A moderate hike through scenic canyons to a series of cascades and pools. Can be done as a day hike or a short backpacking trip.
Location: Angeles
National Forest, Tujunga District Region: Angeles National Forest Distance: 3.8 mi. loop
Difficulty: Moderate When to go: October through June Hours: None Phone: 818-899-1900 Elevation Gain: 1,200 ft. Are dogs allowed: Yes, on a leash, but keep an eye out for poison oak
and rattlesnakes on the first half of the trail Restrooms: None Parking: Free street parking on Haines Canyon Ave.
Trail Information
Full Review: The San Gabriel Mountains are at their best on cool,
cloudy days, when you can look up through overhanging oaks to see hilltops
dusted in mist. If you're one of the lucky residents of north Tujunga, those
views lie right out your front door. For the rest of us, this pretty hike is
worth the drive.
The trail starts off in an unlikely spot, between two homes. To get there,
walk down Haines Canyon Ave., away from the mountains. On your left, look
for mailbox number 10420. Just past it, you'll see a blue agave cactus. Turn
left here and you should see a sign on the fence that says Blue Gum. Follow
the path as it bends to the left and takes you into the canyon.
You'll escape suburbia in just a few steps, and soon you'll be surrounded by
oaks and ferns and all kinds of wildflowers. Watch out for poison oak - the
narrow trail sometimes gets overgrown. Stay on this path as it crosses the
creek a couple of times and takes you past a fireplace in the middle of
nowhere. Eventually it dumps you out onto a fire road intersection.
Turn left onto the fire road, then take a quick right. This leads you up a
slope, past some bee hives, to a secluded creekside picnic spot. Turn around
when you're ready, returning to the wide intersection. This time you'll take
the path on the right, a wide fire road that gets a lot of use on weekends.
After a while, you'll reach the canyon's Debris Basin (not as ugly as it
sounds) before hitting the end of the trail at the top of Haines Canyon
Ave., just up the street from where you started.
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