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 Reporter |
Summary: The Devil's Punchbowl is a point where 2 earthquake faults collide, creating upwards jutting vertical walls as high as 300 feet. It is a spectacular setting, with the high desert spreading out on one side, and the pine covered Angeles National forest on the other. The hike takes you along the mostly shaded rim of the Punchbowl, to the dramatic Devil's Chair, a breathtaking overlook with 360 degree views of the geologic formations. A rainbow of rock surrounds the Devils Chair with pink streaked chalk white cliffs, undulating tan crags, chocolate brown slabs, and green-gray ledges. This, combined with the green of the mountains and the blue sky, makes for a memorable image. Hikers with extra energy, may want to also take the 1 mile loop trail, which drops down into the punchbowl amongst the stunning rock formations. Summer hikers should bring lots of water as it can get seriously hot in this area! Trailhead: Exit the Antelope Valley Freeway (14) at Pearblossom highway (138), and follow it to the town of Pearblossom where you will turn right (south) on Longview Road (County N6). Follow the signs to the park 7 miles ahead. Note that facing the nature center, the Burkhart trailhead is on the right side of the parking lot. (Lat:34.41381 Lon:-117.85858) Trail Guides for Devils Punchbowl - Devils Chair: 101 Hikes in Southern California by Jerry Schad (Wilderness Press) California Hiking by Tom Stienstra & Ann Marie Brown (Foghorn Press) Best Seasons: Fall, Winter, Spring User Groups: Hikers, Dogs Ranger Contact: Devil's Punchbowl Nature Area (661) 944-2743 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Jim Zuber, who has posted 104 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Page 1 of 10 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Koger on 6/8/2009 All along the trail, my buddy and I kept remarking how great this hike was. We hiked it on 6/7/09, and the weather was perfect. We did the one mile loop trail first, and that was actually the most labor intensive part of the whole day. From there we picked up the Burkhart Trail to the Devil's Chair. Very nice, gradual trail. It only gets hairy along the last 1/2-3/4 of the trail to the devil's chair. Awesome scenery. There's a nice stream at one part. Trail was pretty narrow or washed out in some parts, so it's probably best not to go on busy days. This is an amazing hike and a personal favorite. After almost nine miles of hiking (the devil's chair + the loop), we weren't even that tired. Totally awesome.
Reviewed by Mayhem on 5/29/2009 Made this hike 5.23.09. Moderate hike, steady elevation gain. Wouldnt recommend bringing children on this one, path gets narrow at times and spots get strenuous. Dont stop when you get to the HUGE round rock, some people get confused and stop there. Keep going another 10 min, well worth it. Scenery-Gorgeous! Hard to believe there is something that beautiful in SoCal. Start early, it gets crowded later in the day. Bring water and a camera, enjoy! 
Reviewed by Sam on 4/7/2009 First strenuous hike for the gang. Great hike. We made the mistake of taking the trail to the creek bed first, then up to Devil's Chair. Didn't get up to see the panoramic view because of time constraints, but hike was still well worth it. If you're coming from the East (15 FWY), on your way back make sure to stop by "Casa Ortega" Mexican Restaurant. The food was awesome!!! (featured in Heuel Howser's TV program, California's Gold)
Reviewed by Viewer on 3/30/2009 drove up from LA area just to do this hike and it was well worth it. a lovely change of pace from the santa monica mountians. the rock formations are beautiful and fun to climb(carefully)around on. the trail is really well marked and well maintained, and they have one of the best ranger stations i have ever seen!
Reviewed by SB on 3/15/2009 Started out later than we planned at 3:30. Moderate pace to the Chair with some photo taking and stops along the way to admire the changing view. No snow on actual trail, only patches near it. I will say the elevation does change a lot in the last mile or so, which was tiring for my friend who is relatively new to hiking. We left the chair at 5:20 and made it back by 6:40 before the park closed at sunset. Check out the owls before you leave. 
Reviewed by Chris on 3/9/2009 Did this on March 7th. Great weather, well marked trail, and just enough patches of snow left to make things interesting. Next time, I think I'll do the loop trail into the canyon.
Reviewed by Ron on 2/27/2009 Linda and I hit the trail again after spending a month hiking around the Liebre and Sierra Pelona areas. The trail had scattered patches of snow that could easily be negotiated with trekking poles and care. Spent some time crawling around on some of the big rocks in the area since we were taking our time. A busy day with 7 other hikers and 2 mountain bikers. This is the most we have ever run across on this trail. A beautiful day in the mountains!!
Reviewed by Ron on 2/3/2009 Linda and I did this on 1-29-09. We do this at least once a month and this was great trip. Cool with a little snow in spots. 3 hours round trip with stops for pics and a break at the chair. Another great hike! Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: California Hiking, California Trails, California Hikes, Los Angeles County Hiking, Los Angeles County Trails, Los Angeles County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||