Find your inner artist or photographer at these picturesque locations in the Santa Clarita Valley and capture the unique beauty of the outdoors. Add to your enjoyment of your walk or hike by capturing the natural beauty all around you as you explore the SCV.
A Photographer’s Eye
Robin Baerg, of Santa Clarita, had studied to be a professional photographer and earned a degree in Photography from California State University, Fullerton, however, life had other ideas. She instead pursed a career in insurance.
Now a hobbyist photographer, Baerg shares her passion for capturing the natural beauty of the SCV with others during her featured appearances twice a year with the Santa Clarita Community Hikes program.
Baerg, a resident of Santa Clarita since 2001, said she discovered the large number of natural photographic opportunities in the SCV during COVID.
“I was driving around and decided to explore natural areas around me,” she said. “I started posting photographs on social media and got positive feedback, so I started doing more photography.”
In August, she shared her tips and tricks for capturing stunning nature photos by using the camera on your phone during the McHaddad Trailhead Community Hike.
Baerg said she advises beginning photographers to be on the lookout for a focal point.
“Look for things out of place, be observant, look up, look down, change your angle, crouch a little bit, get close to plants and look for insects, you can capture bugs you didn’t know were there,” she said. “I tell people to look for things that stand out and don’t belong, those are the most interesting photos.”
As with everything in life, practice makes perfect.
“I always try to take at least one photograph a day,” she said.
Favorite Locations
Baerg said she often returns to the same location to take photos of her favorite trees and favorite vistas.
“I recommend visiting favorite locations at different times of day. Sunrise and sunset are ideal because you have beautiful light and angles, depending on what time of day you go, it will always look different,” she said.
Among her favorite locations and photos are:
East Walker Ranch Open Space
16723 Placerita Canyon Rd. Newhall 91321
hikesantaclarita.com/where-to-go/east-walker-ranch
Among Baerg’s favorite locations is East Walker Ranch Open Space.
“There are these poles that always draw me, these old wooden poles are coming up out of the ground and I wonder what were they there for, were they a corral? Was it part of a structure?” she said.
“There’s a couple of big metal bins there, maybe horse troughs, that I like to photograph, I like to go back to the same spot and take pictures from the same perspective at different times of day.”
Another photo location that Baerg likes is a tree that arches over the trail as you approach the East Walker Ranch trail.
“It makes for a beautiful composition to get the grassy knoll in the background with the tree framing it,” she said. “I always photograph it from that perspective every time I go to that trail. If you then take that trail to the left you will see a water truck that has been there for years. I have photographed that often. But its all rusted and it’s really cool.”
Golden Valley Ranch Open Space
Info scvhikes.com/course/golden-valley-open-space
“I love when Golden Valley Ranch is green in the spring,” Baerg said. “Right now it is very brown. You can also see where a fire recently burned. But I love spring when the flowers are blooming, the purple lupines are magnificent.”
The open space is located on Placerita Canyon Road approximately one mile west of the Sand Canyon Road Intersection. Park alongside the road.
Iron Horse Trailhead Bridge
25311 Magic Mountain Pkwy. Valencia 91355
Info hikesantaclarita.com/iron-horse-trail
“I love to photograph the bridge from all kinds of perspectives,” Baerg said.
The historic, 1898 railroad trestle bridge connects to the South Fork Trail. The bridge was placed in its current location after the St. Francis Dam disaster in 1928.
The railroad bridge that originally spanned the Santa Clara River was destroyed during the disaster. Southern Pacific Railroad officials decided to come up with a quick solution that remains in place to this day, relocating a bridge from the Colorado River and moving it to the SCV.
Vasquez Rocks Natural Area
10700 W. Escondido Canyon Rd. Agua Dulce 91390
Info parks.lacounty.gov/vasquez-rocks-natural-area-and-nature-center
“Several years ago when it snowed in the Santa Clarita Valley I ended up going to Vasquez Rocks and it was covered in snow,” she said. “I took the entry to the Pacific Coast Trail and walked a little ways into the park and I got some really unique and amazing images of Vasquez rocks covered in snow. It was fantastic.”
Wildwood Canyon Open Space
23360 Haskell Vista Lane, Newhall 91321
Info hikesantaclarita.com/where-to-go/wildwood-canyon
“There is a big red structure looks like an old water tower. You walk in a little bit and can see the red, its a nice accent to see this red structure sticking out,” Baerg said.
The trails that start in Wildwood Canyon also connect into the larger Newhall Open Space trail network, offering steep climbs that reward visitors with expansive views overlooking the Santa Clarita Valley.
The 95-acre preserve features popular paths that include the 1.8-mile Wildwood Loop and the 1.3-mile Highland Loop.
Explore Nature
“In this day and age it is so important to get out and be in nature, get fresh air, get out. The trails aren’t crowded, its just you and nature and you can balance and center your soul,” Baerg said. And take some beautiful photos along the way.
