Pacoima Canyon to Dagger Flats

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Geological Significance · River/Creek · Views · Wildlife

Free parking across from the top of Kagel Canyon Road. Do not block gate. 6-8 parking spots here. You'll be competing for parking with cyclists who ride the nearby fire road.

clear trail and even footing until reaching the bottom of the canyon. Where trail exists along the riverbank, the trail is packed sand and fine gravel.

This trail begins directly across Little Tujunga road from the top of Kagel Canyon Road. You climb slightly up the wide gravel fire road for 1/4 mile until you reach a small turnoff to the left, marked by a 8-foot tall pipe in the ground. from there you descend the fire road (now a singletrack trail) down to the floor of Pacoima Canyon, where you meet the stream at Dutch Louie Flat at 2.5 Miles. This is a former campground and you may find remnants of the campground here.

Dutch Louie was a placer miner in the area and remnants of his workings are visible in the canyon. It is rumored that Dutch Louie is buried in this area but his grave is lost to time and so is his fortune.

From Dutch Louie Flat, head upstream. the trail is marked by cairns and crosses the stream many times. This area could be very dangerous in wet seasons.

This area is frequented by hunters. in hunting season it would be wise to wear bright colors.

About 1 mile up the stream is old Dagger Flat. Local lore says a miner was stabbed here in the 1800's, some have postulated that Dutch Louie was the assailant but we have no such proof.

This riparian area is prime habitat for many of the local animals, signs of deer, mountain lion and coyote abound. Ticks also frequent this area between November and April. Wear long sleeves/pants