Where to hike, camp and commune with nature in L.A.'s Angeles National Forest

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Los Angeles is simply a spot wherever fundamentally anyone tin find themselves, particularly outdoors lovers.

The hiking trails of Griffith Park connection tremendous views of the metropolis and landscape. Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area adjacent Culver City features lush spaces to walk a Saturday with household and friends. But for Angelenos seeking escapade — and adjacent solitude — a immense forested expanse awaits.

Angeles National Forest is simply a 700,000-plus acre wonderland that has agelong billed itself arsenic L.A.’s “backyard playground.” But it’s truthful overmuch much than that.

For astir a decade, I’ve hiked overmuch of its 557 miles of trails, and truthful seldom was it conscionable for exercise. I’ve sought refuge successful our San Gabriel Mountains erstwhile beingness got overwhelming, whether it was aft my member died and my psyche ached much than I could communicate, oregon it was conscionable to concisely flight quality headlines that kept breaking my heart. But it was besides for joy.

Every hike successful Angeles National Forest offers america a accidental to beryllium awestruck by our earthy environment. I’ll ne'er hide the archetypal clip I saw a California newt waddling done Millard Canyon falls. I’ve spotted hopping deer, hooting owls and precisely 1 haughty rattlesnake (as each different rattlers were overmuch calmer — adjacent the 1 my canine booped).

I’ve felt the somesthesia displacement from chill to crisp connected a winter’s time hike successful Icehouse Canyon arsenic a acold mist wafted done the trees, and I’ve sweated done my apparel connected the exposed hillsides of the Strawberry Peak trail. I’ve made snowfall angels with my canine adjacent Mt. Waterman and swam successful my skivvies successful the San Gabriel River.

Years ago, Angeles National Forest supervisor Michael J. Rogers pointed retired what anyone who has spent clip determination knows excessively well.

“This is simply a nationalist wood that could precise easy beryllium enjoyed and loved to death,” Rogers wrote for The Times connected the forest’s 100th day successful 1992. “All of the unsocial values that visitors question specified arsenic chill trees, shaded streams, solitude, beauteous vistas, watchable wildlife, caller pine-scented aerial could each beryllium mislaid done overuse and abuse.”

My volition with this usher falls successful enactment with Rogers’ message: I anticipation you not lone admit what the wood has to connection but besides recognize your work to signifier the “leave nary trace” principles, leaving lone footprints and taking lone memories (and selfies).

Adventure awaits successful Angeles National Forest. May you find the commencement and continuation of it successful this guide.

Note: To bookmark this leafage for aboriginal use, property Ctrl+D (Windows/Linux) oregon Cmd+D (Mac).

A speedy geography lesson

A sweeping presumption of Angeles Crest Highway.

Angeles National Forest is astir 700,000 acres of national onshore managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Its bluish bound extends done upland ranges adjacent the 5 Freeway adjacent Gorman, eastward to the L.A. County and San Bernardino County enactment adjacent Wrightwood. Its confederate bound runs adjacent Castaic Lake southeast and eastward, ending northbound of Claremont, wherever the San Bernardino National Forest’s bound begins.

It is located wrong a information of the Sierra Pelona Mountains successful the west, and the San Gabriel Mountains, which span astir 60 miles from adjacent Newhall to Cajon Canyon northeast of San Bernardino, according to authorities geology research. Angeles National Forest’s elevation ranges from 1,200 feet to 10,064 feet, its highest constituent being Mt. San Antonio, oregon Mt. Baldy arsenic it’s much commonly known.

The archetypal location of respective Indigenous communities for thousands of years, the wood grows respective taxon of trees, plants and animals endemic lone to the San Gabriel Mountains oregon California, including the San Gabriel manzanita, the large cone Douglas fir and the endangered upland yellow-legged frog. An estimated 14%, oregon astir 29,000 acres, of Angeles National Forest is considered “old-growth” wood — achromatic fir, lodgepole pine, Jeffrey conifer (which has a bark that smells similar butterscotch oregon vanilla), ponderosa conifer and others that person grown for much than a period into hulking giants.

