Parks in Santa Clarita

Circle J Ranch Park

Many wards plan regular Park Days in addition to Beach Days and Pool Days! There are lots of chances to stay busy and get to know each other. Part of what makes it all work is the fantastic weather: it rains only rarely, and usually in the winter.

There are so many parks in Santa Clarita! These are the ones I frequent but they are Newhall/Valencia heavy because they are closest to me: there are plenty of neighborhood favorites for every corner of Santa Clarita. 

Meadows - Probably because of it's central location, Meadows is often the choice for ward and youth activities. There's a sandy kids play area and basketball courts as well as some of the most mature trees in the valley. The Peachland and Valencia wards usually hold 3 or 4 ward picnics on Monday night during the summer at Meadows Park. Sometimes the musicians will bring their guitars and play while we share a potluck meal or barbecue. Meadows also has a pool (check for public swimming hours) and a facility for preschool! This means it has a public bathroom (nice).

Valencia Glen - Only a few blocks from Meadows park, Valencia Glen is a great option if Meadows is too busy. It also features some fantastic trees for shade in the summer. Basketball courts for the teenagers and tennis courts tucked away on the other side of the park. Valencia Glen also has bathrooms.

Almendra - A smaller park, this one can be tricky to find! It's great for a short visit on a day when other parks are busy, but it doesn't have bathrooms. I like this one for smaller children because it's easier to keep them contained and there is almost always adjacent parking.

Richard Rioux - In the heart of Stevenson Ranch, this park has a large covered play area, basketball courts for the teenagers, tennis courts and a large baseball field. Lots of room to roam. Public bathrooms are available. Heads up: this park is gated and is locked after hours.

Circle J Ranch Park - This has a covered children's play area, but what I like most about this park is the walking path around the edge of the fields! If the kids are old enough, it's fun to walk or run while the kids are playing.

Old Orchard Park - Something about this park has a little bit of a city feel: probably the nearby traffic on Lyons Ave. Youth activities sometimes take place here because it is the closest park to the Peachland building. It does have bathrooms but the best feature is that it's adjacent to the paseos (sidewalk trails) that weave through the housing developments Old Orchard 1 and 2. It's a great place to take bikes, roller skates, or strollers and go for a ride.

Santa Clarita also has a strong Recreation Department, with an inexpensive preschool, tons of youth sports, and classes for all ages. Many youth sports games take place at Central Park. Basketball practices are often at the Aquatic Center with games at Placerita Junior High or other nearby schools.

One interesting note: Santa Clarita is divided into the city and then unincorporated Los Angeles County. Usually this doesn't affect much, but Santa Clarita Recreation classes offer a slight discount for Santa Clarita City residents! This means, essentially, if you live in the east side of the freeway you pay slightly less for Rec league sports and classes. This is also why Meadows, Valencia Glen, Almendra and Circle J parks link to a Santa Clarita City website while Richard Rioux sends you to Los Angeles County!