The Bridge to Nowhere hike is a quintessential SoCal trail. The trail criss-crosses the East Fork of the San Gabriel River many times. In the spring, the water can run fast and deep. Sometimes it’s waist high in places, making crossing a wet proposition. The river crossing make this trek more fun, and on a hot summer day, cooling off in one of the pools at the turnaround point is a perfect respite. But this hike has a bonus history lesson. It roughly follows the route of a road that attempted to provide a shortcut to Wrightwood. A flood in 1938 wiped out all but a few remnants of the road, but the “Bridge to Nowhere” remains.

Trail Details

Distance: 11 miles
Time: 4-5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation gain: 1,140 ft
Dogs: Yes
When to go: Year-round
Download GPX

Getting to the Trailhead

To get to the trailhead from Azusa, head north on San Gabriel Canyon Road for about 11 miles, then turn right at East Fork Road. Take this about 6 miles to the end and the parking lot. Note that the lot gets crowded, but you can park along the sides of the road. Pay attention to the signs. There are a few sections where parking is not allowed. Get detailed driving directions.

Hiking the Bridge to Nowhere Trail

The trail is clearly marked. You start out heading north up the canyon on a gravel road that hugs the east side of the canyon, parallel to the river. In the early morning, the mountains provide shade from the sun — a welcome relief on hot days, as most of this trail has full exposure.

At 0.5 miles you’ll reach the Heaton Flat Campground. I would probably never camp here personally — too much of a zoo.

The trail crosses the river several times along the route, and each time you’ll be shaded by alder trees. It’s quite beautiful.

As you continue along the river trail, notice that at times there are traces of the road that once wound through the canyon. This is the very road that once cross the bridge. Mother Nature has done her darnedest to erase all evidence of the road, but look closely and you’ll see a patch of asphalt here and there.

At about 3.5 miles, you scramble up the side of the canyon to a ledge with remnants of the old road. Watch closely to your right and you might see little spur creek feeding the river. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can scramble up this creek to a hidden waterfall that few ever see.

Soon you come to a sign with a long list of rules and a stern warning that you entering private property. Yes, the Bridge to Nowhere is on land leased to a company that runs bungee jumps off the bridge. For a fee, you too can wait in line and jump off a bridge.

As we approached the bridge, we spied several big horn sheep making their way down the canyon wall on the opposite side of the river — quite appropriate sense we were in the Sheep Mountain Wilderness.

The Bridge to Nowhere is a beautiful structure oddly out-of-place. As it’s name suggests, it really is a bridge without a road, in the middle of nowhere. The bungee jumping crowds can be big on the weekends in warm weather. We threaded our way through the crowd to the opposite side of the bridge, then picked a route down to the river.

The area just beyond and below the ridge is the beginning of The Narrows. There are lots of pools, waterfalls, shady Alder trees and boulders to hop across or stretch out on. This is the perfect spot to kick off your boots, eat your lunch and take a refreshing dip in the surprisingly cool water.

Bridge to Nowhere Trail Map

Photo Gallery

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Bridge To Nowhere Tips

• An Adventure Pass used to be required here, but that has since been change. If in doubt, check with the Ranger Station.
• Bring plenty of water, or a means of purifying or filtering water from the river.
• When water is high, wear hiking shoes that are not waterproof, and just wear them through the water. The stones in the river are slippery. Going barefoot or even in sandals is not advised.
• Trekking poles are very useful, particularly for the water crossings.

More Bridge to Nowhere Resources

• Huell Howser’s video history on The Bridge to Nowhere
• Afoot & Afield Los Angeles County – Wilderness Press

Originally hiked on June 21, 2014.

The Trail Canyon Trail isn’t a product of the Office of Redundancy Department (or the Ministry of Silly Walks, for that matter). Trail Canyon refers to the trail of gold flakes seen swirling down the creek at the bottom of the canyon. At the turn of the 20th century, miners worked the creek, but the trail didn’t lead to any riches.

The real gold of Trail Canyon is the scenery: rugged and steep canyon walls containing a babbling creek and a beautiful waterfall.

Trail Details

Distance: 5.5 miles
Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation gain: 1260 ft
Dogs: Yes
When to go: Spring

We hiked to Lazy Lucas Camp — a single campsite named for Tom Lucas, a grizzly bear hunter and one of the first forest rangers in the San Gabriel Timberland Reserve — now known as the Angeles National Forest.

Getting to the Trailhead

The turnoff to Trail Canyon Road

There is a parking area about 0.4 miles off Big Tujunga Canyon Road at 19607 N. Trail Canyon Road. Click the pin on this map to calculate driving directions.

A couple notes about this dirt road. There is a gate that is sometimes closed. It only adds 0.4 miles each way (0.8 total) to hike in, so you can park and hike in if the gate is closed. Do not block the gate, as there are residents in the canyon who need to get in and out.

Also, the road narrows to one lane in a couple of sections. Proceed with caution. Finally, you’ll see a fork in the road at the crest of the first hill. Stay to the right to reach our trailhead.

There are conflicting reports about whether you need to display an Adventure Pass to park at this trailhead. I have an annual pass (highly recommended) and didn’t have to take any chances.

Hiking the Trail Canyon Trail

We parked amid a cluster of cabins dating back to the 1920’s. There is some shade here, and a marker pointing the direction toward the trailhead. There’s an information sign as well as a trail register.

Just beyond the sign, you’ll see a gated dirt road that heads up the canyon. You immediately cross the creek — the first of 24 creek crossings  — and follow the dirt road as it clings to the canyon wall.

Soon you pass the last standing cabin, and the trail continues on a now abandoned jeep trail. You’ll pass a sign with an ominous warning: “TRAIL NOT MAINTAINED — HAZARDS MAY EXIST.” You’re on the right path.

