South Antelope Valley, CA

From the foothill lots of South Antelope Valley, the whole desert floor opens up to the north, with Palmdale's grid spread out below and the valley running off toward the far mountains. Houses and mobile homes sit far apart on big parcels, reached by long gravel drives off Barrel Springs Road and Pearblossom Highway, and plenty of the ground between them is still raw desert with a for-sale sign on it. Elevation rises steadily toward the south, so the higher lots trade flat yards for views. The Angeles National Forest foothills rise behind the last houses, and the scrub between homes doubles as riding and walking ground. When a real park is the goal, the east side of Palmdale is the closest bet. Domenic Massari Park on 55th Street East has a skate park, courts, sports fields and a walking path, and Sam Yellen Park on East Avenue S is home to the city's first dog park. Nothing commercial operates inside the area itself. Groceries, gas, pharmacies, doctors and dinner out all happen in Palmdale, a drive of several miles for most homes, and Acton and Littlerock each have a few small local businesses of their own. The tradeoff to weigh is that the empty parcels around any given house can change. For now, South Antelope Valley still offers what drew people here first, which is big sky, quiet nights and the San Gabriels filling the view from the back porch.