Placerita Canyon State Park is a California State Park located on the north slope of the western

San Gabriel Mountains The San Gabriel Mountains ( es, Sierra de San Gabriel) are a mountain range located in northern Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range is part of the Tr ...

, in an unincorporated rural area of

Los Angeles County Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of 2022. It is the ...

, near the city of Santa Clarita. The park hosts a variety of historic and natural sites, as well as serving as a trailhead for several hiking trails leading into the San Gabriel Mountains.

Cultural history

Oak of the Golden Dream, Placerita Canyon State Park

The area of Placerita Canyon, in addition to the Santa Clarita Valley and the surrounding mountains, have been inhabited by the native Tataviam since time immemorial. In 1842, the region was annexed under Rancho San Francisco, part of the larger Mexican land grant system that was dissolved 8 years later with

California statehood The history of California can be divided into the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Native American period (about 10,000 years ago until 1542), the Exploration of North America, European exploration period (1542–1769), the Spanish colonial ...

inside the United States. The park preserves the site of the first documented discovery of gold in California where in 1842, Francisco Lopez found gold flakes on wild onion roots under the "

Oak of the Golden Dream Rancho San Francisco was a land grant in present-day northwestern Los Angeles County and eastern Ventura County, California. It was a grant of by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to Antonio del Valle, a Mexican army officer, in recognition for his se ...

". In 1900, oil was discovered within the valley. The park is near several movie ranches, all historic and active, including the Monogram Movie Ranch—Melody Ranch and the Disney—Golden Oak Ranch. *The "

" is California Historical Landmark #168.

Geography

Placerita Canyon State Park is located along Placerita Creek in the southeastern Santa Clarita Valley, just outside the city limits of Santa Clarita but within its sphere of influence. It lies between the Santa Clarita neighborhoods of Newhall and Sand Canyon. The park, under the name Placerita Canyon Natural Area, is currently managed by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. The Placerita Canyon Nature Center is the park's visitor center and museum. The park also contains the Walker Cabin (a restored and furnished 1920s cabin of the Walker family), and hiking and nature trails.

Geology

The park is also notable for a seepage of 'white' oil - unknown anywhere else in the world. This late 19th century discovery of oil surprised the prospectors because it is naturally filtered so that it is not black but transparent. A small pool of it continues to be active by the trailside leading up from the Nature Center to the Walker Ranch.

Ecology

Located in the transition zone between the

' California montane chaparral and woodlands ecoregion, and the Mojave's Deserts and xeric shrublands Biome in the California Floristic Province, th
Placerita Canyon Flora
is complex. Placerita Canyon State Park is in the east-west trending Placerita Canyon on the Placerita Fault and contains sandstone and metamorphic formations, and seasonal streams. Chaparral and Coast Live Oak woodland plant communities are represented. Riparian woodlands at the park include three species of native trees including

arroyo willow ''Salix lasiolepis'' (arroyo willow) is a species of willow native to western North America. Distribution The core range of the arroyo willow includes most of California, including the California Coast Ranges, Arizona, Klamath Mountains, Peninsu ...

, cottonwood, and native

California sycamore ''Platanus racemosa'' is a species of plane tree known by several common names, including California sycamore, western sycamore, California plane tree, and in North American Spanish aliso. ''Platanus racemosa'' is native to California and Baja C ...

.http://www.placerita.org/ www.placerita.org "Placerita Canyon Nature Center." Retrieved 5/11/2010.

Gallery

References

External links

Placerita Canyon State Park websiteLos Angeles County Parks and Recreation: Placerita Canyon Natural Area websitePlacerita Canyon Nature Center Associates websiteSanta Clarita Valley Historical Society websiteCity of Santa Clarita Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival
{{authority control 1950 establishments in California California Gold Rush Geography of Los Angeles County, California History of Los Angeles County, California Mexican California Nature centers in California Parks in Los Angeles County, California Santa Clarita, California Protected areas established in 1950 San Gabriel Mountains State parks of California