Easy drive out to the Rocks on an OHV Rec area if you have 4X4, but still totally doable (on a…read morenon-rainy day) in a car if you take it slow. The hike itself to the rocks isn't much of a hike, but it's pretty isolated and fun to explore. Even w the motorcycles whining in the distance, it's still pretty quite. I didn't do much more than explore the Rocks, so that's all I'll comment on, but it's a large area and I'm sure you'll find your fun!

Texas Canyon is a large unincorporated area located within the Sierra Pelona mountains between…read moreSanta Clarita and Agua Dulce. Within the canyon there is a section that has a number of large and steep rugged rocks and cliffs that are ideal for rock climbing. Many of the rocks and some of the 100+ climbing routes have even been named. The most prominent rock is a 150-foot rock pillar named Hyperion Slab, also known as, "The Chicken." Personally I think "Darth Vader's Helmet" would have been a more fitting name. The area is rich in wildflowers so as a result there are a large number of bees. Their omnipresent buzzing can be heard in the background as you are explore the area. There is a large and very interesting appearing hive that is located in a crevice of the east face of Hyperion Slab. The area is also used by off highway vehicle (OHV) users. Rowher Flats OHV Area is located north of the canyon. At the Rowher Flats parking lot there are picnic benches, BBQ pits and a bathroom. There area has endless hiking and biking trails. There are a few small Indian caves located near the crag and further north there is an abandoned mine called "Silver King Mine." The entrance is barricaded with steel beams. The location of the mine can be seen on Google maps. To get to the site from Santa Clarita, take Sierra Hwy north about 5 miles and then turn left on Rush Canyon Road (5N13). You will see a sign for Rowher Flats OHV area. The paved road transitions to a dirt road. Continue for about 1.8 miles until you reach a gated fire road that's off to the left. Park and follow the fire road a short while. The path to the rocks will become obvious as you get closer.

This is a 932 acre park made of sandstone formations. This park is out of this world: and literally…read moreas known for iconic movie filming like Star Trek, Flintstones and more. A great place to immerse yourself in this beautiful backdrop within Agua Dulce which is off highway 14 and too far away from LA. This park affords you multiple trails to explore the area, Rocks to climb and local wildlife can sometimes be looming, but watch out for snakes. Park also has an amazing nature center. Lastly the park offers special events like nature walks. If you have not been to this park, it is definitely worth a visit. Plenty of parking within the park!

FUN rock scrambling at almost 45 degrees! It was slightly out of the way on our drive to LA but I…read morewanted to come here for a long time. A lot of movies, music videos, and TV have been filmed here, often to depict otherworldly alien landscape, it was in a couple episodes of Star Trek and the gift shop has some Star Trek related merchandise. You can park right next to the famous rocks and go climbing up, this is my favorite type of park since there are no guardrails or fences, you can go where you want. Be careful though, the ranger told us the week before we went someone got scared coming down and broke their ankle and had to be airlifted out, remember it's always easy to climb up than it is to climb down. Toward the back of the famous rocks are some nice boulders and a hike you can go on, some of these rocks look like animals or faces and is worth checking out if the famous ones are too crowded. The witches hat is a bit hard to find but go to the visitor center and it's walkable from there. The rangers can help you find it, there are also animals in the different sheds you can check out.

Over Thanksgiving weekend I wanted to get some fresh air and burn off a few holiday indulgences, so…read moreI found this great trail to hike with an excellent view of the Quartz Hill/Palmdale area. This is also a trail that memorializes a local hero (Sgt Steve Owen of the LA County Sheriff's Dept) that was gunned down and then executed by a parolee with a stolen gun during an attempted robbery. https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-sergeant-steve-owen-killed-20161006-snap-story.html The trail begins along the Palmdale aqueduct (a section really popular with runners and dog walkers) and then veers off to the right at about the 0.5 mile mark to begin the ascent to the first memorial bench on top of a lookout point. The out and back hike in total is short at 3.5 miles, with all of the elevation gain in little over a mile, so consider this more of a mini peak hike to get some morning exercise and take in a great view of the AV. There's ample free parking across the street from the trailhead and a porta potty. If you don't want to hike the hill, there's also the paved side of the Palmdale Aqueduct trail that's also accessible from this trailhead.

