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26-684: The canyon lies between the Sierra Pelona Mountains towards the northwest and the San Gabriel Mountains to the southeast, starting at the northeastern end of Santa Clarita Valley . Traveling northeast through the canyon, it gradually slopes up until the unincorporated community of Acton , near which the Santa Clara River continues east towards its headwaters among the San Gabriel Mountains. Turning north towards Palmdale,

52-682: A major thoroughfare in the Canyon Country and Saugus neighborhoods, ending at Bouquet Canyon Road where it becomes Valencia Boulevard. Other routes through the canyon include State Route 14 (the Antelope Valley Freeway), and the Metrolink Antelope Valley Line . Travelers on board the Antelope Valley Line are afforded a view of much of the Santa Clara River . Vincent Grade/Acton station serves communities within

78-622: A small extension west of I-5. The Tejon Pass separates the Sierra Pelonas, the San Emigdios , the Tehachapis , and the Topatopa Mountains near Gorman and Lebec . Within the Sierra Pelonas lie the rural areas of Neenach , Three Points , Lake Hughes , Elizabeth Lake , Acton , Agua Dulce and Green Valley . The cities of Santa Clarita , Palmdale , and Lancaster are located at

104-399: A small extension west of I-5. The Tejon Pass separates the Sierra Pelonas, the San Emigdios , the Tehachapis , and the Topatopa Mountains near Gorman and Lebec . Within the Sierra Pelonas lie the rural areas of Neenach , Three Points , Lake Hughes , Elizabeth Lake , Acton , Agua Dulce and Green Valley . The cities of Santa Clarita , Palmdale , and Lancaster are located at

130-733: The San Gabriel Mountains , which are divided by the wide Soledad Canyon formation. The mountains are flanked to the south by the Santa Clarita Valley and separated from the Antelope Valley and the Mojave Desert to the north by the San Andreas Fault . Toward the southeast lie Vasquez Rocks , thrust up by the fault. Toward the west lies Interstate 5 , Pyramid Lake , and the Los Padres National Forest . The range has

156-432: The San Gabriel Mountains , which are divided by the wide Soledad Canyon formation. The mountains are flanked to the south by the Santa Clarita Valley and separated from the Antelope Valley and the Mojave Desert to the north by the San Andreas Fault . Toward the southeast lie Vasquez Rocks , thrust up by the fault. Toward the west lies Interstate 5 , Pyramid Lake , and the Los Padres National Forest . The range has

182-530: The Santa Clara River and numerous minor watercourses and washes drain the ridge: Castaic Creek , San Francisquito Creek , and Bouquet Creek . Three sag ponds nestle within the narrow valley that divides the mountains from the Antelope Valley: Hughes Lake , Munz Lakes , and Elizabeth Lake . The Native population of California in the Sierra Pelona and Santa Susana Mountains included

208-403: The Santa Clara River and numerous minor watercourses and washes drain the ridge: Castaic Creek , San Francisquito Creek , and Bouquet Creek . Three sag ponds nestle within the narrow valley that divides the mountains from the Antelope Valley: Hughes Lake , Munz Lakes , and Elizabeth Lake . The Native population of California in the Sierra Pelona and Santa Susana Mountains included

234-752: The Sierra Pelona Ridge or the Sierra Pelona Mountains , is a mountain ridge in the Transverse Ranges in Southern California . Located in northwest Los Angeles County , the ridge is bordered on the north by the San Andreas Fault and lies within and is surrounded by the Angeles National Forest and a tiny section in the Los Padres National Forest The Sierra Pelona Mountains lie northwest of

260-410: The Sierra Pelona Ridge or the Sierra Pelona Mountains , is a mountain ridge in the Transverse Ranges in Southern California . Located in northwest Los Angeles County , the ridge is bordered on the north by the San Andreas Fault and lies within and is surrounded by the Angeles National Forest and a tiny section in the Los Padres National Forest The Sierra Pelona Mountains lie northwest of

286-648: The Tataviam and Serrano people. They traded with the Tongva and Chumash to the south and west, until the Spanish colonization of the Americas relocated them from their homelands. The San Francisquito Canyon , which runs north-south through the mountains, served as a major wagon route between the Antelope and San Fernando Valleys. This corridor summited at San Francisquito Pass and

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312-399: The Tataviam and Serrano people. They traded with the Tongva and Chumash to the south and west, until the Spanish colonization of the Americas relocated them from their homelands. The San Francisquito Canyon , which runs north-south through the mountains, served as a major wagon route between the Antelope and San Fernando Valleys. This corridor summited at San Francisquito Pass and

338-399: The "Gold Rush era" and stagecoach days the ride was extremely difficult, almost straight up-and-down through San Fernando Pass , up San Francisquito Canyon, and over Tejon Pass . In 1856, Lieutenant Williamson, on a railroad surveying party, "discovered" that the pass, sometimes named "Williamson Pass", could provide the lower grades to make Los Angeles–Central Valley train travel possible by

