Trail

GLIMMERS of light are much needed in gloomy January.

But to feel brighter in the bleakest months, the Lanterns Of The Wild light trail at Twycross Zoo, in Leicestershire, will bring a little sparkle to your day

Dazzling until February 22, more than 2,000 lanterns have been strung along a mile-long walking trail.

Keen to check out this slice of winter magic, I visited with my husband Simon and sons Wilf, eight, and Jasper, six.

We were blown away by the epic-scale of the attraction, where every step is a jolt of joy.

As someone who has dragged their little ones to illuminations around the country: this is the best.

DRINK UP

The off-the-grid UK road trip that includes peaceful treehouses and quiet lochs

HIGH SEAS

I went on a seven-day cruise for just £30 a night – secret reason it was so cheap

You start at a gathering of cosy food and drink stalls, stocked with churros, mulled wine and chips with jumbo pigs in blankets.

Beginning the walk, through a canopy of trees lit with sparkling lights, we were instantly surrounded by jewel hued lantern animals and fauna.

The scope of the attraction is no mean feat, as there are over 500 species of animals and plants depicted.

Rounding the corner we are in the first of ten zones: The Gruffalo Wood and see lanterns inspired by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s beloved book.

Seeing the wonder on the boys’ faces was up there as one of my top parenting moments.

The lanterns are a work of art, they took 99,000 hours to create and use 25,000 bulbs.

They were crafted on site and hand-painted by more than 30 Chinese craftsmen from Zigong, the lantern capital of China.

My husband wasn’t convinced walking around “some lights” on a night where the thermometer didn’t hit 5C was a great idea.

But he was a quick convert to the magic, especially a field of Van Gogh-inspired sunflowers crafted from lanterns.

From here we head into The North American Wilds followed by Polar Realms zones, filled with lit-up installations of wolves, bears and a gigantic Mount Rushmore installation.

We warmed back up with hot drinks at the festive warmers tent half way through the walk then continued to more themed zones, which were increasingly spectacular.

We all agreed the best was the Tropical Reef, where the path wound round mesmerising jellyfish suspended in boughs of trees and a stunning shoal of fish, seemingly hovering in thin air while turtles and their babies flank you on all sides.

As we crossed the last zone, African Savannah – teeming with lit up crocs and other beasts, my hard-to-impress eight-year-old turned to me with eyes shining and proclaimed the evening had been a ten out of ten.

If you’re looking for a beacon of happiness in the coldest months, Lanterns Of The Wild is the place to get yourself illuminated.

The cliff path has been named the cleanest hiking trail in the UK by Independent Cottages – though the route is impacted by rockfall and has some impressive drops along the way

A dizzying cliff path overlooking a churning sea has been crowned the UK’s cleanest hiking trail.

The Gobbins, an extraordinary and awe-inspiring route that stretches for three miles along the treacherous cliffs of County Antrim in Northern Ireland, has clinched the top spot in Independent Cottages’ ranking of the UK’s cleanest walking trails. Remarkably, there were no mentions of uncleanliness across more than 1,300 reviews.

The Gobbins presents a surreal landscape, born from colossal geological forces and subsequently shaped by the elements. Today, it teems with life and has been captivating courageous visitors for over a hundred years.

The tale of The Gobbins begins some 200 million years ago when the Earth’s continents were united in the supercontinent, Pangaea. The land that would eventually become northeast Ireland was submerged beneath a warm, shallow sea.

Algae and single-celled organisms thrived in these waters, their calcium carbonate shells slowly accumulating layers of calcium on the seafloor after they died, which solidified into a limestone layer, reports the Express.

OPINION

Milo Boyd

READ MORE: Beautiful seaside town now ‘dying a death’ and ‘depressing’ as 1 in 4 shops lie empty

This is what gave rise to the coastlines and caves that are dotted across Ireland today. This stone forms the bedrock of The Gobbins’ spectacular rock formations.

Atop this lies basalt, a product of eruptions from now long-extinct volcanoes, which has been fractured and moulded by the shifting bedrock of tectonic plates as Pangaea separated, and later, vast ice sheets during ice ages.

The outcome is one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline found anywhere across the British Isles, which happens to offer countless habitats for diverse birds and marine creatures. For instance, the Gobbins hosts Northern Ireland’s sole mainland colony of puffins, which nest in the cliff-face earth disturbed by ancient glaciers.

