Barbara and I were ready for a new-to-us mountain hike and headed for the western San Gabriel foothills at the "top of LA" in Sylmar to explore a thoroughly fun, multi-personality trail in Wilson Canyon Park. We paid the $5 parking fee to avoid the half-mile walk up to the trailhead (hey, we love to hike but like true Angelenos, the closer we can park, the better.) Found the trailhead steps from our new space near the top and began the counterclockwise hike along Wilson Canyon Loop Trail. Trail personality #1: a slippery and treacherous dirt path with loose rocks and deep gulleys formed by winter rains. Barbara toughed her way up, I wind-milled my arms while watching my feet. But wow—the view east at the Army Corp of Engineers' flood-control mountain terraces and the sweeping southern view of the SF Valley behind us. The written history of this area dates back to the 1797 founding of the San Fernando Mission. Wilson Canyon was named for Christopher North Wilson who settled a ranch in the foothills in 1871. His son ceded part of the ranch in 1920 for the establishment of nearby Olive View Sanatorium, and we can thank the wonderful Santa Monica Conservancy and MRCA for purchasing 240 acres and opening Wilson Canyon Park in 1996. At about 0.08 miles along, Barbara and I reached the top of the first half of the trail and detoured east to a plateau with benches, another glorious view, and snacks. The second half of the Wilson Canyon Loop Trail had a different look and feel. The trail was much easier to navigate and we explored a few pockets of concrete blocks and wooden poles probably left behind by the flood control construction team. Most fascinating—the mysterious footprints left in a mud puddle beneath a canyon wall. Coyotes? Bears? Lions? We hiked a little faster from there. The trail took us deep into a beautiful, shaded canyon with a hella gullied trail section, then out again to a clear hike, a view at the flood control panels that create waterfalls during rain season. Surrounded by sunflower-filled mountainsides, we hiked to the end of the trail and  back to the car. Barbara and I really like new hikes because we never know what to expect—and Wilson Canyon Loop Trail did not disappoint!