Sand Canyon Road is an approximately six-mile highway mostly located in the city of Santa Clarita. The Sand Canyon Road corridor begins at the terminus of Little Tujunga Canyon which is located in the namesake Sand Canyon. Northbound Sand Canyon Road continues over the Santa Clara River and Antelope Valley Freeway (California State Route 14) to a terminus at Sierra Highway (former US Route 6).
Sand Canyon Road originally only spanned from Sand Canyon in the San Gabiel Mountains north to Lost Canyon Road. The corridor was extended to Sierra Highway during the late 1930s. The Sand Canyon Road interchange with the Antelope Valley Freeway opened to traffic during August 1963.
Part 1; the history of Sand Canyon Road
Sand Canyon Road is named after a canyon located in the San Gabriel Mountains at the southeast city limit of Santa Clarita. Sand Canyon originates near Magic Mountain and carries a wash westward into the city of Santa Clarita. Upon entering the city Sand Canyon turns northward and empties into the Santa Clara River near Humphreys station (commissioned by Southern Pacific Railroad in 1876). The ranching neighborhood through which Sand Canyon passes co-opted the name and was annexed into the larger city of Santa Clarita on December 25, 1987.
Sand Canyon Road first appears on the 1900 United States Geological Survey map of San Fernando. The corridor is shown to originate near the junction of Sand Canyon and Bear Canyon (marked by blue pin) in the Gabriel Mountains. Sand Canyon Road is shown intersecting Placerita Canyon Road and extending north to Lost Canyon Road near Humphreys station.
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. It is unclear why the corridor was not named as an extension of Sand Canyon Road.
Sand Canyon Road appears as a minor local highway on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Los Angeles County.
Sand Canyon Road was extended north of the Santa Clara River during the late 1930s to US Route 6 at Sierra Highway. This extension appears on the 1940 United States Geological Survey map of San Fernando. The terminus at Sierra Highway is mark by blue pin.
On August 23, 1963, the first segment of the Antelope Valley Freeway (then US Route 6 and now California State Route 14) was dedicated at the then new Sand Canyon Road Overpass. The first freeway segment opened spanned from Solemint Junction east to Red Rover Mine Road. The dedication ceremony was presided over by Los Angeles County 5th District Supervisor Warren Dorn. The Sand Canyon Pass Overpass is featured prominently in the August 29, 1963, Newhall Signal and Saugus Enterprise.
Part 2; a drive on Sand Canyon Road
Northbound Little Tujunga Canyon Road becomes Sand Canyon Road upon crossing a wash at the namesake canyon.
Sand Canyon Road enters the city of Santa Clarita and intersects Placerita Canyon Road.
Northbound Sand Canyon Road passes through the Sand Canyon neighborhood and crosses under the Union Pacific Railroad (formerly Southern Pacific).
Sand Canyon Road crosses the Santa Clara River and the Antelope Valley Freeway.
Sand Canyon Road continues north of the Antelope Valley Freeway to a terminus at Sierra Highway.
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