0.8 Miles – The trail winds around a ridge and down toward the creek again. Reaching a hairpin turn, the old jeep trail beds downstream toward the ruins of an old cabin. You may see the rusty remains of it’s contents piled for pickup, like some sort of rusty yard sale. But here’s where the trail gets better. Bear right and head down towards the creek.

For the next 1/2 mile, you follow the creek, criss-crossing the water several times, climbing over and ducking under fallen tree trunks. It wasn’t especially difficult, but it was fun. You may have to pause a few times to find your way, but it was one of our favorite sections of the trail.

At 1.2 miles, the trail begins climbing up the west side of the canyon.

This section of the trail is exposed, but soon we were rewarded with sweeping views back down the canyon.

At 1.8 miles, we caught our first glimpse of Trail Canyon Falls below.

At about 2 miles, there is an unofficial spur trail that descends steeply with several treacherous spots. For many people, this is as far as they go. We opted to continue to Lazy Lucas Camp, and would visit the base of the falls on our way back.

The trail again criss-crosses the creek several times above the falls. We followed the trail up the canyon and at the 2.8 mile mark, we reached Lazy Lucas Camp. This is a single campsite with an iron fire ring. Note that the sign at the trailhead warned that this area was open for day use only and no campfires — so while backpacking to this spot may once again be an option in the future, it’s limited to a comfortable place to take a snack break for now.

We rested and munched on trail snacks — then started backtracking down the canyon. At the 4 mile mark, we again reached the spur that leads to the base of the falls. This “trail” requires some scrambling confidence to tackle, but yields a close-up view of a pretty spectacular waterfall.

We followed the trail back to the trailhead, counting the creek crossings on our return. In total there were 24 creek crossings — 12 each way. Take care to look for the pink ribbons tied to tree branches to help you find the trail, and the occasional stone cairn.

I did a short exploratory hike to some of the ruins of the cabins that no longer stood. It’s amazing to think how these were built, and what this canyon must’ve looked like before the fire.

When we got back to our car, there were about ten other cars now parked in the lot. While the trail wasn’t crowded by any means, we did encounter several other groups of hikers. In contrast to the over-crowded Eaton Canyon Falls, this was a welcome change.

The Trail Canyon Falls hike was one of Joan’s favorites. It combines a lot of great features — interesting terrain, a cool creek and beautiful waterfall. This is a trail I’ll happily hike again.

Trail Canyon Trail Map

Trail Canyon Photo Gallery

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Trail Canyon Tips

• This trail is unmaintained. There is poison oak and some of the dreaded Poodle Dog Bush, so long pants and long sleeves are highly recommended. Several of the hikers in our group hiked beyond to the remains of Big Cienega Camp, but reported that the trail was very difficult to locate and required a great deal of bushwhacking.
• The many creek crossing require you pay close attention for trail markers to stay on the trail. Look for cairns (stacks of stones) or the occasional pink ribbon tied to branches to mark the trail.
• The spur trail down to the base of the falls is treacherous and requires scrambling.
• Joan and I agreed that we were glad we brought our trekking poles on this hike.

More Trail Canyon Resources

• Looking for a challenge? You can extend this hike up to Condor Peak and you’ll log 16 miles and 4,000 feet of elevation gain. Casey over at Modern Hiker has a great write-up, as well as pre-Station Fire photos.
• Dan Simpson shares his perspective on the trail from his June 2012 hike.
• Love waterfalls? Check out these hikes.

Trail Canyon Weather Forecast

[forecast width=”100%” location=”91042″]

Los Piños Peak sits at 4,455 feet above sea level in the Cleveland National Forest, just west of the Main Divide between Orange and Riverside Counties. There are other more strenuous routes to this summit, but this route is made easier because you start at over 3,000 feet. Instead of approaching from Orange County, you reach this trail from Ortega Highway. 

Trail Details

Distance: 5.3 miles
Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation gain: 1350 ft
Dogs: Yes
When to go: Year-round

Getting to the Trailhead

We parked at the junction of the Main Divide Truck Trail and Long Canyon Road — very near the Blue Jay and Falcon campgrounds. There is a gate here that is sometimes locked. It was open this weekend, but the road to the Los Pinos Trail requires a high-clearance vehicle and preferably four-wheel drive. We opted to hike this section, but you could drive this with the proper vehicle. We put our Adventure Pass on display, parked and headed up the Main Divide.

The first 1.7 miles is a gravel road aptly described as a truck trail — it’s very bumpy and when the gates are open, you will likely be passed by the occasional Jeep, dirt bike or mountain biker. But there are some great views to the east, including Lake Elsinore in the valley below.

At the 1.7 mile mark, you’ll reach a small gravel parking area and a sturdy metal rail. This marks the trailhead of the Los Piños Trail.

Don’t think you have to head straight up this steep, gravelly incline (though many do). Cross the rail and bear to the right and you’ll find the official trailhead, which takes a gentler but slightly longer route up. Both routes converge near the shoulder of the first hill, so feel free to take your pick.

The trail follows the ridgeline closely, in a roller coaster style to the summit. The north side of the ridge is covered in the namesake pine or “piños” trees.

While the trail fairly well maintained, it is gravelly in spots. I recommend boots or trail shoes with good traction. Trekking poles would be a nice to have in some sections.

The Summit of Los Piños

The views from the summit were beautiful. There is a summit register to sign, and our trail mascot Yoda got to meet the #SexyBikiniPanda. He wasn’t overly impressed. soak in the views before you retrace your steps to the car.

Bluejay to Los Piños Summit Trail Map

Los Piños Photo Gallery

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Special Thanks

I hiked this with a group of other outdoor bloggers from around Southern California — as part of a Tweetup. Thanks to my lovely wife Joan of theSCvibe.com; Campfire Kam and Alex; Josh of CaliforniaThroughMyLens; ringleader Pete of East-West Hike; Alyx at Shoestring Adventures; Eileen from Rockgrrl.com and Zac from OPAdventures for taking part in this weekend tweetup.

