Bouquet Canyon Road is an approximately 25-mile-long highway corridor which is located in the city of Santa Clarita and Sierra Pelona Mountains of Los Angeles County. Bouquet Canyon Road begins at Saugus Junction (Magic Mountain Parkway and Railroad Avenue) in Santa Clarita where it serves as a major urban surface highway. Upon departing the city, the corridor of Bouquet Canyon Road ascends into the Sierra Pelona Mountains via the namesake canyon in Angeles National Forest. The mountains part of the highway is known for winding grade through the flood prone canyon floor.
Bouquet Canyon Road is named in reference to El Rancho del Buque which was located in Santa Clara Valley north of the Santa Clara River. Much of the highway corridor was developed after the arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in Santa Clara Valley in the 1880s. The short segment of Bouquet Canyon Road between Sagus Junction to Soledad Canyon Road carries particular historic significance as it was part of the Roosevelt Midland Trail, the original California State Route 7 and early US Route 6.
Part 1; the history of Bouquet Canyon Road
Bouquet Canyon Road is named after a canyon in the city of Santa Clarita a short distance north of the Santa Clara River. Bouquet Canyon itself was named after El Rancho del Buque which was owned by French born cattle rancher Francisco Chari during the period of Mexican Alta California. Chari previously was a sailor and was known locally to talk about his adventures on his "buque" which translates to "boat" in Spanish. Francisco Chari had renamed himself to obtain Mexican citizenship which was necessary for landownership. El Rancho del Buque was granted to Chari on August 25, 1845.
Locals began to refer to Chari as "El Buque" in reference to his favorite topic of conversation. During the American period of American statehood mapmakers would bastardize the name of El Rancho del Buque and rename the canyon it was located (originally known as Oak Canyon) at as "Bouquet Canyon." Alternatively, Bouquet Canyon has been at times been referred to in older sources as "Deadman Canyon."
In 1853 the Stockton-Los Angeles Road would be commissioned as a major wagon road between the two namesake cities. The corridor would descend southbound through San Francisquito Canyon into Santa Clara Valley. The wagon road would pass through El Rancho del Buque and over the Santa Clara River towards Beale's Cut in Newhall Pass.
By 1876 the Southern Pacific Railroad would complete the San Fernando Pass Tunnel. The Southern Pacific Railroad would also establish the railroad sidings of Newhall and Sagus in Santa Clarita Valley. Much of the route of the Stockton-Los Angeles Road was gradually replaced by the Southern Pacific Railroad which had been constructed through San Joaquin Valley and Tehachapi Pass prior to the completion of the San Fernando Pass Tunnel.
The arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad would spur the modern development in much of Santa Clara Valley. Despite the emergence of Newhall and Sagus there is no major highway shown passing through Bouquet Canyon on the 1882 Bancroft's Map of California.
Bouquet Canyon Road can be seen branching north of Saugus Junction (blue pin) on the 1903 United States Geological Survey map of Santa Susana. Deadman Canyon is displayed in place of Bouquet Canyon.
Bouquet Canyon Road (again shown as Deadman Canyon) can be seen branching northeast from the Santa Clara River towards Texas Canyon on the 1900 United States Geological Survey map of San Fernando.
A small portion of Bouquet Canyon Road north from Sagus Junction to Soledad Canyon Road would be added to the State Highway System as part of the 1909 First State Highway Bond Act. Said act extended Legislative Route Number 23 south from Bridgeport in Mono County to Sagus in Los Angeles County. The corridor of Legislative Route Number 23 flanking the eastern frontage of the Sierra Nevada range has historically been promoted as "El Camino Sierra."
The Roosevelt Midland Trail was commissioned in 1913 as a major Auto Trail. This Auto Trail in California originally had several branches that split away from each other along Legislative Route Number 23 after the mainline route entered the state via Westgard Pass (modern California State Route 168):
- One route went north to Tioga Pass (modern California State Route 120) towards San Francisco.
- A second route went further north to Lake Tahoe and crossed the Sierra Nevada via Placerville (future US Route 50) towards San Francisco.
- A third route went south and went through Tehachapi Pass (future US Route 466 and California State Route 58) into San Joaquin Valley with an ultimate terminus of San Francisco. This spur appears to have been initially planned to be routed over a new highway over Piute Pass (unbuilt California State Route 168) on a short-cut to Fresno.
- The fourth route continued south on Legislative Route Number 23 towards Los Angeles. This fourth route ultimately would become what was considered the mainline of the Midland Trail and incorporated Bouquet Canyon Road south of Soledad Canyon Road.
- One route went north to Tioga Pass (modern California State Route 120) towards San Francisco.
- A second route went further north to Lake Tahoe and crossed the Sierra Nevada via Placerville (future US Route 50) towards San Francisco.
- A third route went south and went through Tehachapi Pass (future US Route 466 and California State Route 58) into San Joaquin Valley with an ultimate terminus of San Francisco. This spur appears to have been initially planned to be routed over a new highway over Piute Pass (unbuilt California State Route 168) on a short-cut to Fresno.
- The fourth route continued south on Legislative Route Number 23 towards Los Angeles. This fourth route ultimately would become what was considered the mainline of the Midland Trail and incorporated Bouquet Canyon Road south of Soledad Canyon Road.
Bouquet Canyon Road from Sagus northeast to Elizabeth Lake can be seen in detailed on a 1920-era Automobile Club of Southern California map (courtesy SVChistory). Bouquet Canyon Road is described as having mostly easy grades aside from a short 12% incline. The roadway is noted to cross over streams multiple times during wet weather.
Bouquet Canyon Road is displayed in detail on the 1924 Rand McNally map of California. The segment between Soledad Canyon Road and Sagus Junction is displayed as part of the Roosevelt Midland Trail (46).