“Guillemots, razorbills, cormorants, and kittiwakes make their homes high in the rocks and scan the waters from perches on the sea stacks. The depths teem with fish, feeding in the plankton-rich waters of the North Channel. Lion’s Mane jellyfish, one of the largest such species, migrate through here, providing prey for seals, porpoises and other marine mammals,” the official Gobbins Cliff Path website writes.

“Low tide exposes the rockpools under the path, a home for molluscs, sponges and weird nodules of red seaweed. Spleenwort ferns, kidney vetch, and sea campion cling to cracks in the rocks or hold down patches of volcanic soil.”

The stunning natural landscape has transformed this location into an essential walking destination, first attracting masses of nature enthusiasts and day visitors during the Victorian era. Berkeley Deane Wise played a crucial role in shaping the Gobbins into what it is today.

This civil engineer, who had climbed to the position of Chief Engineer of the Belfast and County Down Railway and had created a groundbreaking signalling system that cut accidents on his routes, possessed a dedication to safety and fascinating design. Amongst his creations are the mock Tudor structure and clock tower in Portrush, plus walkways and a tearoom in Glenariff Forest that offer a superb view of its woodland and waterfalls.

The Gobbins Cliff Path is widely regarded as his most significant achievement and perfectly captures his brilliance as an engineer dedicated to helping ordinary folk enjoy remarkable experiences.

Construction commenced in 1901 and spanned several years, given the challenge of transporting steel girder bridges manufactured in Belfast via barges and rafts. These were subsequently hoisted into position using lines lowered from the clifftop.

The pathway became enormously popular and drew vast numbers of tourists from throughout the British Isles. “There is, in short, nothing like The Gobbins anywhere else in the world,” noted a correspondent in the Proceedings of the British Association in 1902.

A writer for The Sketch observed: “Surely there is something in the influence of the Irish climate which acts upon the rocks. The tints are softer and deeper. The very air is laden with poetry.”

Regrettably, the Gobbins route is currently shut due to rockfall. If you’re considering a trip, ensure you verify the official website for the latest information on its availability.

A year ago, we were all glued to our phones, namely the Watch Duty app, as we watched fires rip through beloved neighborhoods and landscapes. We braced ourselves for the death toll, the number of homes lost and what was harmed in our beloved mountains.

The Eaton and Palisades fires were the beginning of a crushing year for L.A.

I don’t believe in closure or want to push the idea of resilience, concepts too often forced in these kind of post-disaster narratives. But I do believe in pausing to discern what we have learned over the past year.

I recently spoke with trail crew volunteers, including two who lost their houses in the fires, to get their takes.

They each shared what’s helped them move through this past year, including what we can learn from the regrowth and recovery of our local forests. I left these conversations feeling inspired by both the natural and human spirit. I hope you will be too.

Lesson 1: Humans are adaptable like the trees and plants

After the devastating 2018 Woolsey fire, which burned much of the Santa Monica Mountains, photographer Jane Simpson made regular pilgrimages to Malibu Creek State Park to document the renewal process. She saw the hillsides start to green, and lupine and other flowers (and mustard) start to bloom.

It helped give her a baseline for what to expect when she started returning to the mountains scorched by the Palisades fire.

Simpson is a member of the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter’s Santa Monica Mountains Task Force trail crew, known often by their nickname, the Trailies.

In November, Simpson worked alongside other Trailies on the Bienveneda and Leacock trails in Topanga State Park. The area was badly burned, but still Simpson noticed green sprouts peeking out of the ashy soil and from the branches of trees that the average passerby might assume were dead.

“I just want to think that the trees, the flowers, the [landscape] are not just responding blindly and dumbly — we know they’ve learned to adapt, and humans are learning to adapt as well,” said Simpson, who joined the Trailies in 2017.

Simpson has been forced to adapt. Her home in the Palisades Highlands was among thousands that burned in the Palisades fire, and she alongside her neighbors are grappling with whether to rebuild. Simpson grew up in Mandeville Canyon, and as a kid, she’d head out the door with a sack lunch and friends for a day of unsupervised adventures. It’s hard to imagine not living there.

Trail crew worker Jane Simpson observes a Humboldt’s lily in Santa Ynez Canyon last summer.

(Gaby Valensi)

Before the fire, Simpson could walk out her front door and quickly take one of about five nearby trailheads. She and a neighbor would often “just head out the door and go anywhere,” she said, like the many times they headed along Palisades Drive to Temescal Ridge Trail to Radio Peak, a local name for Temescal Peak.

