Wilson Canyon Park facts for kids

Wilson Canyon Park is a public park located in the western San Gabriel Mountains. You can find it in the Sylmar neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It's a great place to explore nature right inside the city!

Park History

This park is named after Wilson Canyon. This canyon was once home to the Wilson family ranch. Christopher North Wilson came from Ohio and was an early American settler in the San Fernando Valley. He arrived in California with his family in 1871.

His son, John Thomas Wilson, stayed in the San Fernando Valley. In 1888, he married María Expectación Graciosa López. Her family, the López family, were important "Californios." These were some of the original Spanish families who settled in California.

Part of the Wilson Ranch was later used for the Olive View Sanatorium in 1920. John T. Wilson lived to be 90 years old, passing away in 1947.

In the 1960s, the area around the ranch, Sylmar, began to change. It went from being mostly farms, especially olive groves, to having more neighborhoods. The land that is now the park stayed mostly wild. It was used for flood control, which helps manage water flow.

Finally, in 1996, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy bought 240 acres of land in Wilson Canyon. They opened it as Wilson Canyon Park. This group helps protect natural areas for everyone to enjoy.

What to Do at Wilson Canyon Park

Wilson Canyon Park is located at the base of the western San Gabriel Mountains. It covers 240 acres, making it one of the bigger parks in Los Angeles. It feels like a quiet wilderness, even though it's close to the city.

The park has many trails that are easy to moderate to walk on. It's a popular spot for different activities. People love to go hiking here. You can also go horseback riding or mountain biking. Many people enjoy bird watching to see different types of birds. It's also a nice place for a picnic with friends or family.

How to Get There

The park entrance is on Olive View Drive, just east of the Olive View Medical Center. From the entrance, a park road takes you about 0.6 miles. This leads to the main trailheads and parking areas.

There is a $5 fee to park near the main trails. However, you can also park on Olive View Drive for free. From there, you can walk up the park road to the main park area. The park is easy to reach from the Foothill Freeway. It's also a popular starting point for exploring the nearby Angeles National Forest to the north.