Went on a hike here and was a pretty nice hike. It's probably rated in the moderate section and if you're afraid of fly/bees or small paths with flowers touching you then I wouldn't recommend this hike. We came for the spring bloom and there were some pretty nice flowers though it looked nothing like what I saw on Instagram. Be careful, I also saw a rattlesnake in our path and we had to wait for it to pass so there are definitely snakes in the area. Other than all that if you decide to come it's still a beautiful spot. Parking - One thing I love about this place, parking was EASY. 3ish lots so it was plentiful. read more

See all

Met up a friend to go on a Thanksgiving hike before the big feast. This was our first time here and while beautiful it was a pretty moderate hike. We both wanted something more challenging and calorie burning. The trail is about 2 miles and does have some steep areas but overall it's pretty chill. This is a great hike for kids to join in, but not stroller friendly. read more

Towsley Canyon Park - Trail - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

See all

Another nice weekend that I went to bed without a plan, but 'planned' this hike in about :10 when I awoke! I've hiked here numerous times and never had a bad experience. At first, the trail didn't seem to be heading UP towards the peaks, and the 'hikers' I was passing didn't look like they were doing anything beyond lowland walks, but once I got thru the slot canyon, it finally started trending upwards. Beautiful trail and day, still very green and lush and made it out before the heat of the day. Tons of parking, easy freeway exit and on ramp. Bring yourself or the family. read more

See all

I love it there but so much is falling apart. Bubble fountain does not work and so many picnic tables are simply falling apart. Wood is rotten. Having said that, I love the place. Great area for hiking and viewing nature. I wish they would address and perhaps repair what is falling apart. read more

Today was the perfect day for this hike. I thought it started out as a great experience. It is definitely beautiful especially on a cool day. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The way up was pretty good a lot of lizards and ran into one snake. The views were spectacular but I think the trail was so narrow..one false move you could be in trouble. Parts of it were really great but I am not sure I would recommend it unless you are an avid hiker. I definitely liked it but prefer more of a wide trail. I exercise every single day and I don't care to be injured slipping on a hike. If you are an avid hiker you will love it. I felt like i was on vacation..it does give you that feeling. read more

Towsley Canyon Park - Truly beautiful - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

I always get a good workout on this hike. I do the longer loop; counter clockwise. I've been coming to this trail for over 11 years and I've notice that the trail is in need of some TLC. A lot of washed out areas. Still a great hike. read more

Towsley Canyon Park - Mother daughter hike - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

Wow. 5miles of amazing scenery - water creek, through trees, valleys, rock cliffs! Would absolutely recommend (with no kids) but note it is on the more moderate/steep side especially on the way down the hill.. took us about 2hrs with a few breaks here and there. No bathrooms.. but parking was plenty. Would recommend you start early AM when it's cooler, bring water and maybe a snack. Absolutely one of the better hikes - gorgeous views! There is also a 2mile option - but we decided to go for the longer trail! Great workout! read more

Towsley Canyon Park - Great views! - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

The trails are not as maintained as before and due to previous rainy seasons, the trails have eroded so not as paved as before and lots of areas where one can twist your ankle so beware - the loop trail does have a lot of shady parts so if you want to take your chances and if you live in SCV, it is a favorite hiking trail for locals. read more

I am pretty lucky to know people that have ventured off into the hills of Santa Clarita. A couple years ago was my first time visiting Towsley Canyon Park. It was pretty challenging for me even going through the backend first. Now that its been 3 years passed and several other hikes later, I have found the hike to be a lot more enjoyable. (without the heavy breathing) Towards the back is nice and scenic while a small creek flowing. While going up the switch backs the view is amazing while reaching to the top. There is a good amount of foot traffic but not as much as the more popular hiking locations. Parking: Free lot as you enter the park. read more

See all

This is on of the better hiking trails in the area. The mixture of flat and steep areas balance out for a great run, walk, hike or bike. The dogs would enjoy as well as they would get a good tiresome run for a good nights rest. read more

