$423,858Average Value$322Average Price per Sq Ft24Homes For Sale
Rugged landscapes and a supportive community define Lake Hughes
There’s a sign at the entrance to the area encompassing Lake Hughes and Lake Elizabeth where Johnson Road meets Elizabeth Lake Road that well sums up the ethos of this area. Welcome To The Lakes, it reads. Where Nature Is Your Neighbor. Living in Lake Hughes is at once an exercise in rugged western-style independence and an experience of the sublime beauty of one of the country's most stunning landscapes. “It’s very lush and lovely,” says Michelle Pendergrast, a licensed Broker Associate with Keller Williams Antelope Valley. But locals says that landscape is changing. With wildfires in 2020 over a 25,000-acre area and severe drought that has seen perennial lakes and riverbeds run dry from time to time, there’s never been a more necessary time to band together as a community and this is what residents of “The Lakes” have done. “The community really relies on each other because it’s separated from most areas,” says Pendergrast.
Hughes Lake bordered by homes and the Angeles National Forest in Lake Hughes.
A sign in Lake Hughes proclaims that nature is your neighbor.
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Homes surrounded by Angeles forest land
The neighborhood of Lake Hughes is known for the arid wildness of the Angeles National Forest that surrounds it. Nature here is unlike nature in other parts of the country. Pine, juniper and Joshua trees dot the dry hills, lending a washed-out color to the landscape except when spring comes and an array of wild poppies springs up everywhere you look. And despite the fact that some of those hills are charred and blackened from recent fires, new saplings are growing and new residents are moving in. “They’re recovering strongly from the fires,” says Pendergrast. Several plots of land in developments slated for construction are for sale in Lake Hughes, some of them on the lake, at prices between $20,000 to $300,000. For under $300,000 you can find a one-bedroom bungalow on a third of an acre, a two-bedroom high ranch-style home on the side of a hill or an historic cabin made of rocks in need of a little love. For under $750,000 you’ll find sprawling three-bedroom ramblers on 20 acres running up the side of a mountain covered in chapparal leading up toward a never-ending sky of blue.
A ranch-style home sits on a hill in Lake Hughes.
Motorcyclists ride along Elizabeth Lake Rd in Lake Hughes.
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Outdoor spots include Pacific Crest and Castaic Falls trails
Outdoor recreation is big here and residents recommend various spots. The Pacific Crest Trail runs along the southern border of Lake Hughes. It’s not uncommon to see tanned, sinewy thru-hikers detouring into town for supplies or crossing Lake Hughes Road on their way north to Canada. The Castaic Falls Trail is the site of a popular local swimming hole. The trailhead requires a 10-mile drive into the Angeles Forest from the neighborhood, but it’s well worth it. Other nearby places include the Shadowland Foundation wolf sanctuary, which is an amazing place to glimpse these famously reclusive creatures up close, and The Painted Turtle, an overnight ranch camp established by the Paul Newman Foundation for terminally ill children.
A motorcyclist stops to enjoy the lake at the Lake Elizabeth picnic area near Lake Hughes.
Pacific Crest Trail runs along the southern border of Lake Hughes.
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The Rock Inn is a weekend hotspot with burgers and live music
The Rock Inn is probably the most famous place around here. Built in the early 20th century out of – you guessed it – rocks gathered from nearby canyons and riverbeds, the restaurant and bar started out as the Lake Hughes Trading Post. In 1975, an actor renovated it and now it’s a popular place for locals and motorcycle riders out for a spin to stop for burgers and cold drinks. On weekends there’s live music.
Customers enjoy their meals at The Rock Inn in Lake Hughes.
Customers lined up to order their lunch at Pokitomik in nearby Quartz Hill.
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Lake Hughes schools score B ratings
Hughes-Elizabeth Lakes Elementary School has a B grade for its overall performance and an A for its teachers on school rankings website Niche. The Gregg Anderson Academy in next-door Palmdale has an overall grade of B plus despite an average class size of 25. The hardworking teachers in this school received an A minus on the site. Highland High School scored a B plus for its college preparatory curriculum.
Hughes-Elizabeth Lake Elementary serves Lake Hughes and Lake Elizabeth.
Highland High School in nearby Palmdale.
Gregg Anderson Academy is in nearby Palmdale.
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NASA and defense contractors provide regional employment
Many of the locals work at the nearby Edwards Air Force Base, which has an outpost of NASA. There is also a classified Air Force manufacturing facility in Palmdale where aircraft makers such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing operate. State roads will take you to the 5 freeway in Santa Clarita or the 15 in San Bernadino. It takes a special kind of person to live in The Lakes, but once you’re there you won’t be alone.
Written By
Abbot Street
Photography Contributed By
Joseph Choo
Video By
Remi Cox
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Martha Aguilera,
an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in Lake Hughes, CA sell after 60 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Lake Hughes, CA over the last 12 months is $450,000, up 10% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Two adjacent lots (003 & 004). Build your dream home with spectacular Lake Elizabeth and valley views. Electrical and Water are at the street. Google Maps Geo-Coordinates are (34.65896727, -118.38918347)
This custom, charming, and cozy lake-view home offers 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, highlighted by two inviting wood-burning stoves, one in the family room and one in the primary suite, that create a warm and welcoming atmosphere throughout. Revel in the absolutely beautiful vaulted beam ceilings in multiple areas of the home. Enjoy peaceful lake scenery from the large front entertainer's deck or
Beautifully updated 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom home in peaceful Lake Hughes! This clean, move-in ready property features bright living spaces, plantation shutters, and modern finishes throughout. Enjoy low-maintenance, drought-tolerant landscaping surrounded by block walls for privacy. The backyard offers a covered pergola perfect for relaxing or entertaining, plus a massive 53' x 44' gravel pad ideal
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