Santa Clarita Kicks Off a New Year Fitness Wave

From sunrise trailheads in Plum Canyon to the echo of basketballs in Canyon Country’s open gym, Santa Clarita is greeting the New Year with a full-on fitness wave that goes far beyond scribbled resolutions, offering residents 5Ks, guided hikes, indoor lap lanes and low-cost classes built to make “getting in shape” feel less like a promise and more like a plan.
2026 Winter 5K
The Master’s University is turning its quiet Placerita Canyon campus into one of the more inviting entry points for Santa Clarita’s New Year fitness wave, opening its Winter 5K to runners, walkers and families from across the valley.
The 2026 Winter 5K is set for Sat., Jan. 17, with the first gun at 8:30 a.m. on the university’s north campus in Placerita Canyon, drawing both seasoned runners and first-timers who want to start the year with something more tangible than a resolution scribbled on paper. Distances include a Kids K fun run and two 5K options.
The course starts and finishes on the north campus, looping through Placerita Canyon and Quigley Canyon Open Space on an entirely flat but mixed-terrain route that showcases the oak-lined canyon just east of the city’s main thoroughfares. Organizers describe it as a “favorite way to start off the new year,” with views and a forgiving profile that make it accessible for first-timers while still fast enough for seasoned runners chasing an early-season benchmark, and the university’s athletics staff and student volunteers add to the homegrown feel with encouragement at the start and finish.
To register, visit www.masters.edu/winter5k. For questions, contact Coach Micaiah Scott at [email protected] or (424) 393-9662.
Plum Canyon Park Hike
The Happy Hikers SCV and Hikerbabes SCV groups are kicking off the New Year with a guided morning trek through Plum Canyon Park on January 25 from 9 to 11 a.m. The two-hour hike is considered intermediate, covering about three to five miles along a dirt road that rises and dips roughly 500 feet. Participants keep a steady one-mile-per-hour pace, heading about two miles in before looping back to the starting point.
Hikers should dress warmly for the cooler season and wear shoes with good traction. A light backpack is recommended for carrying water, snacks or a packed lunch, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and a jacket in case of a temperature drop. A headlamp and a positive attitude round out the essentials.
To find the trailhead, turn left from Skyline Ranch just before the park onto Bension Lane, continue to Annmae Place, make a right, and then another right into the parking lot. Organizers ask that participants commit fully when registering, and if plans change, to cancel through Eventbrite ideally three days before the event so others have the chance to join.
Free registration is available by searching “HHSCV and HBSCV: Plum Canyon Park Hike” on Eventbrite. For details or questions, contact organizer Shana Morda at [email protected], via Facebook, or on Instagram (@shdaisy16).
Open Gym Fitness
Open Gym Fitness at the Canyon Country Community Center offers a welcoming, low-cost way for residents to get moving again after the holidays. The regular lineup of open-gym programs — including basketball, pickleball, and table tennis — returns to its normal schedule the week of January 12. Designed for participants of all skill levels, these drop-in sessions run year-round and provide an easy entry point for anyone eager to renew their fitness goals in the New Year.
Table tennis for adults takes place Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:45 a.m. to 2 p.m., while basketball for ages 12 and up runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pickleball, open to adults 18 and older, is held on Fridays from 9:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants are asked to bring their own equipment, such as paddles or basketballs.
Admission is free for juniors ages 12 to 17, $3 per visit for adults, and $2 for seniors 55 and older. Frequent visitors can also purchase a 15-visit pass for $34 for adults or $12 for seniors.
The Canyon Country Community Center is located at 18410 Sierra Highway. For more information, visit santaclarita.gov/canyon-country-community-
center or call (661) 290-2266.
Strength and Agility
Santa Clarita’s recreation department is kicking off 2026 with Strength and Agility, a co-ed outdoor program designed for all fitness levels. The weekly class blends resistance training, bodyweight movement, and stretching to boost balance, core stability, and cardiovascular health — an ideal start for those easing into new routines after the holidays.
Classes meet on Thursdays from 9 to 10 a.m., January 15 through February 12, beginning at Valencia Glen Park, 23750 Via Gavola. Each week’s route varies, giving participants a fresh outdoor experience around Santa Clarita’s parks. Attendees are asked to bring a resistance tube with handles and a pair of 2–3 pound hand weights.
The cost is $63 for the five-session series. To register, visit www.seasons.santaclarita.gov/santaclarita/programs; click on Health & Fitness Classes and scroll down to Strength and Agility.
Swimming, Tai Chi and MELT
The Valencia Community Center gives Santa Clarita residents a new, year-round place to move, connect and reset their routines right as New Year’s fitness resolutions kick in. Located in the former YMCA building at Valencia Summit Park, the 12,000-square-foot hub is now officially open to residents at 26147 McBean Parkway and is envisioned as a multi-generational gathering place where families, fitness-minded adults and beginners alike can plug into structured programs close to home.
At the heart of the building is the city’s first indoor swimming pool, designed to offer year-round aquatic opportunities regardless of the weather. From American Red Cross swim lessons to adult learn-to-swim and water exercise sessions, the heated pool is intended to serve everyone from cautious newcomers to seasoned lap swimmers.
Beyond aquatics, the center will host Contract Classes aimed at health, wellness and personal growth, including Tai Chi and MELT fitness sessions. Both formats emphasize mobility, pain reduction and improved overall body function, giving residents low-impact options that complement higher-intensity New Year workout goals.
“Whether you’re practicing your swimming strokes … or exploring a new fitness class, I know that this Community Center will provide many opportunities for our residents to stay active, healthy and connected,” said Ken Striplin, City Manager for the City of Santa Clarita. For more information, call (661) 250-3700.