Open as of 5/13/20. Not sure if every trail is accessible however the Towsley Canyon Loop Trail was. The parking lots were open also. PARKING: As soon as you turn from Old Road onto Towsley Canyon Road (you can set your GPS to "Parking - Ed Davis Park at Towsley Canyon"), you will see the parking lot. There is one lot adjacent to the road and another lot a little further. If you can, park at the further one. They are both free. A little further down the road is an overflow pay lot. TOWSLEY CANYON LOOP TRAILHEAD: Located between the second parking lot and the pay lot, on your left. You can't miss the sign. TOWSLEY CANYON LOOP TRAIL: Absolutely stunning. Lush vegetation. Gorgeous views of verdant mountains. Beautiful wildflowers. Darting lizards and dashing butterflies. Tar pits and a gurgling stream. The trail was easy to follow but could have been better marked. It does connect with another trail which could have been marked but wasn't. Additionally, I didn't really see any maps. Taking off a star because I think it's not much effort to put up a couple extra wooden signs that can really help orient people. I did the approximately 5.6 mile loop and took the Don Mullally trail back (as opposed to the easy gravel road back to the parking lot). It was pretty challenging overall and my legs were feeling it afterward. You climb (i.e. walk uphill) for almost half of the hike and spend the other half descending. If you choose to take the Don Mullally trail back, expect to climb for about half a mile and descend for another half. TOWSLEY CANYON LOOP TRAIL TIPS: -I highly recommend the AllTrails app which has clear trail maps and can really help you if you get lost or disoriented. -I had cell phone service for most of the hike (losing it for only a short interval) so there probably isn't a need to download maps. -I also recommend a trekking pole as my toes were feeling the pain when descending. -Bring ample water as you are in the sun quite a bit plus it's a workout. -Make sure you have lunch or a couple snacks. -Lastly, it was rather buggy so bug spray could be useful here. read more

Came here recently on a nice Sunday morning hike. First time around the Santa Clarita area. It is a 5.6 mile loop with moderate amount of inclined. I say moderate as everyone's definition is different depending on how fit you are. Very interesting hike. There were natural tar pits in the area. Upon approaching a tar pit you could smell the tar already from a few feet. If you bring animals on this hike, make sure you keep a close eye on your pet to avoid stepping in tar or drinking it. There is plenty of parking on site. Make sure to lock your doors to your car and place valuables out of site. Recommend early mornings as it may get pretty warm later in the day. Crowds in the morning is not too bad when we went on a Sunday morning around 8AM. read more

See all

My all time favorite hiking trail in Santa Clarita. Every time I come here I do the 5 mile trail which is not only scenic but gives you a good workout. However, if you're a little intimidated by the 5 mile trail or want to do something lighter, there is a 2 mile trail available as well. In my opinion, the earlier you go the better because it gets REALLY hot. I also suggest when doing the 5 mile taking the back way it's a little bit easier. This trail is never crowded & is well paved so you don't have to worry about falling or injuring yourself (unless your clumsy haha.) Towsley not only offers hiking trails but also has a lot of historical value. Whether you're hiking or looking to learn, this trail is perfect for you! read more

Towsley Canyon Park - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

See all

Cool spot to hike! My friend picked it out - a bit further out in Newhall, but both challenging with great views. Parking is easy as there is a lot and you can go straight to the hike. There is also a restroom at the beginning which is always a plus for me. Hike is about 5 miles roundtrip. The last bit is a bit steep but the view is definitely worthwhile. Also like that it fully loops. read more

Convenient park with great views! Visited here on a warm Wednesday evening. There was plenty of parking in the free lot and a ton of parking in the pay lot. I saw that there were two clearly marked trails. The first one was 1.9 miles. The other was about 5 miles. We opted for the longer course. The 5 mile course started relatively flat and gradually began to climb. The climb could be a little taxing if you're not in decent shape as certain areas could be considered steep. Most of the trail was in the sun but there were a few shaded areas. Great view of the five freeway and beyond. The course was very scenic with trees, great movie untainted views, a dried stream, and bubbling tar pits. The trail for the most part was pretty level and even without rocks. Good to walk or hike and even jog if you're so inclined. I did not notice if there were any restrooms in the park. The 5 mile loop took us about one hour and 48 minutes. I'll let the photos speak for themselves. read more