It is location to 5 wilderness areas: Cucamonga Wilderness; Magic Mountain Wilderness; Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness; San Gabriel Wilderness; and Sheep Mountain Wilderness. Wilderness areas are the “most protected” national onshore successful the country. Each of these wilderness areas offers thing different. For example, erstwhile hiking successful Cucamonga, you mightiness spot bighorn sheep, portion Magic Mountain is occasionally big to a California condor passing through.

layers of mountains covered successful evergreen and conifer trees

What to bring

A afloat vessel oregon battery. Consider entering the wood with either a afloat vessel of state oregon afloat complaint connected your vehicle’s battery. There are nary state oregon electrical charging stations (outside of a plug-in you mightiness find connected a wood work building).

Sustenance. If hiking, you volition apt privation to battalion each of the h2o you request for the time unless you program to filter it from determination on the trail. If camping, cheque the Angeles National Forest website to spot whether your campground offers drinking water. You volition besides privation to bring each of your food, unless you program to sojourn 1 of the fewer places — including Camp Williams Cafe, Cosmic Cafe, the Adams Pack Station oregon Top of the Notch edifice — successful the wood to bargain nutrient and you cognize the constitution volition beryllium open.

A thoughtfully packed bag. When preparing for a hike, immoderate battalion the “10 essentials,” which includes navigation tools, a airy root and exigency shelter, portion others preach a antithetic method of considering specifically what’s needed for the day. Search and rescue squad members mostly urge that folks person successful their battalion immoderate they’d request to walk a nighttime successful the woods, conscionable successful lawsuit things spell awry.

Parking pass. To parkland successful astir places successful the forest, you volition request a $5 single-day Adventure Pass, a $30 yearly Adventure Pass oregon an America the Beautiful pass. You tin beryllium ticketed without decently displaying your pass. If visiting trails adjacent Wrightwood, you mightiness request a Big Pines parking pass, arsenic galore of those locations are managed by a concessionaire, Mountain High.

A presumption from a car driving up a roadworthy with snowy mountains successful the distance.

Getting there

Much of Angeles National Forest’s hiking trails and day-use areas done the San Gabriel Mountains tin beryllium accessed via the 66-mile, winding Angeles Crest Highway, oregon State Route 2. The velocity bounds is 55 mph, unless different posted. It’s advisable to instrumentality it easy, though, some to bask the presumption and debar an accident.

State Route 39, different winding upland road, takes visitors northbound to fashionable trails on the San Gabriel River and into the Crystal Lake area. The roadworthy features jaw-dropping views of the San Gabriel Valley, occasional wildflower blooms and steep drop-offs. Best to fto whoever successful your enactment isn’t frightened of heights drive.

In 1978, a landslide destroyed the conception of Highway 39 that connected it to Highway 2, turning it into what 1 nationalist authoritative called “a 27-mile-long cul-de-sac.” Officials person said it is excessively costly — and unsafe to bighorn sheep — to repair, though determination person been caller discussions astir its reopening.

Regardless of wherever you’re traveling successful Angeles National Forest, you should cheque roadworthy conditions earlier heading out, particularly successful the winter, arsenic officials volition adjacent wood roads to support the public, including due to the fact that of snow, oregon necessitate that drivers transportation tyre chains.

You should support successful caput portion traveling to trailheads that it is considered rude successful upland driving civilization not to fto faster vehicles walk you. Angeles Crest Highway has respective paved turnouts for this reason. Additionally, delight instrumentality bully attraction to announcement signage regarding segments of the road wherever daytime headlight usage is required.

Lastly, beryllium alert that determination are ungraded occurrence roads and respective off-road conveyance routes done the forest. Your telephone oregon car’s mapping app mightiness effort to nonstop you down 1 to scope a trail. Please bash not presume a roadworthy volition beryllium passable conscionable due to the fact that it’s open. When successful doubt, telephone the ranger presumption earlier heading out.

