Canyon Park. It starts just across the street from O'Melvany and DOES have a play area for kids. Also, it's trail runs all the way to Balboa. Cheers! "CC"

Great place to hang out, have a party, or just walk around. Bathrooms are usually clean and stocked…read moreand you can usually find a nice place to sit and relax

Each visit to this park clears my mind. There is a calmness that always creates a relaxing…read moreexperience. Hiking, walking, meeting veterans and hearing their stories or taking in fresh air and enjoying the scenery, it's a great vibe. Looking forward to planning a picnic here, lots of shaded areas on the ground level. There is sun on the hiking trail areas, several paths to take. Not many play areas or apparatus for children but a great park overall.

This park offers a plethora of hiking trails, picnic tables in an oak grove, and a large parking…read morelot. There is a $5 parking fee requested; but it seems like most folks, including me, park on the street for free and hike up to the trailhead. This will add about a mile to your workout (round-trip), but that's good, right? I completed the loop trail this time (trail map here https://trails.lacounty.gov/Trail/1833/wilson-canyon-loop-trail ) and really enjoyed it. There is a pretty significant altitude gain, so be prepared. The trail had definitely been affected by recent rains, with a lot of ruts in the road, but nothing impassable. You'll start out in chaparral, then go up through an oak/sycamore grove near an intermittent stream, and than descend on the north side back to the trailhead. There's also a year-round stream to the north of the hiking area; not sure if it's technically part of the park but it's worth seeking out. Hiking boots with good tread, hiking poles, and water are recommended. Hat, sunscreen and shades on sunny days. And don't forget snacks and a charged phone. Highly recommended.

Your mindset is what separates you from the rest. Let's begin this new trail adventure…read more WILSON CANYON PARK is a 2.8-mile loop trail at Sylmar, California. This trail is quite popular for horseback riding, hiking, and birding. It has an elevation gain of 705 ft.; trails were well maintained, however, there were sections of the Saddle Ranch trailhead that you go through a very narrow trench-just past the water dam structure- which doesn't look like a trail but it is part of the trailhead. You start with a very sandy trail and progresses to a rocky and then smoothed out as you ever to higher elevation. This trail has rich in flora and fauna, wild animals and insects. I saw a juvenile snake (not sure if it's a Sierra Garter snake) as I descend back. YIKES! I decided to hit the Pig Ranch trail as well. Both trails deemed Easy for experienced hikers. Fellow hikers were cordial and respectful. I even saw a male hiker, wearing plaid shirt and jeans, brought his 4 lil boys on the trail. Great family bonding. Anyways, this was a nice hike with great scenery even on a slightly foggy day. Parking has a $5 honor system as you drive inside the park. Overall, WCT is a good quick hike and I recommend it.

This nature center is located directly in the center of all the main activities for the park. There…read moreis free parking and many of the trails start right from the nature center. I thought this was a nice place to get an introduction to the wildlife, ecology and geography of the park. Admission to the nature center and the entire park is entirely free. The time I visited there was a docent on duty and a number of school children who were on day trips from the local schools.

What a great place to spend time with family and friends hiking, exploring and learning about…read morenature. I came here with my husband and son not knowing what to expect and was surprised to find this hidden gem. We had a wonderful time hiking by the creek which was active this time of the year. There are a few benches along the way to sit and take all the beauty around you in. We had to cross a few water streams while hiking which made our hike so special and beautiful. We had such a wonderful time. After the hike we had lunch at the picnic tables by the parking lot. So much to see and do here. A must visit for all nature lovers. Kid friendly. .... Love this place

If you've driven through Santa Clarita on the 14 Antelope Valley Freeway, you've probably seen the…read morestate designated Oak of the Golden Dream sign. Just take the Placerita Canyon Rd. off ramp into the beautiful Placerita Canyon Park. You'll pass the gates of the 800+ acre Walt Disney owned Golden Oak Ranch. Film location for numerous motion picture and television shooting locations; everything from Old Yeller, to Roots and the 1950s Mickey Mouse Club series Spin and Marty (if you're old enough to remember Annette Funicello, riding on horseback at the ranch). Keep going to the parking lot and follow the Oak of the Golden Dream trail. In 1839, the Mexican Government granted Antonio del Valle some 48,000 acres called Del Valle Rancho. On March 9, 1842 his brother-in-law, Francisco Lopez y Arbello took a rest from his horseback ride around the rancho under an oak tree, and dreamed of being surrounded by gold. So the story goes. Noticing his horse grazing on wild onions, Francisco spied a bright glimmer and began pulling the onions up by the roots. They were flaked with small specks of gold. The official California Gold Rush actually began right here in Santa Clarita, California. Southern not Northern California. Hmmmmm? It's an easy access hike to this wooded and serene spot.

While not particularly amazing on its own, it seems worthy for its historical significance. And…read moreit's easy to visit. While there, two people in wheelchairs joined me. The path is more a sidewalk and many upgrades (informative signs) are clearly in the works. Also, there are a few very good trails in the same park.

This is an excellent third space for walking, running, and biking (with caution)…read more Flat terrain, no shaded areas, but most of all the sense of community from the regulars who trek Hansen Dam. I've been visiting for a year on a weekly basis. One thing to be mindful for are the horse scat droppings that some horse riders apparently are careless to pick after. I've walked during the morning, midday, afternoon, and evening time. I've felt safe during all times of day and even bring my family on weekends.

My friend and I were headed to the Watermelon festival and we took the long way around which gave…read moreus an amazing tour of just how huge this place is. There are so many fields of grass that I believe are used for sports and then a lake that's for fishing it looks really clean and well maintained. The grass that I saw was soft and green with wildflowers, I did not see any foxtails so that's a plus! This would be a great location to bring my dog to walk and play and there's tons of trees providing shade! Looking across the way and seeing the actual Damn is pretty cool, it looks like a very grand structure!

This is a great space that's close to me to get some fresh air and sunshine! There is a paved road…read morethat leads up to the top where the mansion is We went on a weekend and the mansion wasn't open for tours but you can see bison if they are in the close enclosure or peer down the hill and see them there. There is a trail that you can hike down to that enclosure or if you don't want to walk but see them up close there is a parking lot near the senior Center The barnyard area is great to learn about the animals they have. The enclosures have signs explaining about the animals and I found out they do tours ! I hopped onto the tail end of the tour - I would like to go back and do the entire tour

This was a very fun "hike". It felt more like a stroll, but can still be treated as a hike. The…read moresights around there are very beautiful. There is plenty to take in. If I lived closer to Santa Clarita, this is a place I would frequent very often.