If you take the 14 to sand canyon and you'll be setup to either drive into the river basin/canyon. I'd think there's a lot of good places out in the open. Keep on going on the 14 and you'll eventually start to get to Acton which is different type of soil. You're going to get a decomposed basalt out there. Acton is a little bit more deserty than Santa clarita. We can go look for rocks too!
plant wise, drosera get aphids when its too hot for me, I had the occasional scale bug on my sarracenia but Drosera need to be really humid. I can throw you some seeds cause I have them growing like weeds in my other pots.
PTantFan : I used to work in Burbank by the 5/134. There's a great sized horse park right near there with some sandy trails, ever been there? its right off of riverside