A friend took me to Whitney Canyon Waterfall today, and wow what an adventure. The hike is moderate, 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. read more

When you're ending the year 2025 with a hiking adventure. Let's begin this banger review. 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. read more

Whitney Canyon Park - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

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Today was my first time going and it was amazing. I did "The Beast" trail. It's not for beginners. This trail is completely uphill and it took me near 3 hrs to get there. There are many trails at this canyon which is a huge relief because you can explore other locations within the same canyon. I wouldn't necessarily say this is a kid friendly hiking trail due to its steep, uphill, and loose gravel. Beautiful waterfalls and views. I advise you to go early rather than later due to parking. Check the weather before going as well. It's mostly quiet and you will see some hikers here and there but you're mostly on your own. Hiking shoes is a must! Be aware for snakes as there are holes everywhere. read more

Whitney Canyon Park - Mile marker - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

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Whitney Canyon Park offers well-maintained hiking trails in a lovely environment including chaparral and riparian habitats. And there are waterfalls, too. Having hiked here twice, I encountered one waterfall that had water and one that did not. I'm not sure if the waterfalls are year-round or if they depend on the rainfall in any given year; either way, they're located in beautiful canyons well worth the effort to find out. There are wildflowers to be found in spring, also depending on rainfall. Whitney Canyon was named after a local rancher, John Whitney, who owned the property at one point. The property was then purchased by the county and used as a recreational ranch. Oil was also discovered and there are active oil pumps nearby. The land (442 acres) then narrowly avoided being turned into an OHV site or dump; it was dedicated as open space after being purchased by the City of Santa Clarita and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Thank goodness. Free ample parking. Free admission. Great place to relax, hike, and get some fresh air and exercise. Highly recommended. read more

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Love it here I've been 3 times and had an amazing experience each time. I can't find the pictures I took but it was very relaxing and a great hike read more

Whitney Canyon Waterfalls. Truly a beautiful hike! Easy to navigate with the All Trails App. The trail starts with a wide open pathway and as you get closer to the flowing water, the pathway gets more narrow. Follow the water up stream and you will get to the base of the waterfall with ease. Be on the lookout for animals to and from the falls. Expect to cross the water a few times in order to get to the waterfall. You should be comfortable with getting wet and muddy! Looking forward to our next hike! Also, we recommend starting early. Although there are many trees, it's a popular trail and it can get busy. Enjoy! read more

But of a confusing layout for first time hiking, Easy to find, abundant parking adjacent to a "park and ride" right by the freeway exit. Upon passing the trailhead sign, need to turn RIGHT and not left into what looks like a barn/open area with a zigzagging uphill trail on the left. We started going up it before realizing it was too steep to be the trail from what we read in the descriptions and turned around and were confronted with some sort of ranger worker who informed us we were at the wrong place. Then we went to the right where it split into two trails with no signage as to which was the one toward the falls. Went in August and it was really hot and the water was dried up. Also bugs. read more

My BF found this hidden gem and I'm glad he took me here. The pathway is mostly paved until you surpass the first stream of waterfall. Then if you're adventurous and up for a challenge, you'll have to do a bit of bouldering to maneuver pass the first waterfall to get to the second and third tier. I was hesitant but with cautious planning, it's definitely doable. I highly recommend this trail if you're looking to find a hike that isn't crowded. If you choose to just stick with the path, this is easily doable for all ages. However, if you want to see more waterfall, then I'd rate this hike more on the tough moderate level side. read more

Whitney Canyon Park - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

It's a nice hike out to the falls especially after the recent rains. It's a little squirrelly as you get close to the falls as you have to traverse the river a few times. It's a lot easier if you're willing to get your feet and legs wet. My iWatch said about 4 miles there and back, but that maps says 3, so ‍. When you make it to the falls there's a few different levels and there are some ropes to help you concur the rock faces without getting in the wet, but your mileage may vary. It's a fairly easy hike and definitely worth the trek! read more