Los Piños Tips

• There can be snow up here. If the snow levels drop below 4,000 feet, be prepared.
• There is no water and very little shade along the trail. Bring two liters and wear a hat and sun protection.
• A National Forest Adventure Pass is required for parking at the trailhead.

More Los Piños Resources

• Nearby camping is available at the Blue Jay and Falcon campgrounds. Reservations required.
• Los Pinos Peak via the Main Divide Road – Brian and Ashley’s Hiking Blog

Los Piños Weather Forecast

[forecast width=”100%” location=”El Cariso, CA”]

Spectacular fall color in Southern California? It exists! Just a short distance from Big Bear we found the southernmost aspen grove in California. The quaking aspen (populus tremoloids) are readily identified by the disc-like leaves about the size of a silver dollar. The slightest breeze sets these leaves in motion, leading to that “quaking” effect. It’s beautiful to see and a delight to the ears.

Trail Details

Distance: 3 miles
Time: 60-90 min.
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation gain: 518 ft
Dogs: Yes
When to go: Year-round

I had heard of this Southern California grove when I was planning my Fish Creek hike on San Gorgonio, but didn’t have time to check it out. Being the first weekend of October, we thought it would be a perfect time to check it out.

Getting There

Getting to the trailhead is an adventure in itself. You take Highway 38 from Redlands up the mountains — about 30 miles to Forest Route IN02 (the sign points to the Heart Bar Equestrian Campground). This Forest Service road is gated and usually closed winters through about May. It begins as a paved road, but quickly turns to a washboard gravel road that made me thankful I was driving my Xterra.

After a few easy miles, we headed right at the fork toward Fish Creek. Here the road narrows to a single lane, and gets very rocky and rutted. You won’t need four-wheel drive, but I’d recommend an SUV or truck. We saw a couple of sedans at the trailhead, but I’d advise against that. The trailhead itself is easy to spot, with a big sign and information about the area. Parking is free and an Adventure Pass is no longer required, but you will need a free permit, which you can pickup at the Mill Creek Ranger Station on Highway 38 at Bryant.

Hiking to the Aspen Grove

The trail begins with an easy downhill jaunt to Fish Creek. As we headed down the trail, we caught glimpses of the aspen trees turning brilliant gold.

At the 0.3 mile mark, we reached Fish Creek. In spite of it being early October with very little precipitation this summer, there was still water flowing.

After crossing the creek, you’ll see a sign marking the entrance to the San Gorgonio Wilderness and noting that wilderness permits are required. Just beyond this sign, the first grove of aspen trees begins.

When you cross the creek, you reach a junction with the Fish Creek trail. To your left, the trail heads uphill toward the Fish Creek Trailhead. We headed to the right, following Fish Creek downhill to the second and larger aspen grove.

One of the unique characteristics of aspen is that unlike most trees, a grove is actually a single organism with a shared root system. So the leaves of a “grove” will turn colors at the same time, and generally the same colors. In areas where multiple groves co-mingle, this manifests itself in variations of colors.

We took our sweet time picking our way down the trail, stopping frequently to take photos or simply enjoy the beautiful colors and sounds of the aspen. There are several crossings as you head down the trail, but all easily manageable.

At the 1.4 mile mark, it looked like we had seen all of the aspen groves, and turned around. Backtrack up the same trail. We attempted to find an easily navigable route into the larger grove (seen in the featured photo at the top of this post), but the growth along the creek was pretty heavy. Instead, we enjoyed the view from across the creek.

We headed back up toward the trailhead. But before we left, we setup the hammock in the first aspen grove. We laid back and enjoyed the view.

Aspen Grove Trail Map

Photo Gallery

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Aspen Grove Tips

• Getting to the trailhead takes you up a very bumpy dirt road. I’d recommend a high-clearance vehicle.
• Adventure Pass required for trailhead parking
• Wilderness Permit required for entry into the San Gorgonio Wilderness
• Be prepared for cold weather. You’re in the mountains.
• Aprés-hike libations? Check out Hangar 24 Brewery in Redlands, right off Highway 38

Looking for more fall color in California? My friend Josh has created a list of the Best Places for Fall Color in California.

Angeles Oaks Weather Forecast

Angeles Oaks is the nearest weather station I could find. Note that the temperatures are likely to be much cooler, since you’ll be more than 8,000 feet above sea level.

[forecast width=”100%” location=”92305″]

At 12:01 AM, October 1, 2013, the federal government shut down. While we wait for Congress to do the right thing, National Parks are officially closed to hiking and camping. I’ve got many friends who had plans for visiting nearby National Parks, and for now, those plans are dashed.

Good News

As of October 17, 2013, the good news is that the crisis has been at least temporarily averted. The National Parks and National Forests have been re-opened.

Here’s what this means to hikers and outdoor lovers throughout Southern California, with the best details I can provide on where you can and cannot hike. I’ll keep this updated, but if you have new information, let me know in the comments.

The Closures

All National Parks are effectively closed. Hikers in the backcountry with wilderness permits are allowed to finish their hike, but new permits won’t be issued. In southern California this includes:

• Channel Islands National Park
• Joshua Tree National Park
• Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
  • Areas that fall into State Park jurisdication may be open
• Death Valley National Park

This means that popular trails like Sandstone Peak and sections of the Backbone Trail are now off limits.

Mostly Open

The general consensus on National Forest is that it’s still open, but there will be no ranger services or permits, and hunting will not be allowed. It’s not clear whether any they will have enforcement agents to check for Adventure Passes at trailheads requiring them. Local National Forest areas include:

• Angeles National Forest
• San Bernardino National Forest
• Cleveland National Forest
• Los Padres National Forest

These areas include trails like Mt. Baldy, Mt. Wilson, San Gorgonio, San Bernardino and Santiago Peak.

Still Open For Hiking

All of the State, county, regional and local park systems remain open. This includes:

• Crystal Cove State Park
• Catalina Island
• Griffith Park
• Laguna Coast Wilderness
• Whiting Ranch
• And many more remain open

I know we all hope this is resolved quickly. Our National Parks are not just wonderful places for us to visit and hike, but the visitors they attract help support entire cities surrounding them. Write your congressman and tell them to take care of business.