See all

Great hike! The only thing is for a beginner, it could be easy to get lost. I started on the 2 mile hike and got lost and ventured on to the 5 mile hike for a total of 7 miles. I'd recommend downloading a trail app to make sure you're going the right way, however if you get lost like I did, the view is amazing! read more

See all

Really enjoy coming here to hike. Today we started around 8am and finished around 10:30am. We decided to take the long scenic trail. It's about 6.5 miles from start to finish. I like that it doesnt get super crowded, parking is never a problem and the people on the trails are pretty friendly. There are multiple trails that are a lot shorter but i prefer the long hikes. Definately bring lots of water, snacks and sunscreen. read more

Towsley Canyon Park - Top of the mountain - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

See all

Can't complain with this trail. Looking for a good distance hiking trail, Towsley is perfect. It's a pretty easy hike. My sister and I did close to six miles. Hoping to go back once it gets cooler. read more

Towsley Canyon Park - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

See all

Great little nature gem right here in Santa Clarita. Beautiful wilderness trails and historic remains of the old oil boom in area back in the day. There are two main trails to hike on. The first fork you hit is a shorter loop but much more challenging due to the hills. The other is longer and more flat. During the wet (rare for So Cal) there is a small creek the flows out of the canyon. At the very end there is a small waterfall too - again it has to have been raining in the hills recently. You will also see caves, and oil wells among little snakes, lizards, and critters. So close to town, but a few minutes into the hike you feel away from it all and surrounded by nature. read more

Towsley Canyon Park - View of trail head from the parking lot. - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

The loop trail is just as great of a hike as others have described. Wouldn't recommend that you do it around noon in September, the way I did, unless you're trying to build up heat tolerance or something, but would recommend in general. And in that case, please bring enough water and dress appropriately and wear sunscreen! As others have said, it's not the easiest hike. I wouldn't bring really young kids who might get tired easily, but it can be done in a couple of hours at a moderate pace with some rest stops/photo ops in between. If you eat before and after the hike I don't think snacks are NECESSARY but a mini Kind bar definitely boosted my spirits and energy when I was about half way through. Parking off the Old Road is easy, and the first bit of the trail is paved. read more

See all

The Runyon of Santa Clarita. 2.5 Miles Up and 2.5 miles down. It's a loop trail. Get there early as it gets crowded and parking gets full. read more

Towsley Canyon Park - June Gloom - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

This loop hike is absolutely a relatively hidden gem of the northern L.A. area. Directions from L.A.: The 5 north to Calgrove; take the exit west of the freeway and L on The Old Road. The parking lot is just a hundred yards or so on the right, and free. There is a lot a little further in (also free), and an overflow lot parallel to The Old Road. There are two loops as you head in from the parking lot - one slightly over 5 miles, and one slightly over 2 miles; both clockwise and counterclockwise on the loops is doable, but going clockwise may be sliiiightly easier on the knees because the steeper part will be at the beginning. This review is for the larger loop, but the smaller loop is fun to tag on at the end if you don't quite feel tired yet. Difficulty: 3+/5. It has its steep portions, but also its nice, scenic, shaded, relaxing portions as well. Five miles of off-and-on intensity is the perfect workout for a solid hike, or for someone looking to make the jump from easy to moderate hiking Scenery: 5/5. Especially on a clear days, you have several beautiful viewpoints of the Santa Clarita Valley. It's not just a trail through a hill of chaparral either; there are more forested regions, large oak trees, a few funky rock formations, and a bubbly little TAR PIT! There is a creek that has water in the spring too. I've seen deer, large rattlers, a variety of birds, and a coyote on this hike. Even when it's drier out, there are still shaded portions. Crowds: 4/5. I've mostly done this hike on weekdays, and it's never been crowded whatsoever, especially compared to hikes closer to LA. The one Saturday afternoon (on a holiday) I went was packed, so do keep that in mind. Bring water, but there is a spigot and water fountain near the nature center area. read more

