A short walk along a creek to a
trail camp, where you can peer over the edge of an impressive waterfall.
Location: Angeles
National Forest, Arroyo Seco District Region: Angeles National Forest, above La Canada Flintridge Distance: 2.2 mi. Difficulty: Easy with some rock hopping and one (optional) tricky
scramble. When to go: October through June Hours: Sun up to sunset Phone: 818-790-1151 Elevation Gain: 480 ft. Are dogs allowed: Yes, on a leash. Restrooms: Yes, near the trailhead. Parking: To park in Angeles National Forest, you must display an
Adventure Pass permit, available at ranger stations and some convenience
stores in nearby towns. Cost is $5 per day or $30 per year.
Trail Information
Full Review: This is one my favorite day
hikes in all of LA. Unfortunately, in the summertime it seems to be everyone
else's favorite as well. That's why I recommend saving it for a chilly
weekday afternoon with clouds that look a little ominous. When you have this
creekside ramble all to yourself, nothing in the city compares.
You'll find the trailhead at the start of a little footbridge in the picnic
area. Cross the bridge and follow the signs that point you to Switzer Falls.
It's a well-marked trail that is paved in parts (a remnant from the early
part of the century, when this area was a popular mountain retreat). You'll
cross the creek a few times, hopping on rocks and fallen logs.
Maples, spruce, oaks and alders cover your path into the canyon. After a
while you'll reach a trail junction. Keep to the left, where you can see
trail camp stoves and the remains of an old chapel. Up ahead is a sign
warning you not to continue to the top of the falls, because there were
quite a few accidental deaths at this overlook in the mid-1970s. (What the
sign doesn't mention is that this was a notorious party spot at the time -
as one former reveler put it, "People were doing so much LSD back then, you
can probably lick the tree trunks and still get high.") Warnings aside, you
can actually walk a little bit farther before the footing becomes at all
precarious.
You'll shimmy over one tricky section before ending up at a spot overlooking
Switzer Falls as it drops into a pool. Look carefully, of course. And turn
around when you get to the part of the trail that is washed out.
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