Those trips helped them learn the local plants and how they changed with the seasons, like how the ceanothus would blossom with blue blooms in early spring. And in Santa Ynez Canyon, Simpson loved spotting the Humboldt’s lilies, knowing the perennials would come back every year.

Even after the devastation of the Palisades fire, she’s seen those lilies return to the same spot they’ve always been.

“A fire-scarred landscape may look dead, but spotting a familiar flower is like seeing old friends,” she said. “It’s reassurance — that some kind of normal is possible. Of course, when it is your own property, there is no normal there, but there is reassurance that for the earth, the wildlife, plants, things will go on, even if I don’t return.”

Lesson 2: We have our own ecological role to play

Trailie crew member Ron Dean is drawn to trail work for creativity. Every 10 minutes, there’s seemingly a new problem the trail crew faces, like, “Where should we put the trail? Should we put the rocks over here? Does this need a drain? How can we move this thing out of the way? It’s wonderful,” he said.

When I asked Dean, who joined the crew 12 years ago, to describe his relationship with the Santa Monica Mountains, he was quick to answer.

“When I’m out in the mountains, I feel like I’m hanging out with my best friend,” Dean said.

A Trailies volunteer works on the Leacock Trail in 2019.

(Jane Simpson)

Dean moved from Wisconsin to L.A. in 1970 for a job and stayed for the climate and landscape. Every Sunday for the past several years, Dean and his son Josh would hike in the Santa Monica Mountains, leaving Dean’s home in the Palisades and often hitting a loop trail to Goat Peak, also referred to by some locals as High Point. After the hike, they’d have brunch and watch football.

That home, which was built in 1951, burned in the Palisades fire. Similar to how he approaches trail work, Dean is looking at how to create a better home for today’s climate, adding solar panels, backup batteries, water recycling and a heat pump system.

Dean is comfortable tackling problems that seemingly have no end. He’s known among his fellow Trailies as the “mustard man” because whenever he sees invasive black mustard — the yellow flowers that cover L.A.’s hillsides in the spring before drying into quick-burning brown twigs — he yanks it out. “Will I win? Of course not,” Dean said.

A member of the Trailies works on Leacock Trail in 2019.

(Jane Simpson)

This is the kind of acceptance Dean has learned from our local mountains — that we can all do our part for as long as we’re here.

Lesson 3: Restoration is a form of reciprocity

In 2012, Rubio Canyon Trail Crew member Sean Green made it his personal mission to restore the Lone Tree Trail in Rubio Canyon. The path, built more than 100 years ago, was constructed so that workers from a municipal water company could reach the utility’s water intakes far into the canyon, Green said.

The trail had been abandoned for decades, but was rediscovered after the 1993 Kinneloa fire ripped through the area. “I decided I loved that trail and I restored it,” Green said.

The Rubio Canyon Trail Crew removes a landslide from the Gooseberry Motorway in 1997.

(Sean Green)

The trail crew’s work is part of a long history of give and take between humans and the canyon.

The lush landscape of chaparral, coast sage scrubs and creek beds was once a stop on the Mount Lowe Railway. The “railway climbed the steep Lake Avenue and crossed the poppy fields into the Rubio Canyon,” according to a local history website. “This part of the trip was called the Mountain Division. At this juncture stood the Rubio Pavilion, a small 12-room hotel. From there the passengers transferred to a cable car funicular which climbed the Great Incline to the top of the Echo Mountain promontory.”

The Rubio Cañon Land and Water Assn. has pulled water from the canyon since the 1880s, delivering it to nearby residents in Altadena. But in the late ’90s, in a still-debated controversy, the water company completed a construction project that sent thousands of yards of debris into the canyon, burying at least three waterfalls.

“Whether by nature’s hand or man’s, with time or with money, Rubio Canyon’s waterfalls will return,” Pasadena Star-News journalist Becky Oskin wrote at the time.

It appears that time has finally come.

Green said heavy rains pushed debris away from the once-covered Maidenhair Falls, a 30-foot cascade named after the Maidenhair ferns that once surrounded it.

The Rubio Canyon Trail Crew, which has worked in the area for more than 25 years, is busy bringing the rest of the canyon’s trails back too.

Claus Boettger, Phil Fujii and Jason Trevor backfill a new retaining wall along the Gooseberry Motorway in 2005. The original road was built in 1923 by Southern California Edison to install electric towers along the foothill ridges. It is now a single-track trail.

