A barranca is a deep gorge or canyon. A word of Spanish American origin, the term ‘ barranca’ stems from the Spanish word for “cliff, precipice, gully, ravine.”

A barranca is a steep-sided ravine, gully, or gorge of varying width and depth that is a common feature of the landscape in Southern California. Before widespread development in the region, they were typically dry for much of the year and only carried water during the winter rainy season.