Day 8 on the John Muir Trail…

After a “half day” of hiking yesterday, we looked forward to getting back on the trail today. We planned to head from Deer Creek to Tully Hole — about 12 miles. The elevation gain would be mainly slow and steady, and we would be hiking right at the tree line most of the day.

John Muir Trail Day 8

Distance: 11.1 miles
Cumulative Distance: 81.4 miles
Total Ascent: 2,572 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 22,028 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 9 and 8

This was effortless climbing, relatively speaking. As we  headed south along the side of the valley, the trail was climbing the entire way, but with no switchbacks and a gentle grade, we barely noticed.

At mile five we stopped for a lazy lunch break at Duck Creek, kicking the boots off and soaking in the cold, refreshing water.

As we sat in the shade happily munching on our lunch, an older gentleman named Al happened by. He was a solo north-bound — or NOBO — JMT thru-hiker, and he was on track to complete the JMT in 14 days with no resupply. This was Al’s second JMT thru-hike. The first time, years earlier, he had used “traditional” backpacking gear (much as we had) weighing in at over 40 lbs. This time around he went ultra-light. His base pack weight was a mere 14 lbs. 

We pondered the benefits and trade-offs of going ultra-light as we finished our lunch. And as we heaved our packs back up on our backs to continue hiking, we were pretty sure Al was on to something.

At mile 7.3, we came across the beautiful Purple Lake. The steep mountain sides leading to Purple Lake left us wondering whether there were many — or any — good campsites there, but it had a wild feel about it that was attractive.

From Purple lake we ascended the saddle reaching the highest point on today’s hike en route to Lake Virginia. This doesn’t look like much, but it was hot and dusty.

Lake Virginia was big and beautiful. The John Muir Trail passes the inlet to Lake Virginia, then skirts the eastern border before passing over another saddle and the final descent to Tully Hole.

One of the joys of thru-hiking is the people you meet along the trail. We had crossed paths with numerous other thru-hikers, some of them several times. And as our JMT crew stretched out, each of us hiking our own pace, we would sometimes encounter the same people, but at different times.

On this day, Hari had hiked up ahead and ran into a Ranger at Lake Virginia. He was checking for two things: permits and bear canisters.  Hari had a long, friendly conversation with the Ranger while he waited for the rest of us to catch up. The Ranger had run across a two guys who were backpacking without a bear canister — a big no-no — and was escorting them back to his camp where he was going to graciously loan them a spare canister. That’s pretty awesome.

Hari and The Secret Ranger Campsite

Being friendly has its benefits. Our intended destination was Tully Hole — which we learned was famous for mosquitos. Talking to the Ranger about our plans, he revealed a “secret campsite” that the Rangers sometimes used. It’s not on the maps.

When we reached Fish Creek, we crossed over and did a short boulder scramble up to a granite outcrop. Here there was enough of a breeze through the canyon to keep most of the mosquitos at bay. 

The trail down to Tully Hole drops 1,000 feet in about a mile with a series of switchbacks. As we got closer to the bottom, we could make out the granite outcrop with our new “secret campsite” destination.

Our “secret” campsite was awesome. We cooked dinner, relaxed and enjoyed an amazing light show as the sun set. Joan did a great job of capturing the changes in colors on the nearby mountains.

JMT Day 8: Deer Creek to Tully Hole

JMT Day 8 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we head over Silver Pass, down to Edison Lake and Vermilion Valley Resort.

Originally hiked on August 3, 2010.

Day 7 on the John Muir Trail…

John Muir Trail Day 7

Distance: 6.5 miles
Cumulative Distance: 70.3 miles
Total Ascent: 2,067 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 19,456 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 10 and 9

As we broke camp, we said goodbye to our new friend and gracious campsite host Chris Ryerson. He was on a 45-day walkabout in the High Sierras. No specific agenda or route, just hiking up and down and over and about from one mountain to the next. We were grateful that he offered to share his campsite with us, and we still keep in touch.

The first stop was about 1/2 a mile away: Red’s Meadow Resort. They have a small market and you can ship resupply packages to them. We ate breakfast at their Mulehouse Cafe, and then divvied up our resupply package.

Sometime that morning, I got in touch with a friend who lives in Mammoth Lakes, and was one of the members of my first JMT thru-hike back in 1980. As it turns out, his mom (who was also part of that 1980 thru-hike) and dad were in town, and they surprised us with a visit at Red’s Meadow.

We ended up spending all morning hanging out with Don and Zandra, reminiscing about our 1980 JMT thru-hike and catching up. Before we knew it, it was lunch time… so back to the cafe we went.

Get the Milkshake

When (not if) you stop at the Mulehouse Cafe in Red’s Meadow, you must order a milkshake. With whipped cream.

It may very well be the best milkshake you have ever tasted. 

After lunch, with full bellies and full packs, we were finally ready to hit the trail.

There are quite a few trails criss-crossing the Red’s Meadow area, and getting on the right one is important. We found the JMT and headed south.

Almost immediately, we emerged in a fire-scarred mountainside. The area is full of new growth, with new pine trees, lupen, and ferns everywhere. And not a bit of shade for quite a while. Being the middle of the day, the sun beat down on us as we climbed out of the valley.

We came upon a mountain spring that percolated into a creek right before our eyes.

After two miles, we finally exited the fire damaged area and entered the cool shade of the forest again.

Crossing Crater Creek at the 3.6 mile mark, we stopped for a break in the shade of the forest.

Lost on the JMT

At the Crater Creek crossing, we met another group of JMT thru-hikers that we had crossed paths with a couple times before. This family group had a teen who it seems ended up on the wrong trail, and they were trying to locate him. Their story has a happy ending. They found the teen (he had headed north instead of south) and were able to continue their journey.

