It appears we will never run out of new places to hike. This time, Pico Canyon Menrtyville just outside of Stevenson Ranch – a lovely suburban community in Santa Clarita.
What remains of the town, it is shut due to the wuflu. I don’t think we could get into the house, but we couldn’t even walk the grounds. I wonder if someone lives here, it looks like a beautiful home.
That truck looks new. I know this small area has been used as a film location. Further up the road we learn that this ‘town’ was there because the first commercial oil field in CA was developed here in the 1870s. I’m lazy, but I think Gilmore down in the city, near the La Brea Tar pits was drilling earlier. but he wasn’t part of something called Chevron.
The one room school house still stands.
The information about the school, even in 1932, this area was extremely remote, now Magic Mountain is just down the road.
Yes, they kept the outhouses.
Rusty old equipment, I love this stuff!
part of the hike was along a dry river bed, I bet water runs through it when it rains.
In the canyon, a lot of greenery and even some Aspens.
This was the site of Oil well number 4, with a few plaques and a notation that this is an historic site. Nice!
Can’t resist images of old rusting machinery.
I especially love this cog-wheel. Up till this point, the road was paved, then it wasn’t and it got pretty steep
We kept going, this is one of those Panorama photos, completely distorts everything. Yes the hills close in are this impressive. But you can’t really see the whole Santa Clarita valley, with all it’s development. Looks so far away and tiny, it is much closer. I guess I should just take rather pictures.
Next post, I’ll share all the beautiful wildflowers that bloom in the spring. Although many of them are probably just domestic flowers that escaped to the canyon. It was windy, and other hikers were out as well, thankfully, not a one was wearing a mask.
Leah