Excellent choice for a family friendly trail. I would consider the trail easy. If you go during the right time you could see one or more waterfalls on this trail. I used the alltrails app and it worked perfectly and guided me correctly. To make it to the first waterfall you will have to hike in about 1.5 miles in. The trail is currently green and nicely shaded in some parts. Parking is easy and you can park on the concrete parking lot or dirt parking lot. The trailhead is close to the 14 freeway. Keep in mind there are two trails here. Take the one closest to the dirt parking lot for the waterfall trail. I am definitely looking forward to hiking here one day with my husband and future children. read more

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Great hike to visit to see waterfalls and features! Watch out for poison oak (it's all over) and I wish there was a place for the fig to be off leash. *bring your own baggies. No trash, water or bathrooms. read more

My new, favorite trail. It's only a mile away from home, which is a major plus! There's usually ample parking, which is great! There are also multiple trails, from beginner level to advanced. The dog owners here are also considerate and clean up after them. You can catch a gorgeous sunset here and there's waterfalls!! So much greenery and serenity here. I need to come here more often! read more

It's a well maintained series of easy to mid-tiered hiking trails, that has excellent and easy off/on freeway access with a smaller upper parking lot, but a larger one just around the corner. The trails are well maintained and you can find waterfalls in the canyons or peaks up above; the trails even connect to various other parks if you'd like to hike far enough! read more

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Epic, multiple waterfalls. Very buggy trail, mostly flies. Hike is easy until the very end where it becomes a little precarious with some scrambling and rope assisted areas if you wish to reach the many upper falls. read more

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This hiking place is good for work out. My hiking buddy and I took The Beast and we didn't finish it. It was a hot day when we hiked. We are almost to the top when we decided to come back down. It is better to hike this trail early. Elsmere Canyon Trail is manageable. Lots of shades and easy trek. Parking gets full but you can always find a spot. No bathroom facility. read more

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Gravel parking. NO bathrooms or water available. Dogs allowed. So be prepared. The trail is ok. I would request only going in the morning or early evening with lots of water. I also suggest dog boots and/or short nails, because the trail can be rough on a dog's paws. My guy got a stone bruise on some of the larger stones. Boots would have helped with the foxtails too. read more

So far my favorite trail locally. It's approximately 3.2 mile out and back. You'll be crossing more than 6 streams. If you're planning on seeing the multi level waterfalls make sure to wear shoes with very good grip. It gets really slippery walking the rocks specially when wet. read more

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Such a great hike! Placerita was closed for Christmas so we decided to check this one out. My new fav! The path we took included lots of uphill treks but then also got pretty low into a valley. This means you have to prepare for both sun and shade. There isn't really a rewarding view or anything but the workout factor is great. There aren't many hikers around so don't come alone. read more

Whitney Canyon Park - High - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

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Me and my 14 year old went there today. The water is still flowing strong. The creek runs pretty much along the trail. You do have to cross several creek crossings. There are rocks and fallen trees you can use to cross but they are wet, muddy and slippery. Many people simply waded through them. It's really not a bad idea on a warm and sunny day like today. Overall it's a great hike. The waterfall at the end (we didn't climb the rock and go further) is worth it. I'd say half of the trail is well shaded. Also to mention, later part of the trail is narrow. At certain parts we needed to let people from the opposite direction go first. read more

I was out here yesterday morning with some friends we went hiking we found a waterfall that was about 10 feet tall

This was very easy to find. Definitely a great first time experience with lots of different trails to go along. I went on the trail that leads you to a few waterfalls. This hike was more like a long moderate trail that loops around. In total about 3.5 miles or so. I highly recommend this place for a great easy to moderate hike. read more

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Whitney Fall is by far the most beautiful hiking trail in Santa Clarita, easy trail and ends with about 5-6 beautiful waterfalls ( rocky climb, but worth it), on the way to the falls, plush green shade trees, plants and hundreds of colorful wild flowers everywhere. just breathtaking I could hike this everyday, hardly anyone there, it's like your in Montana or somewhere else, feel in a plush green forest. read more

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Nice views, very pretty Different trail options, some trails have less elevation and are easier for beginners and vice versa read more

