Cloudy Morning Hike In Whitney Canyon

It was very cloudy when Hiker and I got up this morning. We drove over to Whitney Canyon to do a 2 mile hike. I as lucky to find a parking place as the lot is normally full on weekends. As we headed up the trail, the clouds seemed to be burning off.

About a half mile up the trail we found a blooming Buckwheat Bush. These blooms turn a dark burnt orange color in the fall. You can see them already started to turn some.

The clouds started to come back again and it became very humid. The deer flies were eating me up.

The brush on the ground has turned brown and is very dry. I remember when I was hiking here last spring, the grasses were so green. The trees are still nice and green though.

A tree had fallen across the trail about a mile up into the canyon. We could have hiked around it if we had gone into the dry brush, but I didn't want to chance there being any snakes or ticks in the brush so we turned around and went back to the car and came home.

Hike To Whitney Canyon Falls

Today my friend Linda and I hiked to the Whitney Canyon falls. After the freak snow we had last week, the creek and falls are really flowing. This creek and these falls do not flow year-round. I have been up there when there is water and also when it is bone dry. They hike is only good when the water is flowing.
These falls have about 6 tiers. I had never hiked up to the high level tiers because I was usually by myself and didn't want to risk climbing the rocks and possibly falling and no one being their to help me. Today we got to go up to about the 4th tier and we could see the other tiers higher up.
There was actually still a little snow on the ground at some of the high elevations.
Linda is new to hiking, so she is really enjoying the places I am taking her. She said so far she enjoyed this hike the most.
I took several still photos during this hike and also made a video of the falls.

Linda looking at the left-over snow

Me looking at the snow

Me and Linda at the lowest tier of the falls

Here is the video I shot.

Whitney Canyon Waterfall Trail - Feb. 24, 2009

Today's Hike...Whitney Canyon Falls - 02/17/2010

This morning I hiked up into Whitney Canyon near Newhall, CA to check out the waterfall at the end of the trail. With all of the rain we've had, every stream and every waterfall is flowing in the Santa Clarita Valley. Everything is so green right now. The Oak Groves were filled with the sounds of birds and the babbling of the stream.

WHITNEY CANYON HIKE #2 - 10/23/08

Took the hike below back in the fall of 2008. I'm planning on going up there on a hike tomorrow (02/17/2010) while Ben is at work. The stream and the waterfall there should be running. Hopefully I'll get some good photos.

Today I took my second hike into Whitney Canyon. It looks very different in the fall than it does in the spring. Everything that was green and lush is now brown and dry. There are no wildflowers The creek that runs along the trail and the waterfall at the end of the trail are bone dry.

The last time I hiked this trail was with my brother Keith. This time I went alone. I took my pedometer this time and if the reading is correct, this is a 2 mile round trip hike. Because I stopped along the way and took pictures, it took me about 1 hour 45 minutes to complete.

WHITNEY CANYON HIKE #1 - 04/20/08

Discovered another "natural area" in Whitney Canyon closer to our home. The trail here runs along the Whitney Canyon Creek.

My brother Keith was visiting for the weekend, so he and I got up early Sunday morning and headed out for a hike.

The trail starts out in a flatland full of wildflowers (in the springtime). Eventually you come upon a beautiful grove of oaks. You can hear the birds singing and the sound of the babbling creek. We found pools full of polywogs everytime we crossed the creek.
This trail never does get very steep. It stays mostly flat until you get close to the end of the trail. Here you start to run into a rocky area and you start to do a little climbing, but it is well worth it because at the end of the trail is a nice waterfall. It's a nice place to stop had have lunch if you packed one.

Once you start back down the trail, you see a beautiful view of the Santa Clarita Valley from the rocks and before you know it, you are back in the wooded area.

This is a short trail but still worth the hike.


Highlights: Wildflowers in the spring, groves of oak trees, year-round springs, waterfall.


Near: Newhall, CA
Distance: Approx. 1.5 miles one way
Elevation Gain: Approx. 100 ft
Hike Time: Approx. 2 hours for entire hike
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Condition: Well maintained trail
Hike Type: Out and back


Trailhead: Take Interstate 5 north to Highway 14. Exit San Fernando Road/Newhall Avenue and head towards Park & ride. Turn left at dead-end and park in dirt lot.