Really nice options for a hike. 2 miles or 4+. And a lollipop shape too so you can't get lost. It's narrow with steep ravines on either side sometimes, so I wouldn't take a small toddler/ kid there because it's not wide enough to hold hands. But that's just me. read more

See all

Really easy parking although it can get quite busy on a weekend. I love the 4 mile loop. It's a pretty steep uphill climb in parts but a great workout and good for the glutes. Plus the views from the top are beautiful. I recommend good shoes, a lot of water and sun screen. Be sure to keep an eye out for snakes and other wildlife too. And check for ticks when you get home. read more

See all

The day is gorgeous out hear and my hiking shoe's are all lasted up and ready to go! Thanks to the rain we experienced recently the trail was all most in perfect condition with the sun a shining , blue skies , and a light breeze. It turned out to be a two hour trip and my toes are on fire! read more

See all

This is a beautiful serene hike just off the 5 Fwy and overlooks the Newhall Pass. Fairly well hiked, so it can occasionally be crowded. A decent incline for the occasional hiker. Trails are somewhat narrow on the shorter hike. read more

While it's only a stone's throw from the 5 freeway, Towsley Canyon provides an authentic nature experience. There are multiple trails of varying levels of difficulty (some with incredible panoramic views), a picnic area, and benches upon which to sit and reflect on the divinity of that around us. Wildlife is everywhere. Be careful where you step. Last week, I saw a tarantula hawk wasp sting a tarantula (to paralysis) and drag it to a burrow. I've seen many garter snakes, a chorus frog, a possum, coyotes, a bobcat kitten, brush rabbits, squirrels, a long-tailed weasel, all sorts of lizards, mule deer, a pocket gopher, and a variety of birds. Today, I saw a gray fox. Sojourn quietly, soak in the tranquility and keep your eyes open to nature's bounty. Parking can be tough so get there early on nice days. Bring water, sunscreen, and an appreciation of quietude. read more

Loved this trail we went a few days ago and it was very nice... You feel safe... I didn't even see no snakes or wild animals, just a occasional bee fly or mosquito that would dive in your ear and startle you lol We took the trail up and the right one and it was a high intense workout for me and my two friends one being on dialysis but he made it... Now few days later my buns and thigh are on fire ha-ha Make sure you wear goooood climbling shoes. These hills are no joke and you will slide or fall down if you don't. read more

Towsley Canyon Park - Looking where we have to hike up to - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

Great hiking spot. Beautiful scenery, nice trails. The 5 mile loop is a great workout. Make sure you bring water. read more

See all

Ample parking, well marked trails, not too crowded, and some nice switchback hiking to get your legs working. Very much enjoyed this hike. Recommended. read more

Towsley is a beautiful place to hike, no matter the time of year. We went on a warm Friday evening-not too many hikers on the trail. Even though it was a dry landscape, it was still so beautiful! read more

See all

For a full description of the trail, please watch my video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnlwV_uUf7A. The Towsley Canyon hike is a fun and challenging trail that works its way deep into the canyon and crosses a lush forested and rocky area with cliffs looming directly above you. The sunlight is blocked out, creating a cool and comfortable atmosphere. The stream was not active during the summer time, but may well be running now in December. The elevation gain is fairly mild at the beginning, but that changes once you cross over to the switchbacks on the opposite side of the rocky patches. Then it gets real! The hike continues up to an elevation of approximately 2500 feet. The view is amazing once you start climbing up the switches! However, unlike other hikes, there does not appear to be any definitive summit, as the trail meanders up a small peak and down the other side into a saddle. On the opposite side of the saddle, the foliage changes drastically, resembling grassy plane more than the desert environment that surrounds the area. There is a beautiful vantage point from beneath the big tree overlooking the valley below. At this point, you have the choice of coming down the backside of the trail, which ultimately loops around and back to a point on the lower trail. The only draw back to the trail is that it can be a bit confusing at the outset. There are two parking lots, one near the main road and the other about a 3/4 mile in; the lower low lot is free but the upper requires a $7.50 parking fee. However, if you park in the lower lot, you will spend several minutes walking on a hardball road with light to moderate vehicular traffic. The bigger issue with the trail is the crowds. If you do not get to the trail before 8 am, you will constantly be passing people, bikes, and dogs. This is particularly problematic in the area by the stream before the switchbacks, wherein the trail is narrow and traffic is channelized. For a full description of the trail, please watch my video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnlwV_uUf7A. read more

