Black Star Canyon, Natural canyon in Orange County, California.

Black Star Canyon is a remote mountain canyon in the Santa Ana Mountains of eastern Orange County, California, draining toward the Santa Ana River. A broad valley descends to a flat, dry floor where a small cluster of buildings, including a light-colored structure with a pitched roof, sits on a dirt clearing near a group of taller trees. Pale dry grass covers the gentle slopes, green shrubs edge the valley floor, and a low ridge crosses the far background.

August Witte founded the Black Star Coal Mining Company in 1879 after coal deposits were found in the canyon, giving the canyon its name. Six to ten tons of medium- to low-grade coal were extracted daily from 900 feet of tunnel, then hauled by mule teams to Anaheim or Los Angeles. The canyon had earlier been called Cañada de los Indios under Spanish and Mexican rule.

The village of Puhú, in the upper canyon, is California Historical Landmark 217. Tongva people came in summer for shade and acorns from the canyon's mature oaks, and the settlement was likely occupied only part of the year. A 1831 fight between trappers led by William Wolfskill and villagers, long told as a battle, is now identified as a communal massacre; analysis of the village midden found no horse or European livestock remains.

Bring at least two liters of water and wear protective clothing when hiking here. The trails can be steep and weather can change quickly, so proper preparation makes a real difference.

The canyon's name comes from the Black Star Coal Mining Company, founded by August Witte in 1879 after he found coal deposits here. Six to ten tons of medium- to low-grade coal were dug daily from 900 feet of tunnel, then hauled by mule team to Anaheim or Los Angeles.