An adventurous scramble through challenging terrain with several potentially
deep stream crossing. This trail in the San Gabriel Mountains is rewarding,
but by no means easy.
Location: Sheep
Mountain Wilderness Region: Angeles National Forest Distance: 9.6 mile up and back Difficulty: Difficult with some deep creek crossings and rock
scrambling When to go: October to July Hours: Always open Phone: (626) 969-1012 on weekends, (626) 335-1251 Monday-Friday Elevation Gain: 1,000 ft. Are dogs allowed: Yes, on a leash no longer than 6 ft. Restrooms: In the parking lot Parking: Free on weekdays. Adventure Pass ($5 a day or $30 a year)
required on weekends and holidays.
Trail Information
Full Review: This is at least as much an outdoor obstacle course as
it is a hike. You'll shimmy up rock faces, slide down sandy chutes, and wade
through knee-deep water in pursuit of anything that might resemble a trail.
What you'll find is a path that splits and meanders and ends suddenly, only
to reappear just as suddenly. Just remember to keep following the creek
upstream and you'll do fine.
Before you start, fill out a wilderness permit at the entrance to the
parking lot. (If there are no permits at the self-issuing station, then
don't worry about it.) The hike starts on a fire road that overlooks the
stream. It narrows just past Heaton Flat and takes you down to water level.
Here you begin a four-mile zigzag between the left and right banks. Don't
even bother trying to keep your feet dry. (One warning: This hike should not
be attempted in extremely high water levels. If you can't stay dry below
mid-thigh, it's best to turn around and save this adventure for a safer day.
Be wary of flash floods if there's a chance of rain.)
As you make your way up the creek, scan the high rock outcroppings every
once in a while for bighorn sheep. If you're lucky enough to spot one,
appreciate that it's a pretty rare find. After a while, you'll reach an even
stranger sight: the Bridge to Nowhere. It's all that remains of a 1930s
highway project that was wiped out decades ago by a massive flood. This is
your turnaround point.
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