The lesson? Two heads are better than one. If you’re hiking with a group, have a plan to stick together, or meet up at trail junctions. 

The last three miles were easy and scenic. Most of the time we were near either Crater Creek or Deer Creek. There were wildflowers, meadows, and gentle grades. We were all glad to have had an easy “half day” of hiking.

Devil’s Postpile, Red’s Meadow to Deer Creek

JMT Day 7 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we hike to Tully Hole.

Originally hiked on August 2, 2010.

Day Five on the John Muir Trail…

Yesterday’s hike up Lyell Canyon was relatively easy. Today, we would hit several big milestones. First, we would hike over our first serious pass. At 11,056 ft, Donohue Pass was still covered with snow, and the altitude was as high as we had been on the JMT so far. We would also pass the 50 mile mark. And we would bid adieu to Yosemite… and hello to the Ansel Adams Wilderness in Inyo National Forest.

John Muir Trail Day 5

Distance: 9.7 miles
Cumulative Distance: 50.5 miles
Total Ascent: 2,200 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 14,770 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 12 and 11

One of the great things about hiking the John Muir Trail is that you are never very far from a water source. There are only a few stretches where we really needed to carry more than a liter of water with us. If we needed more water, we would stop and filter more.

We crossed the bridge over Lyell Fork and headed out.

Some of the creek crossings were a little sketchy. You either hiked through the icy cold water, or carefully stepped one foot in front of the other, placing them on the slippery stones and doing your best not to fall in. We were glad we had our trekking poles. We made a point to always have three points of contact with the ground. 

At some of the lakes, there are feint trails that run around the perimeter. It’s easy to mistake these for “the” trail, but we knew we would be climbing and stuck to our uphill trajectory.

There were numerous rivulets that crossed the trail, as well as a wide range of wildflowers.

Soon we were high above the canyon, and ready to ascend the final incline to the pass. We stopped to look back on the canyon we just climbed out of.

We passed one last lake and started up a granite trail that was fully exposed. Well above the tree line, we were nearing the crest of Donohue Pass.

We reached the pass and took an early (and well deserved lunch break). Our trail mascot Yoda was proud.

From Donohue Pass, we split in two groups. Joan and I hiked on to our camp for the night at Thousand Island Lake. Jeffrey and Hari decided to tackle rocky Donohue Peak. There is no trail up Donohue Peak; it’s mainly boulder scrambling (no technical climbing required). Even so, it’s a slog up and back down. They were rewarded for their efforts with some amazing views.

From Donohue Pass, there is a long downhill trudge. The sun was warm and our spirits were high. And we still had about six miles to go. The scenery changed as we once again descended below the tree line and crossed Rush Creek.

Watch the trail signs carefully. Several trails converge in this area, and you don’t want to take the wrong trail. From the creek, we climbed towards Island Pass. This pass is easy to miss, because it’s really a wide, broad saddle dotted with little ponds. The distinctive feature? Jaw-dropping views of the majestic Minarets, their jagged peaks rising dramatically above you to the west.

Finally, we came into view of Thousand Island Lake.

This is a huge lake. No, it doesn’t really have a thousand islands. Yes, it does have a LOT of islands–more than I care to count. And it sits directly below the spectacular Banner Peak.

The trail winds down to the outlet of Thousand Island Lake. There is no camping around the outlet, so we had to follow the northern shore for about half a mile before we found a suitable campsite. We settled in, refilled our water bottles and pitched our tent. Jeffrey and Hari strolled in just in time for dinner — tired but proud to have bagged Donohue Peak.

Repelling Mosquitos: A Natural Approach

The mosquitos were pretty bad at Thousand Island Lake. I chose not to use repellent. My approach? Long pants and long sleeves. When I needed, I wore a mosquito net over my head. Once at camp, I could get into my tent until sundown. Most of the mosquitos disappear when the sun sets and the temperature dips, so I could cook and eat my dinner in peace.

Thousand Island Lake is one of my favorite places. It’s beauty always inspires me. And it’s a popular destination that many people hike to out of Mammoth Lakes. For these reasons, it’s crowded and attracts bears. We were all using bear canisters and didn’t have any problems, but we did hear some noise from other campsites that had to chase off bears.

The map below shows the general route we took, and the gallery below includes additional photos in chronological order.

Upper Lyell Canyon to Donohue Pass, Island Pass and Thousand Island Lake

JMT Day 5 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we hike to Red’s Meadow.

Originally hiked on July 31, 2010.

A little over two years ago, Derek (@100Peaks), Peter (@ADKinLA) and I journeyed out into the Anza Borrego desert and hiked up Whale Peak. Thus was born the first Hiking Blogger Summit. Last year we had an expanded gathering with a hike in the local Schabarum Regional Park. And this weekend, Derek, Peter and I were joined by Josh (@CaliFromMyLens) and Zac (@ZacApplegate) for another summit adventure.

Trail Details

Distance: 9 miles
Time: ~6 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 3,920 ft
Dogs: Yes
When to go: Year-round

Here are the five peaks, in order of ascent:

• San Gabriel Peak – 6,161 ft.
• Mt. Disappointment – 5,963 ft.
• Mt. Deception – 5,796 ft.
• Mt. Markham – 5,728 ft.
• Mt. Lowe – 5,574 ft.

The Tale of the Trail

At 8am, we met at the Eaton Saddle trailhead, at an elevation of 5,120 feet. Our trail began on a fire road littered with rocks, reminding us that this area is prone to rock slides.

As you round the first bend, the Mueller Tunnel comes into view. This tunnel was originally built in 1942. About 100 yards long, it suffered a major collapse in 2007, but has since been repaired. While this tunnel used to be technically passable by vehicles, the road is now blocked by several large boulders near the entrance–still plenty of room for hikers and mountain bikers to weave through.

At the 1/2 mile mark, we reached the junction at a water tank. To the left, the trail heads to Mt. Lowe. We headed to the right, toward our first summit of the day, San Gabriel Peak.

