Shaded Canyon Walks in Porter Ranch Area

Two oak- and sycamore-shaded canyons--Aliso and Limekiln--and some eroded sedimentary outcroppings known as “The Palisades” are some of the highlights of a walk through the Porter Ranch portion of the Santa Susana Mountains.

In terms of development, conservationists suggest that the Santa Susanas resemble the Santa Monica Mountains of 30 years ago. The middle and upper reaches of the range are undeveloped except for a few oil wells and ranches. The lower slopes of the Santa Susanas face heavy development pressure and an uncertain future.

The good news for hikers is that the trail system at Porter Ranch is pretty good. Expect well-graded paths and good signs. Every community should have a “greenway” system as nice as the one at Porter Ranch.

Directions to trail head: From the San Fernando Valley Freeway (118) in Granada Hills, exit on Reseda Boulevard. Turn north to Rinaldi Street and head east. Turn left on Chimineas Avenue, or another nearby side street, and park. (Parking is not permitted along this portion of Rinaldi.) Walk east on Rinaldi to the bridge over Aliso Canyon. Just before the bridge, on the north side of the street, is a dirt pathway leading down the embankment into Aliso Canyon.

If you want to visit Limekiln Canyon first, or arrange some sort of car shuttle, leave your car on Rinaldi, just west of Tampa Avenue.

The hike: Descending the embankment from Rinaldi, you will soon find yourself in quiet Aliso Canyon. The path passes a stable and meanders along the canyon bottom among oak, sycamore and eucalyptus.

On the canyon walls, which burned in a 1988 fire, watch for spring wildflowers--purple lupine, gold California poppies. You’ll pass junctions with a couple of side trails, but the only one to note is Palisades Trail, which climbs out of the canyon to your left.

Aliso Canyon Trail stays near the bottom of the narrow canyon for another mile before it climbs out of the canyon to meet the end of Sesnon Boulevard. You’ll then head west through Porter Ridge Park on Sesnon Trail, which heads behind some houses and ends at Limekiln Canyon, near the intersection of Sesnon Boulevard and Tampa Avenue.

Walk south on bridle-path-like Limekiln Trail, which soon brings you to the signed intersection for Palisades Trail. From there, Palisades Trail climbs eastward over some sedimentary outcroppings and offers southern views of the San Fernando Valley. Palisades Trail crosses Reseda Boulevard, then drops you back down into Aliso Canyon. You then retrace your steps down-canyon back to Rinaldi Street and your starting point.

Where: Porter Ranch, Santa Susana Mountains. Distance: Through Aliso Canyon, 5 miles round trip; a loop encompassing Sesnon, Limeklin Canyon and Palisades trails, 8 miles, with 500-foot elevation gains. Terrain: A couple of quiet oak-and-sycamore-shaded canyons, and trails that lead through them. Degree of difficulty: Easy to moderate. Highlights: An impressive “greenway” system at Porter Ranch. For more information: Contact the Mountain Parks Information Service at (800) 533-PARK.