The intersection of the Ridge Route (formerly US Route 99 beginning in November 1926 and now Magic Mountain Parkway) and Bouquet Canyon Road can be seen below in a 1926-era photo from Saugus Junction (courtesy SVChistory). Automobile Club of Southern California signage can be seen indicating the portion of Bouquet Canyon Road immediately north of Saugus Junction as part of the Roosevelt Midland Trail. The Auto Trail would branch away from Bouquet Canyon Road a short distance north of Saugus Junction onto Soledad Canyon Road (towards Mint Canyon). The line seen in the background is the 1887-era Saugus Spur of the Southern Pacific Railroad.
During March 1928 St. Francis Dam in San Francisquito Canyon collapsed. The collapse was catastrophic which caused flooding downstream along the Santa Clara River. It is thought the flooding caused at least 431 fatalities and destroyed 7,000 homes.
Investigation of the collapse of St. Francis Dam ultimately revealed that it was constructed atop a previously unknown fault line. Subsequently the Los Angeles Department of Public Works would allocate $5,000,000 to construct a new dam in the Sierra Pelona Mountains of Santa Barbara National Forest (renamed to Los Padres National Forest on December 3, 1936) along upper Bouquet Canyon. The project required the relocation of part of Bouquet Canyon Road to make way to for the dam and reservoir site. Bouquet Canyon Dam was completed by the summer of 1933 and was featured an August 24, 1933, Central Press Association article.
The initial Sign State Routes were announced in the August 1934 California Highways & Public Works. California State Route 7 was assigned to the corridor of Legislative Route Number 23 through the Newhall Tunnel and Newhall. California State Route 7 passed through the Newhall-Sagus area via San Fernadno Road, Newhall Avenue, Railroad Avenue, Bouquet Canyon and Soledad Canyon Road.
Bouquet Canyon Road is shown on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Los Angeles County as a major local highway (dotted red lines). The segment between Sagus Junction and Mint Canyon (Township 4 North, Range 16 West) is shown as part of California State Route 7 and Legislative Route Number 23 (solid red line)
The elimination of the Newhall Tunnel and a realignment of California State Route 7/Legislative Route Number 23 via the proposed 5.6-mile Mint Canyon Cutoff appear as budgeted projects for the 90th/91st Fiscal Year in the January 1937 California Highways & Public Works.
A letter dated February 1, 1937, by the California State Highway Engineer to the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) Executive Secretary shows a detailed description of the planned extension of US Route 6 to Long Beach within California. Planned US Route 6 would replace California State Route 7 along Legislative Route Number 23 from US Route 395 near Bradys along Legislative Route Number 23 to US Route 99 south Newhall Pass in the Newhall-Sagus area.
A letter dated February 8, 1937, by the AASHO Executive Secretary to the State Highway Engineers of; Colorado, Nevada and California announced the approved extension of US Route 6 from Greeley, Colorado to Long Beach, California.
US Route 6 inherited the existing alignment of California State Route 7 in the Newhall-Sagus. US Route 6 can be seen on the 1938 Division of Highways Map departing US Route 99 through Newhall Pass towards Newhall. US Route 6 can be seen following LRN 23 through the Newhall-Sagus area via Newhall Avenue, Railroad Avenue, Bouquet Canyon Road and Soledad Canyon Road. A proposed realignment of US Route 6 bypassing Newhall-Sagus via Mint Canyon also be seen.
The November 1938 California Highways & Public Works featured the ongoing excavation of the Newhall Tunnel.
The March 1940 California Highways & Public Works featured the ongoing final contract of the construction of the Mint Canyon Cutoff. The Mint Canyon Cutoff is noted to have a planned opening as the new alignment of US Route 6/Legislative Route Number 23 sometime during summer.
US Route 6/Legislative Route Number 23 is shown realigned onto the Mint Canyon Cutoff on the 1942 Division of Highways Map. The former alignment of US Route 6 through Newhall-Sagus on Railroad Avenue and Newhall Avenue appears as part of Legislative Route Number 79 and likely as an extension of California State Route 126. The legislative definition of LRN 79 was altered by 1939 Legislative Chapter 473 to have it end at US Route 6/LRN 23 at the Mint Canyon Cutoff. No portion of Bouquet Canyon Road has been part of the State Highway System since the opening of the Mint Canyon Cutoff.
The modern highway bridge carrying Bouquet Canyon Road over the Santa Clara River was constructed in 1972. The current span carries over 47,000 vehicles a day.
Part 2; the former State Highway segment of Bouquet Canyon Road in Santa Clarita
Bouquet Canyon Road south of the Santa Clara River Bridge intersects Soledad Canyon Road. As noted in Part 1 this small segment south from Soledad Canyon Road to Magic Mountain Parkway was once part of the Roosevelt Midland Trail, the original California State Route 7 and US Route 6.
Part 3; a drive on Bouquet Canyon Road in the Sierra Pelona Mountains
Vasquez Canyon Road terminates at Bouquet Canyon Road near the city limit of Santa Clarita.
A variable message sign on Bouquet Canyon Road east of Vasquez Canyon Road alerts traffic if there is a closure ahead in Bouquet Canyon.
Eastbound Bouquet Canyon Road enters Angeles National Forest near the Texas Canyon Fire Station.
Bouquet Canyon Road twists through the terrain of the corridor namesake canyon. The roadway corridor fords the wash at the canyon bottom which is often prone to flooding in wet weather.
Bouquet Canyon Road climbs above the Bouquet Reservoir and intersects Spunky Canyon Road. Leona Valley is signed as being 7 miles eastward from the Spunky Canyon Road junction.
Bouquet Canyon Road enters the Mojave Desert and terminates at Elizabeth Lake Road in Leona Valley.
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