Placerita Canyon State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Placerita Canyon State Park |
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The restored Walker Cabin at Placerita Canyon State Park
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| Location | Los Angeles County, California, USA |
| Established | 1950 |
| Governing body | California Department of Parks and Recreation |
Placerita Canyon State Park is a California State Park located on the north slope of the western San Gabriel Mountains, in an unincorporated rural area of Los Angeles County, north of the suburb of Sylmar in the City of Los Angeles and south of the City of Santa Clarita, California.
Cultural History
The area of Placerita Canyon is still occupied and the ongoing homeland of Tataviam Native American people that was temporarily included in the 1842 Mexican land grant issued for Rancho San Francisco, which dissolved 8 years later with California statehood inside the United States. The park preserves the site of the first documented discovery of gold in California where in 1842, Francisco Lopez found gold flakes on wild onion roots under the "Oak of the Golden Dream".
The park is near several movie ranches, all historic and active, including the Monogram Movie Ranch—Melody Ranch and the Disney—Golden Oak Ranch.
- The "Oak of the Golden Dream" is California Historical Landmark #168.
Natural history
Located in the transition zone between the San Gabriel Mountains' California chaparral and woodlands Ecosystem, and the Mojave's Deserts and xeric shrublands Biome in the California Floristic Province, the Placerita Canyon Flora is complex. Placerita Canyon State Park is in the east-west trending Placerita Canyon on the Placerita Fault and contains sandstone and metamorphic formations, and seasonal streams. Chaparral and Coast Live Oak woodland plant communities are represented.
Riparian woodlands at the park include three species of native trees including [arroyo willow, cottonwood, and native California sycamore.
The park is also notable for a seepage of 'white' oil - unknown anywhere else in the world. This late 19th century discovery of oil surprised the prospectors because it is naturally filtered so that it is not black but transparent. A small pool of it continues to be active by the trailside leading up from the Nature Center to the Walker Ranch.
The Park
Placerita Canyon State Park is located at 19152 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall, California. The park, under the name Placerita Canyon Natural Area, is currently managed by the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation. The Placerita Canyon Nature Center is the park's visitor center and museum. The park also contains the Walker Cabin (a restored and furnished 1920s cabin of the Walker family), and hiking and nature trails.
Images for kids
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Oak of the Golden Dream, 2021
