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Little Tujunga Canyon Road

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Little Tujunga Canyon Road is an approximately 13-mile-long rural highway located in Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County.  As presently configured Little Tujunga Canyon Road begins at Osborne Street near the Los Angeles city limit in Pacoima and terminates at Sand Canyon Road near the city limit of Santa Clarita.

Little Tujunga Canyon Road is well renown for being an engaging curvy mountain highway which has numerous vistas of the San Gabriel Mountains.  The highway was constructed during 1928-1931 to facilitate a hiking boom in Angeles National Forest.  The corridor has two notable wooden truss bridges located in Buck Canyon and Pacoima Canyon. 




Part 1; the history of Little Tujunga Canyon Road

Little Tujunga Creek is located northeast of the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacoima.  Said creek flows from the San Gabriel Mountains into Tujunga Wash.  The word "Tujunga" is derived from the name of the Tongva tribal village of Tuxunga. 

Construction of Little Tujunga Canyon Road commenced northward from the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacoima in 1928.  Construction of the highway corridor was intended to facilitate hiking access to the San Gabriel Mountains of Angeles National Forest.  Notably the Buck Canyon Bridge would be a major milestone of the first year of construction on Little Tujunga Canyon Road.  By 1931 the highway was extended through Pacoima Canyon and Bear Canyon to Sand Canyon Road near Newhall (now part of the city of Santa Clarita). 

Little Tujunga Canyon Road can be seen on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Los Angeles County.  


Little Tujunga Canyon Road can be seen facing northward in a 1940s era photo (San Fernadno Valley History photo).


Snowy conditions on Little Tujunga Canyon Road can be seen in a 1954-era photo (Los Angeles Public Library).


In 1959 the Buck Canyon Bridge and Pacoima Wash Bridge were both widened to two lane standards.  Both wooden trusses went under cultural study in 2017 in advance of a wider Environmental Impact Report for their replacement.  






Part 2; a drive on Little Tujunga Canyon Road

Osborne Street becomes Little Tujunga Canyon Road upon reaching the northern Los Angeles city limit in Pacoima.  Northbound traffic is warned to expect curves for the next 11 miles. 







Little Tujunga Canyon Road enters the namesake canyon and Angeles National Forest. 





Little Tujunga Canyon Road crosses the Buck Canyon Bridge.  The wooden design of this structure along with the Pacoima Wash Bridge form a unique looking triangle shaped trusses. 













Little Tujunga Canyon Road climbs up Buck Canyon and skirts through a gap at Dillion Divide.  Said divide is located at approximately 2,700 feet above sea level. 


















Little Tujunga Canyon Road begins a winding descent through Pacoima Canyon and crosses the Pacoima Wash Bridge.  














Northbound Little Tujunga Canyon Road climbs to the top of Pacoima Canyon and enters Bear Canyon.  Facing back southward reveals how winding the roadway in Pacoima Canyon actually is.  






Little Tujunga Canyon Road intersects western Santa Clara Truck Trail.  The Bear Divide Ranger Station and Los Angeles County Camp 9 Fire Department are listed as waypoints heading westbound. 



Traffic is warned of 2 miles of mudflow conditions as Little Tujunga Canyon Road approaches the eastern junction with Santa Clara Truck Trail. 




From the eastern Santa Clara Truck Trail junction there is a pullout which reveals an overlook of Little Tujunga Canyon Road snaking through Bear Canyon.


Little Tujunga Canyon Road descends through Bear Canyon and crosses a wash at the mouth of Sand Canyon.  Little Tujunga Canyon Road terminates, and the road becomes Sand Canyon Road.  








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