The mountain still bears scars from the Station Fire in 2009. You hike through eerie stands of dead, charred manzanita that once shaded the trail.

There are some trees that have survived, but one of the most common plants you’ll encounter on these trails is the dreaded Poodle Dog Bush. This invasive species thrives in areas scarred by wildfires. It has a pungent odor and purple flowers when blossoming. The Poodle is said to be more dangerous than poison oak. Contact can cause a rash, blistering or even severe respiratory distress.

You can see the Poodle Dog Bush here, very green and lush. On most of the trail we were able to avoid contact, with the exception of Mt. Markham. I was thankful I had long sleeves and long pants on that segment, as incidental contact became unavoidable. It is said that the symptoms can take a few days to show up, so exercise caution with this plant.

At Mile 1, we reached a second junction. To the left is Mt Disappointment. We followed the trail to the right for the final .36 miles to the summit of San Gabriel Peak.

The summit of San Gabriel Peak is marked with a cairn. There’s also a makeshift steel bench and the remnants of the foundation from a structure long since gone.

We signed the summit register, soaked in the views, and headed back down to the junction, this time heading toward the communications towers atop Mt. Disappointment. This “trail” is a paved, private access road for the communications equipment. The summit itself is aptly named. There’s not really a notable peak anymore. It was leveled and used as Nike missile site from 1955-1965.

How did Mt. Disappointment get its name? The name dates back to 1894, when USGS surveyors were mapping the area. They initially thought it to be the highest peak in the immediate area, but were “disappointed” to find that nearby San Gabriel Peak was 167 feet higher. They had to move all their gear over there for their next triangulation point.

Two peaks down, we turned back down the paved access road, this time turning left (west) and heading to Mt. Deception. At 3.1 miles, there is a dirt trail off the left (south) side of the road. Follow that up a steep slope with loose rock. Trekking poles would be handy here. The trail continues west for another 0.4 miles to the summit of Mt. Deception. This summit is not very prominent, and thick with brush. We signed our third trail register, and retraced our steps back to the original junction at the water tank.

It was 11:40am. We had hiked nearly 5.25 miles, and it was time for a decision. Do we take the easy half mile back to the cars? Or do we bag a couple more peaks? Inspired by the vision of a well-earned meal afterwards, we opted to hike yet another, and headed up the trail to Mt. Lowe.

At the 5.8 mile mark, we reached the junction to Mt. Markham. Mt. Markham is taller than Mt. Lowe, and the trail is steep and tough. There were steep sections where it was helpful to use your hands to scramble up the rocks. And the dreaded Poodle Dog Bush was unavoidable. But the reward at the summit is a remarkable stone cairn.

Four peaks down. One to go.

We retraced our steps to the junction with the Mt. Lowe trail, and headed out for one more peak. At mile 6.8, we reached the junction with a trail that heads towards Mt. Wilson. We turned right, heading upward and winding around to the summit of Mt. Lowe.

At mile 7, the last junction before the summit. If in doubt, head uphill, since you’re only 1/10th of a mile from the summit of Mt. Lowe.

After five hours and seven miles of hiking, we reached our fifth summit: Mt. Lowe. There is very little shade, but there is a nice bench. You’ve got great views in all directions, and a series of “peak spotters” posted to help you identify neighboring summits.

Mt. Lowe is named for Professor Thaddeus S. C. Lowe, who in the late 1800’s built a scenic mountain railway from Alta Dena to the base of Mt. Lowe. The railway as well as the hotel and chalet at Echo Mountain have been gone for years — victim to a series of disasters.

From here, we headed back down the trail–an easy, gradual two mile downhill trek to our cars.

Five Peaks Trail Map

Photo Gallery

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Advice for Hiking San Gabriel Peak

• The trailhead parking requires a National Forest Adventure Pass. You can pick this up at many SoCal sporting goods stores.
• This trail is hot and dry, and there are no water sources. Bring plenty of water and food for energy. It can be uncomfortably hot in the summer.
• There is very little shade on the trail. Wear sun protection.
• The poisonous Poodle Dog Bush is prevalent. Avoid contact. Wear long sleeves and long pants.
• Trekking poles are recommended on Mt Deception and Mt Markham.
• There can be snow up here in the winter months. Plan and dress accordingly, and check for road closures.
• Dogs are allowed on these trails, but keep them on leash.
• We encountered one rattlesnake, but there are many more. Stay alert.

Other San Gabriel Peak Resources

• GPS user? Download the GPX file.
• View the trail in Google Earth.
• Trailhead directions via Google Maps
• San Gabriel Peak – Dan’s Hiking Pages (note that the tunnel has in fact reopened)
• Mt Lowe Fire Road to San Gabriel Peak – Hikespeak

Get a Second Opinion

This being a group of five hiking bloggers, we all have opinions. I’ll post links to the posts from the other hikers as they go live.

• 5 Peaks, 5-ish Hours – Hiking San Gabriel Mountain – Peter 
• Five Peaks in the San Gabriels: An Epic One Day Adventure – Josh & Zac

San Gabriel Peak Weather Forecast

[forecast width=”100%” location=”Mt Wilson, CA”]

When you think of hiking in Orange County, you don’t usually envision dramatic waterfalls. But during the spring, there are a number of wonderful seasonal waterfalls that are just a hike away. One of my personal favorites is Chiquito Falls.

Trail Details

Distance: 8.6 miles
Time: ~4 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 1,409 ft
Dogs: OK
When to go: Fall–Spring

The trailhead parking is across the street from The Candy Store on Ortega Highway (Route 74). Being in the Cleveland National Forest, you’ll need to display an Adventure Pass to park. If you don’t have a pass, you can purchase one at The Candy Store. They also have a few free parking spaces behind the store.

At the northeast corner of the parking lot, you’ll see this sign marking the San Juan Loop trailhead.

