Willow Springs Canyon in the Sierra Pelona of Los Angeles County was both a natural corridor and an important early travel route across inland Southern California. Beginning near Elizabeth Lake and descending toward the Antelope Valley, it carried portions of El Camino Viejo, a route first established by the Spanish and later used by Californios traveling toward Mud Spring, Cow Springs, and the old Tejon Pass. During the Gold Rush, travelers from Los Angeles to the gold fields also passed through the canyon before heading north across the Antelope Valley. Although traffic later shifted to Grapevine Canyon past Fort Tejon, the older road remained known as a favored passage for outlaws.