Nice little hike. Lots of trails. Good place for dogs. Watch out for snakes during seasonread more

Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness contains 26,839 acres of pristine California land reaching from the…read moremountains to the desert. I found out about it by accident while on the hunt for wildflowers; I entered the Wilderness from the west, via the Burkhart Trail next to Buckhorn Campground in the Angeles National Forest. This wilderness is home to several trails, including the Pacific Crest Trail and Islip Saddle, and offers some of the most stunning land I've ever seen. Please check your GPS before heading off into the wilderness; the directions on Yelp may not be 100% accurate. An actual paper map will be more accurate in this area; there is no service or signal. I parked in the Burkhart Trail parking lot and entered from there. Take your charged phone (you may still be able to call or text 911 in case of emergency),map and compass, snacks, water, and anything necessary to survive completely on your own. Look out for falling trees; this area burned not too long ago but seems to be recovering beautifully. You will be rewarded for your efforts by views of unspoiled lands, wildflowers, pine trees, waterfalls and wildlife. Absolutely stunning. Protect your wilderness by leaving no trace; pack it in and pack it out https://lnt.org/ Let someone know when you are going; folks have been lost in the area. Stay safe and enjoy this spectacular experience.

There are a lot of trails out here. Some are just for atvs and bikes. And you have to be careful,…read morebecause many of the trails have black diamond offshoots that can mess you up if you're. it careful, or at least prepared. lovely place.

Although COVID cancelled our hikes overlooking Lake Tahoe, we tried Bouquet Canyon reservoir as a…read moresubstitute. Granted, not an equal replacement but was still enjoyable with multiple vistas of the man-made lake and a few patches of wildflowers. We started at Forest Road 6N08 and Bouquet Canyon Road along the eastern edge of the reservoir and just kept going up until we reached the top of Martindale Ridge. The ridge is also accessible from opposite side via Sierra Highway near Agua Dulce. Not an area of the Angeles National Forest where environment concerns are at the forefront, the roads are legal for Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) use like dirt bikes, ATVs, and 4-wheelers. We were the only hikers on the dirt roads which we safely shared with six motorcyclists and a dozen 4x4s. As with most off-roading areas, multiple tracks were cut through the mountains. The trails were either named Martindale Ridge Road or Rowher OHV Trail. Consequently, it's easy to confuse the two and depending on the route taken, distances can greatly vary. For example, we hiked 5.0 miles going up and 3.8 miles returning down. The entire hike was 8.9 miles with a 1700' elevation difference.

"Jessie " lifeguard at Castaic Lake was exceptionally helpful and professional. He assisted my…read morehusband with trailering our boat at Castaic Lake and gave us clear directions to the showers and Aquatic Center beach area . We were on the west side of Lake . "Jessie"was super friendly and made our experience very pleasant. Thank you, Jessie. We were able to locate the showers on the aquatic center and it felt wonderful , being on the boat all day We actually had a blast getting clean for our drive home. What really impressed my family and I was Casta Lake had lifeguards on the water that frequently checked on us being available.

Everything went great at this place Well, organized and…read moreclean friendly atmosphere. All the best to management & crew.

This is little-known short trail that leads to a great big rocky outcrop with steep drop-offs and…read moresweeping views of Castaic Wilderness in the Angeles National Forest. The trail is 1 mile (there-and-back). The trailhead is located up the road and north of Castaic Lake, off of Lake Hughes Rd. Park in the dirt off the the side of the road. You'll see a narrow trail that follows the edge of the mountain. There are sections that are slightly overgrown. I walked slowly watching carefully for snakes. You'll see all kinds of wildflowers if you go in the spring. The recent rains has turned the vegetation green. There was long grass flowing in the wind. Once you reach the large rock outcrop you'll get to examine a number of small openings in the rock, peak into small caves and climb through a large slit in the middle of the rock formation. There's a real dangerous cliff-section where you need to use some caution and not let kids play unsupervised. Overall it's a fun trail with lots to see and explore. It's a nice teaser that will make you want to explore other trails in the area.

I hiked a trail and almost stepped on a rattlesnake…read more 5/5 would highly recommend. During super bloom poppy season this place can get hectic, come early if you want to see some poppies. The lot will fill up FAST. In the off season it's a great place for hikes for every skill level.

A trip to the antelope valley to visit the Poppy Preserve is always a fun relaxing thing to do when…read moreits not too busy. How busy the reserve is, is based on the bloom level and the time you come to the park. To beat the crowd, we visited the reserve when they opened at 7am on a weekday. And you may be treated to a beautiful sunrise at this time. Note, its also good to visit the park early in the morning due to the lack of shade. Unfortunately in 2026, and at the end of March we did not experience a super bloom within the reserve but still beautiful to walk through the reserve and see the various flowers, including the poppy flowers. Plus there are very well manicured trails that circle the park- please stay on the trails and off the flowers. Note it does cost 10 dollars for parking at the reserve. If you have a state park pass, bring it as can be used instead of paying. Note during super blooms and weekends the parking can get super busy. During this time you will find people parking outside of the park. If you do not want to pay to see the blooms in the park, there are plenty of places to view outside of the park. Just check out information online to find where the best blooms are. We actually found the blooms to be better outside of the park in 2026. Lastly, be on the look out for snakes. Three types of snakes are known at this park.