There’s a map of the trails in the area as well as the usual warnings about rattlesnakes and wildlife. Note that dogs are permitted, but must be kept on a leash.

The trail climbs for a short distance, then bends around the ridge taking you by the San Juan Falls. These falls see a lot of visitors due to their close proximity to the parking lot. There are a lot of people who aren’t serious hikers. It’s also a great place to take kids to give them a taste of the wilderness.

I prefer to take a look from above, then leave the crowds behind and continue on to the more secluded and beautiful Chiquito Falls.

While you’re in the canyon, enjoy the shade of the oak trees. Most of the hike has full sun exposure.

Watch for the turn off to your right at about the 1.1 mile marker. Note that there is an unofficial turnoff before the official trail. Both cross the creek — an easy boulder hop usually — but only the second turn off has the official trail marker.

If you miss the turn and find yourself connecting back to Ortega Highway, you’ve gone too far.

Once you cross San Juan Creek, the trail parallels another tributary with good shade and a gentle climb. You’ll cross this tributary at about mile 2, and begin your ascent up the ridge.

The remaining 2+ miles to Chiquito Falls is exposed to the sun. As you climb up the ridge, you’ll be treated with some awesome panoramic views to the southeast, including Sitton Peak.

At 3.7 miles, you’ll reach the highest point on the trail — just shy of 2,700′ above sea level. Once you round the second bend, you’ll catch your first glimpse of Chiquito Falls.

As you near the falls, watch for the spur trail to the left. The main trail continues on connecting with the San Juan Trail.

The spur leads to the top of the falls, There are some great places to sit, enjoy the views and share lunch.

You can easily climb down to the base of the falls for a view from below. See the photo gallery below for more pics.

Trail Map and Elevation Profile

Getting to the Trailhead

The trailhead parking lot is directly across the street from The Candy Store on Ortega Highway 74, about 15 miles east of the 5 Freeway and San Juan Capistrano.

Chiquito Falls Trail Tips

• Remember you’ll need an National Forest Adventure Pass for parking
• Watch for rattlesnakes, particularly when the weather gets warmer
• Be sure to bring The Ten Essentials. This isn’t a walk through the ‘burbs!
• Watch for mountain bikers. This is a popular downhill route. If you see one, there are probably more following. Ask how many are behind them, and let them know how many hikers are behind you!
• The Candy Store now has a grill going on the weekends for a post-hike burger in addition to homemade fudge and cold drinks. Check their website for hours and details.
• Do you use the EveryTrail app on your smart phone? Download this guide and take it with you on the trail!

Photo Gallery

Special thanks to my girlfriend Joan for joining me on this hike, and for John from Hiking OC for introducing me to this trail.

3/26/18 Update: We’ve reduced the total vertical gain to 1,409′ thanks to SoCal hiker Paul Okada’s updated GPS data.

Trail Details

Distance: ~15 miles
Time: ~6 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 4,469 ft
Dogs: OK
When to go: Fall-Spring
Download GPX

From the summit, you have views to Catalina island, over most of Orange County and east to Mt. San Antonio, San Gorgonio and San Jacinto. Unfortunately due to the array of telecommunications equipment at the top, you won’t find a 360 degree view; you’ll have to walk around the perimeter of the antennae to see it all.

Holy Jim Canyon is dotted with private residences. Be respectful and quiet as you pass by their homes, and park in the designated areas for the forest. Follow the signs to the trailhead.

You will criss-cross the creek in Holy Jim Canyon several times. After heavy rains, this can be quite a thrill! Rocks and logs can be slippery, and trekking poles can make navigation creek crossings much easier and safer.

As you make you’re way up the canyon, watch for the fork in the trail. You can continue on another 1/4 mile to the Holy Jim Falls, or bear left toward the Main Divide Road and Santiago Peak.

I usually recommend hitting the peak first, then stopping by the falls on the way back to the car — time permitting.

These falls are beautiful, but usually dry to no more than a trickle in the summer.

As you head towards the Main Divide Road, you’ll first ascend miles of single track trail that wind continuously higher and higher.

You quickly catch glimpses out across the canyon and beyond, and find yourself among more and more trees.

It begins to feel like a long, long way from Orange County (although you’re actually still in OC).

When you first reach the Main Divide Road, you’ll see some concrete artifacts from the past. This makes a good place to break and regroup if you’re hiking with others.

From this point, continue to the right, following the Main Divide road as it winds up and around the contours of the mountain. As you make your way around the eastern slope, you’ll catch glimpses of the Inland Empire.

At about the 5 mile mark, watch for the Upper Holy Jim Trail, heading sharply left off of the gravel road. Note that there u to be a sign as shown in the photo below, but SoCal hiker Denis G. reports that the sign is no longer there, making this trail even easier to overlook if you aren’t careful. From here, the single track trail takes up more directly toward the summit.

The trail winds further up the mountain, eventually rejoining the road near the summit. As you catch glimpses of the antennae, you know you are near the summit.

Speaking of which, the “summit” of Santiago Peak is profoundly anticlimactic. There is no clear “peak” to stake claim to or even a clear 360 degree view of the surrounding area. Santiago “Peak” has been leveled off to make room for the telecom equipment, and that has been surrounded by secure fencing.

You can walk all the way around the fence and (on a clear day) get views in all directions.

Be forewarned. Conditions at the summit can vary widely. It can be hot, sunny and clear. It can just as easily be cold and even snowy.

When we hiked this last January, the summit was covered by clouds. It was extremely windy and bitter cold. And there were long stretches of snow on the trail. Yes, snow in Orange County! Don’t take the conditions for granted, or assume that because it’s “nice” down in the ‘burbs it will be the same on Santiago. Weather conditions on Santiago Peak can be very different.

I usually stop at the summit for lunch, then turn around and retrace my steps to the car. On your way back, take a few extra minutes to stop at Holy Jim Falls.

Trail Map and Elevation Profile

Note that this shows one way for this out-and-back.