Things you should know

Communicating portion away. You should presume you won’t person cellphone reception anyplace successful Angeles National Forest. For information portion you’re retired of your mobile work area, you should stock this signifier with a household subordinate oregon person to guarantee idiosyncratic knows wherever you’re headed. You should besides people the signifier and spot it connected your dashboard so, successful the lawsuit of emergency, rescuers tin find you much rapidly than having to way down details of your whereabouts from your family. If you hide to bring the form, simply constitute down the details of your time oregon overnight trip, including erstwhile you expect to return, and permission them connected your car dash.

Emergencies. Emergency services successful Angeles National Forest see 23 occurrence stations specified arsenic the Clear Creek Fire Station and the Monte Cristo Fire Station disconnected Highway 2. Volunteer search-and-rescue crews respond successful astir hiking emergencies. If you are ever rescued by helicopter, you volition not beryllium charged by these groups. That said, they’re ever successful request of donations to enactment afloat.

Fire restrictions. Forest officials will, astatine times, bounds campfires and stove usage due to the fact that of elevated wildfire risk. Before heading out, cheque the Angeles National Forest alerts webpage to discern what’s allowed connected your trip. If campfires are allowed, you indispensable inactive unafraid a escaped campfire licence and person a transcript with you.

A wide road with 1 car surrounded by snow-covered trees.

Weather. Checking the forecast is not ever apical of caput for your mean Angeleno, but hikers and campers indispensable measure the upwind earlier leaving for the forest. Temperatures successful Angeles National Forest tin scope from beneath freezing overnight successful winter, particularly supra 6,000 feet, to supra 100 degrees successful summer. Even aft checking the forest, retrieve that elevation volition play a relation successful temperature. Generally, for each 1,000 feet you gain, the somesthesia tin driblet from astir 3½ to 5 degrees, thing meteorologists telephone “environmental lapse rate.”

Eaton occurrence closures. Please enactment that the pursuing usher does not see immoderate of the trails burned successful the Eaton fire, arsenic they stay closed. Once they’re open, this usher volition beryllium updated.

Leave nary trace. Whenever you hike, campy oregon different sojourn Angeles National Forest, delight signifier the “leave nary trace” principles, which see packing retired everything you battalion in, respecting the animals (which means not taking selfies with them), and wide ensuring these lands are protected for generations to come.

With that said, instrumentality a heavy breath, and ideate being surrounded by the caller scent of conifer arsenic upland chickadees chirp each astir you. Yes, friend, that’s imaginable — and each wrong a abbreviated thrust of L.A. Let’s spell connected an adventure!

Forest country illustration with a mates putting unneurotic a campground structure with their canine looking wrong the structure flap

For Angelenos seeking a relaxing respite (easy)

It mightiness look daunting to thrust into the hulking mountains surrounding L.A., but determination are galore easy-going and family-friendly adventures to beryllium had successful Angeles National Forest. Many families and person groups walk clip visiting vista lookouts and astatine 1 of respective day-use picnic areas, which often diagnostic picnic tables and grills (when allowed).

Here you’ll find immoderate kid-friendly and wheelchair accessible trails and different opportunities, including campgrounds wherever you tin easy thrust up and walk a weekend.

Large boulders astatine the Mt. Hillyer summit.

Hiking trails

🌇For large views: the Mt. Wilson Observatory paved walking paths; Crystal Lake walking path.

🌳To beryllium among gangly trees: Joatngna Trail (the Elfin Forest Trail); the paved Buckhorn Campground paths.

💧For chill rivers, lakes and cascading falls: the West Fork National Scenic Bikeway (paved for the astir part); San Antonio Falls way (paved, but uphill); Gould Mesa Campground via the Gabrielino Trail (including astir 1 mile of paved way to start).

🪨To spot monolithic stone formations: Mt. Hillyer via Silver Moccasin Trail (great for older kids); Mt. Hillyer Trail from Horse Flats Campground (easier, flatter option!).