Towsley rocks my workout world. The trailhead is only 1.9 miles, but it's a solid up (no matter which direction you start from) and easy down and it's nature-y enough to make it feel like you're not in suburbia. The loop is 5.2 miles and although I've only done it once, I think I'll go for it the next time around since the 1.9 miler was a bit too fast and furious to really feel like a good calorie burn sesh. People often talk about seeing snakes there, but I've been plenty of times and never even heard a ssssssssss. It's pretty dry, and since Santa Clarita is prone to fires, just be cautious of when and where you choose to hike. Parking is free in the front, which I give two thumbs up to. read more

This is an amazing hiking/park area. I went on the 5.1 mile loop counterclockwise and it was challenging but very steep on the way down. To my knowledge when you get to the fallen over tree that is the highest elevation you will reach if you are planning to eat somewhere. It provides a great view of the valley. read more

Towsley Canyon Park - Highest point - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

See all

Awesome trail... it really is a quick workout since it's basically uphill the entire way. So why the 2 stars? My boyfriend and I did the smaller loop the first time we visited. It was such a nice, beautiful Spring day, and while we were strolling by a grassy knoll area, I heard the sound of what I thought were sprinklers (blame the city girl in me). "Hmm...I didn't know they had sprinklers in these kinda parks," I laughed to my boyfriend. I guess I was in Lala land or something because when I hadn't noticed he had stopped walking. "That's because these kind parks don't have sprinkles," he replied to me, gesturing over to this huge rattlesnake that was definitely not happy. (The sound of a sprinkler turning on an a rattle are eerily alike, I discovered.) So we obviously freaked out and it actually came slithering after us for a little. I saw it's beady little eyes and everything. The second time we tried it out, we decided we wanted to take the long loop. Granted, it probably wasn't a good idea that we didn't look at a map before embarking on the trail, but we figured the signs would be good enough. The hike itself was great, until we got to the point were the signs were pretty unrecognizable. It just looked like the train ended where the rocks were, there was a creek bed full of water (turns out, you just keep going along that and you're like 1/2 a mile away from the end). Since we started at around 3:30, it was now getting a little closer to sundown which freaked me out. Neither of us had phone signal so we figured we should just try to hurry and turn around. So in the end, a 5.2 mile loop turned into a 10 mile one -- we didn't get outta there 'till 9. (The sounds you hear of animals creeping and crawling in pitch black darkness is not fun, either.) When we got to the car, we were greeted by a jerk ranger who thought we had purposely stayed after hours. We tried to explain to him that it was our first time and he just said we could have called him for directions (uh, no signal) or "not been stupid" and checked the map first. He slapped a $175 ticket for the both of us, and a $75 parking ticket for the car. I tried contesting my ticket and it didn't work out, so I ended up having to pay for it. Did it over the phone and somehow my ticket turned into a $200 something dollar one. Whatever, I was so over it by then. read more

Came here for a hike on President's Day and really enjoyed it. The trail for the most part is clean and when we got there at noon the trail was still pretty empty. More foot traffic around 2 when we were leaving. There are a couple of loop trails, one is 1.5 miles and I don't know the length of the longer one but it takes a few hours if walking it. We started on the shorter trail and ended up on the longer one which gets pretty steep. We turned back part way as we only wanted our hike to last a couple of hours. A couple of cool features to the trail include little streams, a lot of shale and tar. In fact there is even a mini bubbling tar pit along the way. Parking is free in the bottom lot so on the weekend you might have to wait for a space to open up. read more

