I always try to hike new trails in our valley soon after they open. Our newest trail and Santa Clarita’s 39th park opened a week ago, so I checked it out. That’s Pioneer Oil Refinery Park located on Pioneer Way near Needham Ranch Parkway.
Pioneer Trail begins next to the two original oil tanks that are the focal point of the park, which includes restrooms and a shaded picnic area with tables and benches. The trail winds along the hillside below the Needham Ranch industrial park. It overlooks the railroad tracks, businesses and storage lots along Pine Street, and Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency offices, which can be seen occasionally from the trail. There are some good views of the city. It is well-marked and well-defined.
Pioneer Trail ends at the parking lot and picnic area for the Gates Open Space at the end of Pine Street, where I encountered a good-sized bobcat on Super Bowl Sunday in 2022. At this point you can access trails in the Gates Open Space, through which you can also connect to the Newhall Pass Open Space and then on to the Wildwood Canyon Open Space, in case you’re interested. Now that would be a long and adventurous hike, considerably beyond my endurance abilities.
I’m not qualified to rate the difficulty, but I would consider it to range from easy to moderate. Definitely nothing difficult. It’s moderately shaded. The length is not posted, but it took me about 1.5 hours round-trip, a comfortable workout for a soon-to-be 80-year-old avid SCV hiker.On Tuesday afternoon, I was the lone hiker on the trail. As word gets out I expect it to be a convenient, frequently used trail for all skill levels. It should be great for families with young children.
Thanks to city officials for continually adding to and upgrading the outdoor facilities available to our residents.
Jack Crawford
Saugus