Campgrounds

These campgrounds are successful the “easy” class due to the fact that they’re straightforward to reach. Additionally, they each usually connection piped (i.e. drinking) water, but you should cheque connected the campground sites linked present to guarantee it is disposable earlier heading out.

A hammock acceptable up betwixt 2 trees astatine Crystal Lake Campground.

The campgrounds beneath scope from $12 to $30 per nighttime for azygous sites ($5 per further vehicle), with immoderate requiring outgo by currency oregon check. They are disposable connected a first-come, first-served ground unless different noted; diagnostic picnic tables and occurrence rings; person vault toilets; and let dogs.

Appletree Campground: Open year-round, Appletree features 8 first-come, first-served walk-in sites that are a abbreviated distance, little than 100 yards, from the parking area. Three sites are ADA accessible. A Big Pines walk from Mt. High is required to park. Each tract has a grill connected apical of the accustomed amenities. The campground is lone 10 minutes from Wrightwood, a cozy upland municipality with restaurants and a section market store.
Buckhorn Campground: Arguably 1 of the astir beauteous of Angeles National Forest’s campground offerings, Buckhorn is simply a fashionable 38-site campground shaded by California incense-cedar, achromatic fir and gangly sweetener and Jeffrey conifer trees. It sits astatine astir 6,500-feet elevation and, arsenic such, is unfastened from outpouring to autumn since it is often blanketed successful snowfall travel winter. Campers should beryllium prepared to battalion their nutrient and scented items successful the carnivore boxes supplied, arsenic our ursine neighbors are astir the area. Many campers locomotion the abbreviated region to the Burkhart trailhead and sojourn Cooper Canyon Falls, a 40-foot cascade reachable by cautiously scrambling down from the trail. Others simply lounge successful hammocks and play successful the seasonal outpouring that runs done the site.
Chilao Campground: Chilao has 84 campsites dispersed implicit 2 loops, Little Pines and Manzanita. Its scenery features ample boulders, sweeping views and conifer trees (especially the eponymous loop). Piped h2o is available, though it is astatine times turned off, truthful delight cheque the campground website earlier heading out. The Chilao Visitor Center, unfastened connected the weekends, is nearby.
Coldbrook Campground: Coldbrook Campground sits connected the northbound fork of the San Gabriel River, wherever visitors tin splash astir its chill waters. Its 22 campsites connection shadiness and a stream soundscape.
Crystal Lake Campground: Crystal Lake is simply a 120-site campground northbound of Azusa. It sits astatine 5,539-feet elevation and features large views of adjacent peaks, including Mt. Islip and Windy Gap. Visitors tin food successful Crystal Lake erstwhile it’s heavy capable and find a blistery repast astatine Crystal Lake Cafe and General Store.
Los Alamos Campground: One of fewer campgrounds successful Angeles National Forest requiring reservations, the Los Alamos Campground has 90 idiosyncratic and 3 radical campy sites. Visitors are a abbreviated thrust from Pyramid Lake wherever they tin aquatics astatine Vaquero Beach oregon food and vessel elsewhere. Call up to guarantee that Pyramid Lake isn’t experiencing an algal bloom, which has been a communal occurrence successful caller years.
Monte Cristo Campground: Monte Cristo has 19 idiosyncratic drive-in sites, including immoderate with ample shady sycamore trees. A tiny creek runs done the mediate of the campground and has tiny pools to splash in. Drive 2½ miles southbound to the adjacent Hidden Springs Picnic Area for much swimming.
Table Mountain Campground: Open outpouring done fall, Table Mountain has much than 100 campsites that tin beryllium reserved done Recreation.gov, though first-come first-served may, astatine times, beryllium available. This ample campground is operated by Mountain High Resort adjacent Wrightwood and adjacent the company’s North Lodge, wherever guests tin play a circular astatine the disc play people with sweeping views of the godforsaken below. A Big Pines walk from Mt. High is required to park.

Bonus spots

The wood and the surrounding country person acold much to research than hiking trails and campgrounds. Some of the spots listed present are extracurricular the wood but are included due to the fact that they’re worthy visiting erstwhile nearby.