Unfortunately, I didn't fully read the reviews before hand so I ended up doing the flat trail inside the park, not "The Beast". I arrived around 2:00 on a Sunday and there were a few spots still open in the dirt area so I snagged one. Park for free here if possible, otherwise there is $5 parking inside the gate. Despite all the cars I only saw 1 family the entire 4 mile hike. I suppose everyone else was tackling the Beast. This trail was pretty uneventful. There are some pretty wicked awesome trees though, very Tim Burton-esque. The trail was clear of trash but it is very apparent lots of horseback riding occurs here so keep an eye out where you step. Dogs on leashes are also allowed. This particular trail I would not hike again, but I'm coming back for the Beast. read more

Whitney Canyon Park - Too many power lines for my taste. - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

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Hike was easy but going up to the top of the falls is a little challenging . It's a really beautiful hike, I scared a random deer , it ran. read more

I feel like I am cheating on Placerita, but Whitney is so unique in itself. The open space and the uphill trails made me humble to know that I need to really keep in shape. I loved the open space, but I did not like that there was no signage to direct you where you may want to go. Parking is easy and not an issue when I went on 05/17. I am not sure if this changes throughout the year. I will continue exploring Whitney even though I feel I am betraying Placerita. The buzzing power lines up on the skies make me feel like I will get zapped at any moment. The beast exists. You will feel it when you walk the trails that Whitney offers. I saw a woman puking on the side of the beast trail...Just saying! Enjoy the flowers, just pay attention. The flowers are tiny. :) read more

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Great trails for hiking and biking. You can hike up in elevation or just follow the creek to some small waterfalls.

Great trail one of my favorites such great views of Santa Clarita valley and so much nature I have to love and appreciate this hiking trail I suggest giving this hike a try this is good for kids as well read more

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This hike was so full of green grass, birds making music, and a small waterfall at the end of where we hiked. My kids favorite part, and probably mine too, was an amazing tree that you can climb up, and stand in the middle. Full of energy you feel, and was something we had never seen. It's close to our home, so we will definitely be back...oh ya, you can find great walking sticks along the way!!! read more

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This hike would be more ideal during the sunset or the sunrise. The reason being because there is a lot of rolling hills to take wonderful pictures. hike journey: The first part of the hike is actually pretty decent steepness. We stayed at the fork going right, there are a lot of paths that can lead you in different places, so we stay right. The rolling hills is pretty similar to what you would do in a tough mudder and a spartan race. Great training grounds for that. We went during the day so it was pretty brutal under the sun. You won't run into shade until (staying on the right side at the forks until you are maybe 40 minutes into the hike) notes: no a lot of shade unless you veer right mostly starting at the base of the hike. parking is not so much. Not one of the hikes were it gets too crowded. difficulty = 8 verdict - lots of rolling hills. read more

Located at the eastern dead end of Newhall Avenue (the old San Fernando Road) is Whitney Canyon Park. This is not a traditional park with large grass areas and benches. This is really a park for hiking, horseback riding or mountain biking. There are signs showing you where the park is. Keep in mind that if you park in their dirt lot, you have to pay $5 to the 'iron ranger' drop box. I do not think I have ever seen anyone park in this lot. Do what everyone else does, park on Newhall Avenue just outside the entrance. There are two trails that I know of. First is called "The Beast." I talked to a couple that was just coming off of this trail. They said it was not too hard and there are lots of neat old relics to see. The trail was constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers to serve the now defunct Nike missile installation. It is labeled on maps as the Santa Clara Truck Trail. At the top (4.5 miles up) is Mount Pinentos, two microwave transmitter stations and a very spectacular view. The entrance to The Beast is just inside the park. The trail actually doubles back and parallels the wooden fence on the east side of the parking lot. There is another easier trail and this is what we were here for today. Walking north through the parking lot, the trail head will be on the right side, just before the small stone bridge that crosses the stream to a private residence. There are no signs marking the entrance, but the trail will follow the south side of the creek bed for the first mile or so. The trail is not marked at all, avoid heading off on trails that veer to the right as they will take you to power poles. You will always be within site of the stream bed on this trail. About 2.5 miles in, there are 6 waterfalls, all next to each other. We were able to easily go past the first one, but there were three in a row that looked harder to get beyond. Had we not had kids and dogs in tow, we would have ventured further though I am not sure how much further it goes. We ran into many other families, dogs and a couple horses. This was a great hike with minimal elevation gain. Watch out for poison oak in areas. There is cell coverage along the trail, in case you need it. read more