(Sean Green)

The Eaton fire ripped through the Rubio Canyon Preserve, seriously damaging the canyon’s chaparral, coast sage scrub and riparian habitats.

Green said his crew has almost finished restoring the Loma Alta Trail and has put in several hours on the Gooseberry Motorway, which takes hikers up and over a ridgeline, eventually into Angeles National Forest. The motorway was originally built by Southern California Edison to install electrical towers, Green said.

The crew has started seeing wildflowers, trees and wildlife all return to the canyon.

“The land is recovering,” Green said. “The Eaton fire caused a lot of damage, burning many houses down and burning the vegetation, but nature is very resilient and it will come back. … The canyon itself is going to take awhile to look like a vegetated canyon bottom because of all the debris that came down, but the rest of Rubio Canyon is going to regrow. It’s going to look pretty, and we’re going to get the trails in shape.”

Lesson 4: Hard work pays off

Lowelifes founder Rob Pettersen repairs a trail in Angeles National Forest.

(Erik Hillard, Lowelifes RCC)

The hiking trails of Angeles National Forest, as a whole, are in far better shape than they were 10 years ago. In spite of repeated wildfires — the Bobcat fire in 2020, the Bridge fire in 2024, the Eaton fire last year — and heavy rains, the trails remain.

I was so focused on the damage of the past year from the Eaton fire and heavy rainfall, I hadn’t zoomed out to consider the bigger picture until I spoke to Rob Pettersen, a founding board member of the Lowelifes Respectable Citizens’ Club.

The Lowelifes are among a dedicated coalition of trail crews that dedicate hundreds of hours every year to reestablishing damaged trails by lugging out fallen and dead trees, moving soil and rock, and more.

“We are moving forward, but Mother Nature has other ideas sometimes,” Pettersen said. “There’s no silver bullet for fixing these trails. They just need constant attention. It’s just the nature of our geology.”

Pettersen has volunteered on trail work crews off and on for the past 20 years, most consistently after Lowelifes was founded in 2019. Pettersen enjoys living in Los Feliz, but like most of us, is drawn to the solace and peace that the mountains provide.

After the 2020 Bobcat fire, which burned through Big Santa Anita Canyon and several other beloved places, the Lowelifes focused several months on restoring the Idlehour Trail, a six-mile jaunt through lush woodland.

“This time last year, Idlehour was in some of the best shape it’s ever been — and then it got melted” in the Eaton fire, Pettersen said. “It’s a very popular [and] special place for Lowelifes folks individually, and the fact we had just completed a lot of work there is kind of brutal.”

This ebb and flow of fire and flood, exacerbated by human-caused climate change, he said, is why the Lowelifes focus on restoring trails to a quality that can withstand harsh conditions.

“Even though we’ve had multiple years now where we’ve done a bunch of trail restoration work and then got hit by several inches of rain in 12 hours,” Pettersen said, “the vast majority of the trail mileage holds up because we do good work so the trail isn’t gone. But the trouble spots — the heavy drainages, the cliffy areas — those are always impacted by debris flow. So it’s a bummer, but it also feels good to be making a difference and doing good work for the community.”

Rob Pettersen cuts through a downed log during a Lowelifes work day on trails in Angeles National Forest.

(Matt Baffert, Lowelifes RCC)

Several Lowelife crew members lost their homes or livelihood in the Eaton fire, including Lowelifes president Matt Baffert. Additionally, the fire also burned up the crew’s tools, which were stored at Baffert’s home.

A year later, though, Baffert and others are rebuilding and moving back, Pettersen said.

That’s in large part because the community rallied behind the Lowelifes. The group received several grants and donations, and the Lowelifes as a nonprofit came out of the fire more financially secure than before. Pettersen said so many volunteers showed up to help that the Lowelifes had to turn people away because they couldn’t safely fit everyone who showed up on the trails to work.

“It’s amazing seeing how many people care about our Lowelifes individually and about our trails and our Angeles National Forest,” Pettersen said. “People care about trails, people care about public lands; that’s been positive and we want to keep building on that.”

This month, the Lowelifes plan — rain and snow permitting — to head back to the Idlehour trail.

The work continues.

3 things to do

Hikers with Hearts for Sight and the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter trek along a path together.