Getting to the Trailhead

Getting to the Holy Jim trailhead can be an adventure in itself! A high-clearance vehicle is highly recommended. I have taken my 2WD Xterra back there during the rainy season with no problems, but when the creek is running high, 4WD is recommended.

The gravel road to the trailhead is about 5 miles long and crosses the creek several times. After heavy rains, this road can become impassible.

Tips for Hiking up Saddleback Mountain via Holy Jim

• When the creek has water –usually in the winter and spring — it’s worth taking the brief detour to Holy Jim Falls.
• A National Forest Adventure Pass is required to park at the trailhead.
• There is no water available on this trail, so bring plenty.
• These trails are popular with mountain bikers, so keep an eye out for them.
• In the winter, there can be snow at the top. Be prepared!

Photo Gallery

Click any photo for a larger version.

Special Thanks

Thanks to Jim, Joan, John and all my J (and non-J) friends from Hiking OC for joining me on this trek up Santiago Peak.

Standing prominently above Pasadena, Mount Wilson is a Southern California landmark. The 5,713 foot summit is home for an observatory responsible for the most detailed photos of Mars as well a vast array of antennae for local LA radio and television stations. While the summit is steeped in astronomical wonder and tremendous views of Los Angeles, the trails are the real beauty of this hike.

Trail Details

Elevation: 5,713′
Distance: 13.5 miles
Time: ~6 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 4,200 ft
Dogs: OK
When to go: Fall through Spring

Note: this trail is quite popular and fills up early on the weekends. If you get there at 7am, you might find the lot already full. There is overflow parking at the Chantry Flats Pack Station, but they will charge you ($10 when I parked there in Nov. 2009). But don’t go too early — the gate to the trailhead parking doesn’t open until 6am. Also note that an Adventure Pass is required unless you park at the Pack Station.

The Six-Pack of Peaks

This hike is the first in my Six-Pack of Peaks series of training hikes. I used them to prepare for hiking the John Muir Trail, but others are doing it to prepare for hiking Whitney, or simply just for the adventure, the scenery and the mountain views.

Take the Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge

After a few photos, we retraced our steps from the falls to the junction with the Gabrielino Trail. There are two options, both about the same distance. The “high” trail is for horses and less scenic. Instead, take the trail to the right which parallels the babbling creek. You’ll follow this up to the Spruce Grove Campground — a good spot for a bio-break. These campsites are popular and would make a great introduction to backpacking, though you’ll get a lot of foot traffic (and mountain bikes) passing right by your campsite.

The Sturtesvant Trail to the summit follows the creek for a couple more miles, then begins a fairly steep switchback ascent up the side of the ridge for the last 1,000 of elevation gain.

The top of Mt. Wilson is somewhat anticlimatic. There are buildings, observatories and paved roads. There is a water fountain where you can refill your water bottle near the bridge. The top of Mt Wilson is a jumble of buildings, paved roads and paths that can be confusing. It’s a little tricky to find your way across the top to the other trailhead to Winter Creek. I highly recommend printing out the visitor’s guide (PDF) for a detailed map. On this you’ll see a reference to of the “main parking lot.” It’s a gravel lot about the size of a football field. The marker for the trail down is near the 50 yard line on the opposite side.  But before you head down, walk over to the boulders at the far end of the lot and soak in the views of Los Angeles. You’ll find a USGS benchmark at the southwest corner of the lot.

Heading back down Going back down the trail connects with a gravel road known as the old “Toll Road.” You’ll follow this for about 1/2 mile to the Winter Creek trail on the left. It comes at a right-hand bend in the road, and if you’re not watching for it, you could easily miss this trail. This downhill will seem like a cakewalk after the long uphill climb to Mt. Wilson. As you descend , you gain a real appreciation of  just how much elevation you gained on the first half!

Eventually, you’ll reach Winter Creek and Hogee’s Camp. Here you’ll have a decision. You can take the mile-longer Upper Winter Creek trail for a 3-mile all downhill trek to Chantry Flat, or the shorter Lower Winter Creek Trail which follows the creek, but actually takes you below Chantry Flat, with an uphill climb for the last 1/2 mile. I’ve done both, and actually prefer the creekside trail.

Back at Chantry Flats

There are chemical toilets at the trailhead, but if you want real toilets with running water, walk up above the upper parking lot to the picnic area. It may be well worth it, and you can wash up a bit afterward. Also about 50 yards past the upper parking lot is the Chantry Flats pack station. They have a small store where you can buy drinks and food, and on weekend will often have a BBQ going. A great way to cap off your hike!

Mount Wilson Trail Map

PRO TIP: I track all my hikes using GaiaGPS. It’s the best solution for staying on the right trail, it works even when you don’t have cell service, and there are versions for iOS and Android. The app is free, and you can get a discounted membership for maps here.

Photo Gallery

Getting to Chantry Flats

Bag the Six-Pack of Peaks

1. Mt. Wilson (you are here)
2. Cucamonga Peak
3. Mt. San Antonio (Mt. Baldy)
4. San Bernardino Peak
5. Mt. San Jacinto
6. San Gorgonio

What is the SoCalHiker Six-Pack of Peaks?

Additional Mt. Wilson Resources

• Chantry Flat trail mileages
• Mt. Wilson webcam
• Mt. Wilson Observatory
• Current weather conditions on Mt. Wilson
• Big Santa Anita Canyon topo map
• Sturtevant Falls trail guide from Dan’s Hiking Pages
• GPS user? Download the GPX file

Special Thanks

I last hiked this trail on May 23, 2010 with friends from Hiking OC. We had beautiful weather, though it was quite chilly at the top (we even had a few little snowflakes!). Thanks to Joan, Uni, John, Daniel, Leslie, Lily, Tari and Adam for joining me.

Mt Wilson photo credit: Bryan Ungard. All other photos: Jeff Hester

Mt. Wilson Weather Forecast

[forecast width=”100%” location=”Mount Wilson, California”]