Visitors locomotion done fields of California poppies.

The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve: Although not successful Angeles National Forest, this authorities earthy reserve is implicit 1,700 acres of unfastened abstraction that bursts, erstwhile conditions are right, with agleam orangish poppies from sometime betwixt mid-February to May. Note: Do not permission the way and trample the poppies to nab selfies oregon different images, careless of whether you spot others doing it.

A ruby-crowned kinglet aft it was measured and banded astatine the Bear Divide banding presumption adjacent Santa Clarita.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
Bear Divide Banding Station: Volunteers run this banding presumption seasonally from precocious March done mid-May. They spot nets connected the hillside to drawback migratory birds that they adhd tiny metallic bands to the legs of, collecting yearly colonisation information for further research.
Camp Williams: A privately operated RV and structure campground connected the East Fork of the San Gabriel River; besides has a cafe that’s unfastened connected weekends.
Cali Splash Park astatine Castaic Lake: If hiking adjacent Castaic Lake, the Cali Splash Park offers what’s fundamentally a monolithic bounce location and obstacle people successful the mediate of a lake, a memorable acquisition and amusive astonishment aft an aboriginal greeting hike.

Jackson Lake successful Angeles National Forest adjacent Wrightwood.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
Elizabeth Lake Day Use: A tiny picnic country astir 30 minutes westbound of Lancaster wherever visitors tin food and kayak connected a seasonal lake, oregon sag pond, formed by the San Andreas fault.
Jackson Lake: A tiny upland water adjacent Wrightwood wherever Mountain High, a section skis resort, offers kayak, paddleboard and pedal vessel rentals until the wintertime season. Guests tin besides fish, arsenic the water is stocked with rainbow trout respective times a year, according to Mountain High.
Mt. Wilson Observatory: Visitors tin look done ample telescopes, bask Sunday day concerts, instrumentality guided tours of the grounds and snag a wound to devour astatine the Cosmic Cafe, which is unfastened seasonally.
Placerita Canyon Nature Center: Although not successful Angeles National Forest, this charming installation adjacent Santa Clarita is wrong a abbreviated hike from national land. Swing by earlier a hike, and you tin accidental hullo to the carnal ambassadors, which usually see red-tailed hawks and different autochthonal birds.
Stonyvale Picnic Site: A lesser-traveled picnic country with 11 tables and grills adjacent Big Tujunga Creek, wherever families and friends tin walk the time splashing successful its chill waters, particularly successful the outpouring erstwhile it is flowing.
Vasquez Rocks Nature Center: This L.A. County parkland has been the tract of respective movies and tv shows and is simply a amusive broadside quest for those hiking connected adjacent national wood trails.
Wildwood Picnic Area: A ample picnic country adjacent Sunland-Tujunga situated adjacent to Big Tujunga Creek meanders wherever visitors tin splash astir the exposed stone furniture of Stone Canyon.

Waterfall wood country illustration with a mates looking connected arsenic their canine plays connected a adjacent rock

Are you acceptable to grow your hiking excursions beyond your favourite L.A. trails? Have you been hiking up to Mt. Hollywood, wondering what those peaks are beyond the city? Well, buckle up, buttercup, due to the fact that present you’ll find an assortment of time hikes and play camping ideas that volition person you filing for abrogation earlier you recognize you’re typing an email to your boss.

These trails are varying levels of difficulty, but are listed arsenic mean due to the fact that nary of them should necessitate you to person important method outdoors knowledge. Enjoy!

Hiking trails

Hikers connected the way to Switzer Falls.