Towsley's a nice little workout! I go here sometimes on my lunch break. Its a quick enough trail to be done in less than an hour. Its a pretty easy trail, but it starts by snaking up the mountain. No pun intended. The trails pretty narrow so all you gotta do is be careful of mountain bikers creeping the corners. Everyone who comes out is pretty friendly so it really shouldn't be a problem brushing shoulders a little. Once you reach the top, you make your way down into a little canyon with some cool rock formations. Its not the Grand Canyon or anything, but it gets you away from the city at least for a little while. At the last part of the trail is just wide and flat. If you want to finish with a little boosted heart rate, SPRINT the rest! I've been coming here for years now and I still haven't seen a snake but still be a little cautious. Don't worry about parking. Its FREE! ?Just make sure you're parking in their lot because I've seen people park outside of it and get tickets. read more

If you use this park, be wary of the powerhungry ticket-writing rangers. They manage the park under the umbrella of the MRCA (Mountains Recreation Conservation Authority) -- the same organization that has now made millions of dollars using secretive, and questionably legal, stop sign photos in parks around Mulholland Drive/Topanga Canyon. Instead of looking for honest sources of revenue, the organization is continuously taking money from its park users in an underhanded, penalizing, distrustful way. See resources here: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2010/09/26/socal-stop-sign-camera-locations-revealed/ http://www.palisadespost.com/content/index.cfm?Story_ID=3023 Frankly, I used to really enjoy the Towsley hiking area, but last time I was here the ranger I encountered was a total jerk and slapped me with parking tickets (for one car) totalling nearly $300 for my 45 minutes of park use even though I parked in a legal space in an approved lot and was abiding by the posted rules. Not at all a relaxing hiking experience and I won't be going back or supporting their cause. If they want donations and support, they shouldn't alienate their loyal users. read more

I had my first adventure through Towsley Canyon today, and I have to say, it's a pretty spectacular spot to hike! Because it's off the beaten path, up off the 5 near Valencia, it feels like it's a hundred miles from the city in the best possible way. My friends had been here before, so they knew which path to take to ensure that the 5.2 miles we were going would be uphill and hard work!! A person could definitely hike this same loop from the opposite direction, and be down hill for most of the trek, making this ideal for someone who is looking either for a long, leisurely hike OR a good, hard run. The views are amazing, this hike reminds me of Malibu Creek State Park, but is infinitely easier to get to from my part of town. The paths were clearly marked with mile numbers as well, and I'm confident I could find the shorter trail if I went back without my friends. We did see a rattler on the trail- he was probably 3 1/2 feet long, just crossing the path in front of us. As a regular hiker who is used to seeing a snake at least once a month in the summer, I spotted him ten feet off, and I wasn't scared or surprised. We just stopped for thirty seconds and let him cross, and then went on our way as he cowered in the shade a few feet off the path, feeling safe and tucked away, with no need to rattle or strike. No offense to other Yelpers who were unhappy about seeing (or hearing) rattle snakes, but if you wander out into nature in Southern California, you have to expect to encounter snakes, coyotes, and other stuff. I'm far more afraid of crossing paths with a cougar, personally! I didn't have any problems with parking (which was free) or the rangers (didn't see any) and genuinely had a nice adventure. I'd recommend this trail to anyone looking for a new spot to hike!!! read more

This is a solid workout spot that I use when I'm short on time. The area is mainly used by the locals but if you live in the Valley it's only a 20 minute drive out to on the weekends. There are two loops an outer and inner loop. One is about two miles and the other one is five. Both climb sections of the ridge between Towsley Canyon and a small subsidiary canyon. When I'm by myself I'll typically start out doing the outer loop going counter-clockwise and then doing the inner loop clockwise which takes about 1.5 hours for me with running the downhills and straight aways. This is a pretty exposed hike so isn't apropos on your typical summer day. I would suggest at the least do the outer loop which will give you nice views of the freeway and the Santa Clarita Valley. The entire area was known for the oil drilling that occurred there due to fault activity. Remnants of that can be found with some seeping oil where the holes were not completely plugged and some equipment if you look for it closely. The highlight is where the creek flows through an obvious faulted rock area and squezes through a slit of about 20-25 feet wide called the Narrows. During the winter, it becomes fun trying to stay dry in this section. Either way a stop inside is pretty cool and is some clear physical evidence of our earthquake country in action. read more