364-692: The Ridge Route Alternate ( US 99 ) in 1930, itself superseded by Interstate 5 completed in 1971. The rapid development of Southern California throughout the 20th century saw construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct and five separate reservoirs to supply water to the region: Castaic Lake , Bouquet Reservoir , Drinkwater Reservoir, Pyramid Lake and Dry Canyon Reservoir and the St. Francis Reservoir , both now drained and destroyed. Sierra Pelona Mountains The Sierra Pelona , also known as

390-512: The base of the mountains. The climate of the mountains is a Mediterranean climate . Summers are mostly dry except for occasional thunderstorms, and winters comparatively cold and wet. Snowfall is infrequent due to the relatively low elevations of mountains within this ridge, with only the few tallest peaks regularly receiving snowfall during the winter. Mainly the ridge falls under the California montane chaparral and woodlands ecoregion, excepting

416-460: The base of the mountains. The climate of the mountains is a Mediterranean climate . Summers are mostly dry except for occasional thunderstorms, and winters comparatively cold and wet. Snowfall is infrequent due to the relatively low elevations of mountains within this ridge, with only the few tallest peaks regularly receiving snowfall during the winter. Mainly the ridge falls under the California montane chaparral and woodlands ecoregion, excepting

442-520: The canyon north to south. Descending the southern slopes of the Sierra Pelona Mountains , the trail passes through Agua Dulce and Vasquez Rocks before winding up a mountain ridge. It then descends into the primary reach of Soledad Canyon, passing beneath the tracks of the Antelope Valley Line and crossing the Santa Clara River before continuing up into the San Gabriel Mountains . Sierra Pelona Mountains The Sierra Pelona , also known as

468-529: The canyon terminates at Soledad Pass , just a few miles south of Lake Palmdale . Soledad Canyon contains the Santa Clarita neighborhood of Canyon Country . The localities of Vincent, Acton , Ravenna, and Russ. Agua Dulce are located just north of the canyon. Soledad Canyon was a vital part of Los Angeles' transportation history. Transit between Los Angeles and the Central Valley was always difficult–in

494-404: The canyon. The canyon was chosen as the state's preferred alternative for the route of the planned California High-Speed Rail line between Burbank Airport and Palmdale . Project maps outline five tunnels to be excavated through the mountainsides, crossing State Route 14 once on an elevated structure. Trains may start running in 2033. The Pacific Crest Trail traverses the western reaches of

520-615: The first rail line linking Los Angeles to San Francisco and the First transcontinental railroad . From 1921 to 1989, the Soledad Canyon Sand and Gravel Mining Project mined a downstream region of the canyon for sand and gravel . In 2000, the Bureau of Land Management awarded two 10-year leases to Transit Mixed Concrete (who later sold the contract to the Cemex Corporation ) to mine

546-521: The northeastern flank's gradual slope into the Antelope Valley near Palmdale where the ecology transitions to that of the Mojave Desert . The mountains are primarily covered in short grasses, scrub oak trees, yucca , and other chaparral shrubs. The ridge is prone to wildfires in the summer and fall, especially when the Santa Ana winds blow in from the Antelope Valley. Three major tributaries of

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572-412: The northeastern flank's gradual slope into the Antelope Valley near Palmdale where the ecology transitions to that of the Mojave Desert . The mountains are primarily covered in short grasses, scrub oak trees, yucca , and other chaparral shrubs. The ridge is prone to wildfires in the summer and fall, especially when the Santa Ana winds blow in from the Antelope Valley. Three major tributaries of

598-621: The roundabout detour all the way to Mojave, and over Tehachapi Pass, almost 70 miles farther than the direct Interstate 5 used today by trucks and autos. In the mid 1870s, the first rail line was laid down in Soledad Canyon. On September 5, 1876, then president of the Southern Pacific Railroad Charles Crocker drove a golden spike at Lang Southern Pacific Station to complete the San Joaquin Valley Line ,

624-766: The site. This resulted in a protracted legal battle between the Bureau of Land Management, the Cemex Corporation, and the City of Santa Clarita . In 2015, the Bureau of Land Management issued a cancellation of the contract, effectively ending almost century of mining within the canyon. Soledad Canyon is traversed by the Soledad Canyon Road . The second-longest street in Santa Clarita, it branches from Sierra Highway and State Route 14 in Acton, heading west into Santa Clarita and serving as

650-586: Was part of the El Camino Viejo - an alternate land route to the El Camino Real for reaching northern Spanish and Mexican colonial Alta California - as well as the Butterfield Overland Mail route. The Ridge Route , a landmark two-lane highway that connected Los Angeles to the rest of California, was built along the western flank of the ridge and was completed in 1915. It was later bypassed by

676-406: Was part of the El Camino Viejo - an alternate land route to the El Camino Real for reaching northern Spanish and Mexican colonial Alta California - as well as the Butterfield Overland Mail route. The Ridge Route , a landmark two-lane highway that connected Los Angeles to the rest of California, was built along the western flank of the ridge and was completed in 1915. It was later bypassed by

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