🌇For large views: Josephine Peak, Stoddard Peak, Tee Pee Trail, Three Points to Sulfur Springs via Pacific Crest Trail, Throop Peak, Vetter Mountain, Warm Springs Mountain.
🌳To beryllium among gangly trees: Boy Scout Trail Loop, Mt. Baldy Notch via Manker Flat, Mt. Waterman Loop, Rim Trail to Newcomb Pass, Valley Forge Trail Camp via Gabrielino National Recreation Trail, Winter Creek to Hoegees Trail Camp loop.
💧For chill rivers and cascading falls: Bridge to Nowhere, Brown Mountain Dam Waterfall, Cooper Canyon Falls via the Burkhart Trail, Fish Canyon Narrows, Sturtevant Falls Trail, Switzer Falls trail, Trail Canyon Falls.
🪨To spot monolithic stone formations: Castaic Rock Trail adjacent Castaic Lake, Devil’s Chair Trail, Mt. Hillyer via the Silver Moccasin Trail.

Campgrounds

These campgrounds are considered “moderate” due to the fact that they either bash not connection h2o but inactive connection car camping oregon they necessitate a abbreviated backpacking trip. They connection accidental for memorable outdoor experiences successful distant places without making you consciousness similar you’re secretly being filmed for “Naked and Afraid.”

The campgrounds present scope from escaped to $12 per nighttime ($5 per further vehicle); disposable connected a first-come, first-served basis; diagnostic picnic tables and occurrence rings; person vault toilets; and let dogs.

Cooper Canyon Trail Camp: The Cooper Canyon Trail Camp is simply a backcountry campground shaded by towering aged conifer trees. It has 5 sites, and bear-proof boxes are disposable to store nutrient and scented items. It tin beryllium reached a fewer antithetic ways, including a 1½-mile one-way travel down a occurrence roadworthy starting astatine Cloudburst Summit. There is nary piped water. Campers volition request to either bring their ain oregon filter h2o from the adjacent river.
Gould Mesa Trail Camp: Gould Mesa is simply a five-site backpacking campground accessed by a two-mile hike via the Gabrielino Trail starting adjacent Pasadena. It tin besides beryllium accessed by hiking Gould Mesa Road from La Cañada Flintridge. The Arroyo Seco flows adjacent and offers seasonal swimming holes for campers. No interest charged extracurricular of Adventure Pass for your conveyance astatine the trailhead.
Glenn Camp Campground: Accessible via a seven-mile motorcycle thrust oregon hike, the Glenn Camp Campground is simply a 10-site forested haven adjacent to the West Fork of the San Gabriel River. There is nary piped water. Campers volition request to either bring their ain oregon filter h2o from the adjacent river.
Horse Flat Campground: Horse Flat is simply a 26-site shaded campground offering corrals and hitching posts should you person an equine companion. It is adjacent to the Silver Moccasin National Recreation Trail, which you tin hike to adjacent Mt. Hillyer for bouldering. No h2o available. Closes seasonally.
Oak Flat Campground: Oak Flat is simply a rustic 20-site campground adjacent Castaic that volition supply you with an casual nighttime of car camping though you might, astatine times, perceive Interstate 5. Shaded by oak trees, the campground is adjacent to Whitaker Peak and Piru Creek astatine Frenchman’s Flat. There is nary piped water, truthful campers volition request to bring their own.

Bonus spots

A heavy bluish water with mountains nearby.

Adams Pack Station: A past remaining battalion presumption successful Southern California, this rustic store successful Big Santa Anita Canyon sells blistery meals, hiking cogwheel and souvenirs. Its woody platform is adjacent to the donkeys, who are worthy saying hullo to.
Castaic Lake: A sportfishing and swimming spot to chill disconnected aft a hike successful the occidental Angeles National Forest.

Cora and Kenny, 2 donkeys astatine Adams Pack Station successful Big Santa Anita Canyon.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
Chantry Flat picnic area: A ample picnic country with grills offering a large spot to remainder aft a bully hike done adjacent Big Santa Anita Canyon.
Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area and Nature Center: An L.A. County parkland adjacent Pearblossom with monolithic stone formations and casual entree to Angeles National Forest trails nearby.
Green Valley SmokeHouse: Nestled successful the gorgeous agrarian municipality of Green Valley, this is simply a family-owned section edifice with a robust paper that features some nutrient by the lb and vegan options. It’s an casual halt if you’re hiking oregon camping successful the occidental extremity of Angeles National Forest.
Sturtevant Camp: Founded successful 1893, the campy has cabins to rent, but is besides a amusive time trip. It’s a four(ish)-mile hike from Chantry Flat to scope the camp. If you would similar not to haul successful your gear, you tin prosecute a mule squad from Adams Pack Station to transportation it for you.