Whitney Canyon Park - The first waterfall on the Whitney Canyon Trail. - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

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Great hike to bring kids on. Specially nice after a rain so there is water in the falls. Good for beginners. read more

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I absolutely love this place! Been here a couple of times. If I lived in the area, I would definitely come here all the time. Just off the 14 freeway, it's simply beautiful. The first time I came here, i couldn't believe that such nature was practically a next door neighbor to a freeway. If it weren't for the telephone/electrical lines, I would have been transported someplace else - far from the 21st century and all the craziness that is modern day. It gets a bit dusty and dry during the summer/hot times but if you come just after some rain, it's simply stunning. Below, near the stream, there's a meadow-like area which would be PERFECT for picnicking. Bonus: Practically NOBODY on the trail on a Saturday - only 2 cyclists. I loooooved that! My big butt and thighs ached after hiking "The Beast" and that was a bonus too. read more

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Came here to mountain bike with a buddy at his suggestion. Once at the top of the well maintained fire road, the views of the desert are pretty nice. There is a fun little, mildly technical single track running down the side of the fire trail that makes for a fun descent. I'll need to explore around a bit more before I give this any more than three stars, but I've heard there are waterfalls and a few other trails winding through the hills as well. Come in the early morning, as the road is on the west side of the mountain, and was already heating up when we came down around 10:30am. read more

Wow! Amazing! I've read a couple of reviews and decided to give it a try. Most reviews say 3.5 miles but in reality it's actually 5 miles up to the towers! It's not a hike it's a challenge, which is also mentioned it other reviews. We are currently training to go up mount Whitney later this year and this will definitely be one of our training mountains. The trail is mostly exposed in direct sun and its steep. Wide open trail so there is no need to go through any bushes! The trail splits in 2 around mike 1.5 or 2. If you want to go to the towers you will have to go left!! Don't follow the open space sign, go the other way UP! At the top it splits into two again, left goes to the Nike base(according to by husband) and right goes to the two towers you can see from the freeway! Today my hip flexors are giving me a tough time to work but I'm sure after doing it for a few time I'll be fine! However it's an awesome hike with awesome views yet challenging to go up there! read more

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Good to go with kids. Lot of shade on the trail. We were luck to see water fall and streams of water on our trail. Hope to see it every year now read more

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Well it was a hike through basically sand for half of the hike. Pretty but is it worth it because it is in a sketch area/parking lot. Hike here if you want your window shattered. Enough said. Not worth the price you have to pay, unless you Uber, then it might be worth it read more

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I was looking for a local hike and after doing some research and listening to some advice I ended up here. Some hikers had mentioned a specific trail known as "The Beast". There appears to be several different trails but I read from another yelper that if you kept going up and up than you were probably on the right trail. I did. The incline was consistent and therefore the workout was intense. I wasn't ever fully sure if I was on the right path or whether or not it would loop back. That's the bad thing about doing a new trail alone. There were no other hikers around ( and I don't blame them at 4:30 in the afternoon, Who does that? THIS GUY) so I couldn't ask anyone. A yelper had mentioned there being a connection with something called "Los Pinetos" so I was going to make that my finish point. I had no clue, however, as to how far it would be. After about 3 miles and intense heat, I decided that maybe I should just turn around and call it a good one. The trail seemed to be neverending. I am going to try and comeback really early in the morning and commit myself to at least 6 miles before retreating. This entire trail was a road for fire trucks so very easy to follow. Bring water. This goes on forever. All in all, great workout. read more

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5 stars worthy because... 1. Local 2. Super easy access - right off of the 14 freeway. 3. Expansive with so many different trails that descend and acsend so its great for burning calories. 4. Solitude - only 3 other hikers and 4 mountain bikers on the trail. 5. Lots of birds of prey to watch. I will be back. read more

Whitney Canyon Park - A place to sit and reflect. - Parks Near Me - Newhall, California

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We went today for the first time but apparently 2 days ago there was a fire and its pretty charred and black soot unfortunately. After a mile of walking in black soot we decided to turn around. So sad. =( read more