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 Reporter |
Summary: This trail is one of my favorites in Southern California. The trail descends into the forested, picturesque Big Santa Anita Canyon. The trail follows Santa Anita Creek upstream to spectacular Sturtevant falls, dropping 50 foot into a lovely pool. Beyond the waterfall on the lower trail is stunningly beauty with cascades, giant ferns, and an almost fairy tale like remoteness. Trailhead: From the Foothill Freeway(210) in Arcadia, exit on Santa Anita Avenue and drive six miles north to its end at Chantry Flat. The trail begins across the road from the parking lot. (Lat:34.19589 Lon:-118.02285) Trail Guides for Big Santa Anita Canyon: 101 Hikes in Southern California by Jerry Schad (Wilderness Press) Day Hikers Guide to Southern California by John McKinney (Olympus Press) Trails of the Angles - 100 Hikes in the San Gabriels by John W. Robinson (Wilderness Press) Best Seasons: Year-Round User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Horses Ranger Contact: Angeles National Forest, (818) 899-1900 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Jim Zuber, who has posted 104 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Page 1 of 15 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Jenna on 9/1/2008 Found out about this place from a man in turnbull canyon Hiked on 8/31/08 midday it is 2 miles to the water fall an 2 miless back, not too bad, I wore a jean skirt and flip flops (not the best idea) and smoked ciggeretts some of the way. it sucked on the way back up tho, steep ass hill.. but the water fall was worth it! I even got in the water, it was freezing and a there was a bunch of uneven rocks not so nice on bare feet, but I had a good time.
Reviewed by d.a. on 8/12/2008 Did this hike last week, midday (bad idea!), hike down to the falls was great, not difficult at all, but that hike back up in the end was a little hard for someone out of shape like me! Im sure that doing in when the sun is hitting hardest didnt help! But overall a great and beautiful hike!
Reviewed by Lee on 8/8/2008 Did this on 08/07/08. This was a great hike with a lot of shade. Saw some people on the Gabriellino trail in flip flops carrying no water. Not a good idea. The hike to the falls is not too difficult but you want to be in moderate shape and hydrated going back up the canyon. Make sure to jump in for a nice swim once you get to the water fall. One complaint. The Adams Pack Station was closed so couldn't get the day pass. Is it usually closed on Thursdays? The guy painting the fence outside, don't know if he's the owner, told us to park in the lot right in front of the station & drop $5 in the box. It worked out fine, but he was quite rude and we weren't sure if that money still goes to the park since it was a private lot. 
Reviewed by Paul on 7/2/2008 Hard to believe that this little slice of heaven is so close to metro L.A. Lots of animal spotting opportunities, some of the prettiest terrain around and some challenging uphill sections. Saw a black bear on the Upper Winter Creek trail on June 29 at approx. 7:15 p.m. (about 3/4 miles north of parking lot). Awesome!
Reviewed by sm on 6/21/2008 midweek awesome we seen noone for over 3hrs went long way round loop summit of mt zion about 9 mile loop.i reccommed bring more h20 then u think your need min .75 gallon and less food.fresh fruit was great on this hike. seen many squirrels and small lizards but nothing bigger.a about 3 spots had to go under downed tree on trail.went through campgrounds noone there.very hot in spots a few areas tough going up hill in the baking sun.we are both amateur hikers but workout on regular basis which helped.
Reviewed by Claudia on 6/11/2008 This was an amazing hike! Getting there was easy, crossing some streams maybe 2-3 times but not hard at all. 3 beginner hikers (one being 13 yrs old) and we all had small backpacks. The scenery is amazing and the waterfall is just beautiful. We hiked back THROUGH the river which probably made it even more adventuresome for me, but not recommended, you get knee deep in water and there are TONS of rocks. The paved trail back up has an incline not fun for beginners, small children or seniors. If you want good parking on the weekends arrive EARLY. I think it opens at 8am, but I recommend arriving before that on weekends. I arrived at 8:30am and their parking lots were FULL and had to park on the side of the road - not fun. 
Reviewed by Nik on 6/9/2008 As an out of shape lady, looking to get into shape with her out of shape boyfriend, I really thought that this hike would be perfect. LOL- no one said anything about the awful hike back up the big hill!! Wow!! I loved the hike once we got down the paved hill but the hike up was hard...especially being fat. My bottom does feel sore today and it was nice down the hills, but I will probably come back to this hike when I am in a bit more shape!!
Reviewed by MT on 6/9/2008 As a novice hiker, I loved this hike. My group was moving at a fast pace and it was a fairly strenuous hike at some points going uphill towards the campground. However, we all made it and it was very rewarding. Friendly people along the trails. A lot of trees to provide shade cover, it never got hot even in the early afternoon. Great hike, will go again soon! 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||