Forest country illustration with of a canine looking astatine colorful autumn leaves

For the adventurer whose friends regularly telephone them ‘hardcore’ astatine parties (advanced)

The trails present are challenging but worthy adventures for experienced hikers to consider. What does “experienced” mean exactly? Unlike the trails categorized supra arsenic “easy” oregon “moderate,” the trails present necessitate you to program ahead, bringing plentifulness of h2o and different supplies, looking implicit topography maps and speechmaking way reports. With due planning, though, you volition find yourself connected a large escapade that’s besides adjacent to home. Please note: Some of the trails beneath whitethorn beryllium covered successful snowfall successful wintertime and necessitate method experience.

🌇For large views: Crystal Lake to Mt. Islip; Crystal Lake to South Mt. Hawkins; Fox Mountain via the Condor Peak Trail; Hoyt Mountain via Grizzly Flat; Jupiter Mountain Loop; Liebre Mountain via PCT; Magic Mountain; Mt. Baldy via Devil’s Backbone Trail; Mt. Lukens via Haines Canyon; Slide Mountain; the Three T’s via Icehouse Canyon; Townsend Peak; Whitaker Peak.
🌳To beryllium among gangly trees: Mt. Waterman to Twin Peaks; Mt. Baden Powell; Ontario Peak; Cucamonga Peak (with permit); Mt. Hawkins; Pacifico Mountain.
💧For chill rivers and cascading falls: Icehouse Canyon to Icehouse Saddle Trail, Oak Springs Trail
🪨To spot monolithic stone formations: Strawberry Peak; Islip Saddle to Mt. Williamson Ridge.

Backpacking opportunities adjacent L.A.

The Gabrielino Trail is simply a 26(ish)-mile National Recreation Trail that hikers traditionally commencement astatine Chantry Flats and hike north, westbound and yet southbound to its exit constituent adjacent Pasadena.
The full Silver Moccasin Trail, different National Recreation Trail successful Angeles National Forest, is 53 miles — and you could bargain yourself a vintage Scouting America “Silver Moccasins” badge connected eBay afterward arsenic a humble brag to friends.
An estimated 176 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail‘s 2,500 miles are done Angeles National Forest. Per the wood service, you tin instrumentality the way done Angeles precocious country, from adjacent Mt. Gleason done Mill Creek Summit, Mt. Pacifico, Sulphur Springs, Cooper Canyon, Mt. Williamson, Little Jimmy, Mt. Baden-Powell and Blue Ridge and connected to the Cajon Pass area.

Campgrounds

The campgrounds present are considered “advanced” due to the fact that they necessitate a level of readying and mentation that falls beyond your mean car-camping trip. Several are backpacking sites and bash not connection potable water. Some bash not person streams to filter water. Despite the situation to scope them, they are worthy it for the sweeping views and solitude, the quality to nap nether a hulking conifer histrion without interruption, extracurricular of possibly a Steller’s jay funny astir whether the weird carnal (i.e. you) successful its gait has immoderate nutrient to steal.

Unless different noted, the campgrounds present scope from escaped to $12 per nighttime ($5 per further vehicle); are disposable connected a first-come, first-served basis; and let dogs.

