Find Placerita Gold

Hiking Placerita Canyon in Los Angeles County

For one of the most relentless ascents in Los Angeles County, head to the Placerita Canyon Natural Area to tackle the Firebreak Trail loop, which gains 1,700 feet in 7 miles. It’s a workout hike with payoff views at the height of the loop, and along the way. Find the trailhead directly across from the nature center, marked by a sign for the Hillside Trail. The climb begins immediately through rolling chaparral-covered hills and offers a short spur trail to the peak of Manzanita Mountain for some early-going gorgeous views. After a mile, you’ll reach a T-junction, where you should quickly head up the fire road to your right for about a quarter-mile to admire one of the most awe-inspiring 360-degree vistas in Southern California. It’s a seemingly endless view across the Antelope Valley to Santa Clarita and the Sierra Pelonas.  Then return to the T and head up the steep fire road that forms the left side of the T to begin a series of relentless ups and downs. This high-effort, high-reward experience ends after about two miles, where you veer left at the junction with Whitney Canyon Road.

After another 3 miles, you’ll reach Wilson Saddle (3,150 feet), the highest point of the hike and a good spot for a picnic break. Look for the signed trailhead to the Los Pinetos Trail, which immediately switchbacks down into a canyon. Thank the towering oaks for the shade and, after 2 miles, take Canyon Trail, the leftmost trail at the junction.

Here the loop traces the mostly dry Placerita Creek and leads you back to the trailhead and parking lot. If time permits and your legs still work, check out the historic Walker Cabin and the Oak of the Golden Dream—the site where gold was first discovered in California—via a short trail near the park entrance to the west.

To get to the Placerita Canyon Natural Area parking lot, take I-5 to CA-14 north and exit Placerita Canyon Rd. to the east. After 1.5 miles, a sign indicates the entrance to the park on your right. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View
  3. Bucks Up!

    Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

    View
  4. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  2. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  3. A Rose in the Pines

    A crackling fire, a bottle of wine, a bubbling Jacuzzi tub with a waterfall … now the big question: Marvin Gaye tunes or not? In the morning (ahem) it's breakfast in bed and a leis

    View
  4. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

    View