Kagel Lopez Canyons, CA

Two canyons, two moods. Kagel and Lopez Canyons climb side by side out of the northeast San Fernando Valley into the San Gabriel foothills, and together they make up a stretch of horse country in unincorporated Los Angeles County between Sylmar, Lake View Terrace and the national forest. Lopez Canyon is quieter and more spread out, with fewer homes and more open brush as it climbs. Down at the flat bottom near Foothill Boulevard, the area looks more like the valley, where manufactured homes and a handful of ordinary streets fill the flatter ground. Homes across both canyons are a mix of eras and sizes, from modest early houses to custom builds, usually on generous lots with space for animals. Riding is common, and trails lead straight out of the canyons into the Angeles National Forest. Little Tujunga Canyon Road, just to the east, is the scenic way deeper into the mountains. Errands are a short drive down the hill. San Fernando is the closest downtown, where Vallarta Supermarkets covers the weekly shop and the old mission sits just past the city line. The Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink station runs trains into downtown Los Angeles, while the 210 and the 5 are both close for anyone commuting by car. The tradeoff is that almost everything beyond a beer and a picnic means leaving the canyon. There are no grocery stores, cafes or gas stations up here, the roads are narrow and curving, and fire season means clearing brush and watching the red flag forecasts. What sets Kagel and Lopez Canyons apart is how abruptly the valley gives way. A few minutes from a Foothill Boulevard stoplight, the only neighbors on a morning walk might be a horse and a pair of quail.