Big Rock Campground: Big Rock has 8 escaped first-come, first-served sites, with picnic tables and campfire rings. It has vault toilets. Big Rock is connected the “expert” database due to the fact that the roadworthy to scope it is often closed. This means you’ll request to hike astir one-eighth of a mile from a locked gross oregon instrumentality a 4x4 high-clearance conveyance from Vincent Gulch down Big Rock Creek Road (if open). You could besides parkland astatine Vincent Gulch (displaying a Big Pines parking pass) and hike down the roadworthy to scope the campground. Either way, you’ll apt find solitude and hopefully seasonal springs to filter h2o from. Otherwise, you’ll request to battalion successful what you need.
Bear Camp: This way camp, labeled “extremely primitive” by the Forest Service, has 7 sites, each with a picnic array and campfire ring. It does not person toilets. Bear Camp is located connected the acold northwestern country of the wood and is champion reached by 4x4 oregon upland bike, oregon by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, which passes by it. It is, per the Forest Service, “extremely primitive” and lacks toilets oregon water. That said, each tract features occurrence rings, bear-proof retention lockers and picnic tables.
Hoegees Trail Camp: A 14-site backcountry way campy accessed by hiking by a 2½-mile, one-way hike up the Upper Winter Creek Trail successful Big Santa Anita Canyon.
Little Jimmy Trail Camp: Little Jimmy is simply a 16-site campground positioned among gangly trees astatine 7,500-feet elevation. It has a seasonal outpouring wherever campers tin filter h2o erstwhile the outpouring is running. It is free. It has vault toilets. Each tract has carnivore boxes, arsenic it is an country of precocious carnivore activity, on with picnic tables and campfire rings. You tin scope it via a 1½-mile hike from Islip Saddle.
Messenger Flats Campground: A backcountry campground reachable via a 10-mile hike from Mill Creek with vault toilets and picnic tables. Potable h2o is not available.
Mt. Pacifico Campground: A 10-tent-only campground with picnic tables and vault toilets but nary potable water. Mt. Pacifico is reachable by high-clearance vehicles until the archetypal wintertime tempest of the play is expected, and the Forest Service past closes the road. Hikers tin entree the campground each play by taking the roadworthy oregon Pacific Crest Trail earlier turning eastbound onto a spur that leads to the campground.
Sawmill Campground: Although you tin thrust to the eight-site Sawmill Campground, it is connected the “hard” database due to the fact that of the thrust itself implicit a bumpy, steep, ungraded road. Once there, you’ll beryllium treated to expansive views of the Antelope Valley and beyond. Each tract has a picnic array and campfire ring, and determination is simply a vault toilet available. Potable h2o is not available.
Southfork Campground: A distant and rustic 21-site campground reachable with a high-clearance vehicle, arsenic the roadworthy isn’t maintained. Campers often sojourn the South Fork of Big Rock Creek to splash astir and observe food swimming about.
Sulphur Springs Trail Camp: Sulphur Springs Trail Camp sits astatine 5,300 feet and features astir six tent-camping sites. You tin scope it by parking astatine Three Points and hiking astir 3.6 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail to scope the camp. Its campsites are shaded by gangly conifer trees, perfect for hanging a hammock. It has vault toilets but nary potable h2o oregon carnivore boxes.
Spruce Grove Trail Camp: A distant seven-site way campy accessed by a 4(ish)-mile, one-way travel from Chantry Flat Picnic Area.

Bonus spots

Buckhorn Ski Lodge: A backcountry skis nine with an off-grid compartment successful a distant country of Angeles National Forest.
Mt. Baldy village: A tiny assemblage adjacent respective fashionable trailheads wherever you tin halt to devour astatine the Mt. Baldy Lodge and sojourn the Mt. Baldy visitant center, which is unfastened mostly midday connected weekends. You tin cheque the forest’s website for the visitant center’s latest hours.
Rowher Flats OHV: An off-roading tract for motorcycles, ATVs and 4-wheel thrust vehicles. Get your vroom-vroom connected via respective miles of trails.

A brownish motion that reads "May your hunt done quality pb you to yourself."

Respecting the onshore 🗻

L.A. is the 2nd largest metropolis successful the U.S. and is often called the “entertainment superior of the world.”

But it offers residents and visitors alike the uncommon accidental to walk the greeting on bustling Hollywood Boulevard earlier uncovering full solitude successful Angeles National Forest. With that accidental comes a large work to support it truthful that Angeles National Forest is not loved to decease but alternatively cherished for generations to come.

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