(Joan Schipper, Hearts For Sight)

1. Volunteer as a hiker guide in L.A.
Hearts For Sight and the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter will host their monthly White Cane Hike at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 18 in Griffith Park. Volunteers are needed to guide blind and visually-impaired hikers on a gentle hike from Franklin’s Cafe & Market to a heliport in the park. The hike is free, and lunch is provided. To register, call Hearts for Sight at (818) 457-1482.

2. Make new friends hiking in Elysian Park
LA for the Culture Hiking Club will host a beginner-friendly, free community hike at noon Saturday in Elysian Park. The group will meet at the Grace E. Simons Lodge parking lot before heading onto the Elysian Park West Loop, which offers stunning views of the city. Register at eventbrite.com.

3. Commune with nature and a notebook near Calabasas
California State Parks and Santa Monica Mountains Nature Journal Club will host a nature journaling meetup from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday at Malibu Creek State Park. Participants who are new to nature journaling are invited to take a free introductory course while experienced nature journalers can head into the park. The group will reconvene at noon to share their experiences. Guests are invited to bring a potluck dish to share. Register at eventbrite.com.

The must-read

(Mary Forgione / Los Angeles Times)

One of the first places I go to research a trail is The Times archives because we’ve been writing about the trails and campgrounds of Angeles National Forest for more than 100 years. In all that time, we haven’t slowed down enough to write a comprehensive guide of the forest — until now. I spent the past few months researching and writing what is a part love letter/part guide to help you explore every corner of the 700,000-acre national forest playground that sits right in our backyard. I hope you save this guide and use it for many of your future adventures! I know I will.

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

After the recent rain and snowfall, there are new and serious hazards on our local trails that you must consider before heading out. We have already lost at least three hikers locally this winter. As I’ve written previously, you often need crampons and an ice axe, equipment you need to be experienced using, before heading into a snow hike with elevation gain. I have seen several images on social media of hikers celebrating at the snow-covered Mt. Baldy summit, the highest point in the San Gabriel Mountains, but anyone headed up Baldy needs to understand how dangerous the hike is in winter conditions. As Kyle Fordham, a 36-year-old experienced hiker, told my colleagues, the Devil’s Backbone trail is typically considered the easier option, but it becomes “a death slide” in the winter. “It basically becomes a giant ice cliff,” Fordham said. “If you don’t know what you’re doing, you can very easily die on it.” If you do run into a fellow hiker in need, please help however you can. It can sometimes be the kindness of a stranger that saves a life. Stay safe out there, friends!

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.

The water bubbles up hot from the earth and sunlight filters down through the branches of mighty oaks.

But before you can soak in Santa Barbara County’s highly popular Montecito Hot Springs, you’ll need to hike a little over a mile uphill, threading your way among boulders, oaks and a meandering creek. And before the hike, there are two other crucial steps: getting to the trailhead and knowing what to expect.

The trail to Montecito Hot Springs.

These rustic spring pools are about 95 miles northwest of L.A. City Hall, just upslope from well-to-do Montecito, whose residents include Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Though the trail and hot springs are part of Los Padres National Forest, the trailhead is in a residential neighborhood of gated mansions. Beyond the trailhead parking area (which has room for eight or nine cars), the neighborhood includes very little curbside parking. After visitation surged during the pandemic, some neighbors were accused by county officials of placing boulders to obstruct public parking. Parking options were reduced further when county officials added parking restrictions earlier this year.

• Share via Close extra sharing options

Bottom line: Unless you can arrive on a weekday between 8 and 10 a.m., you’re probably better off taking a rideshare service to get there. Whenever you arrive, you’re likely to have company. And you might want to wait until the landscape dries out a bit from the rains of recent weeks.

As Los Padres National Forest spokesman Andrew Madsen warned, “the foothills of Santa Barbara are especially fragile and hiking is especially precarious in the aftermath of heavy rains.”

All that said, the hike is rewarding and free. From the Hot Springs Canyon trailhead at East Mountain Drive and Riven Rock Road, it’s a 2.5-mile out-and-back trail to the hot springs, with about 800 feet of altitude gain on the way.

Arriving at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday, I got the last parking spot at the trailhead, stepped past the signs forbidding parking before 8 a.m. or after sunset, then stepped past another sign warning that “this is a challenging and rugged hike.” Also, there are no bathrooms or trash cans on the trail or at the springs.

“It’s important that people know what’s going on up there before they show up,” said Madsen. “It’s not all that glamorous.”

Even though it’s only 1.2 or 1.3 miles to the hot springs, plan on about an hour of uphill hiking. Once you’re above the residential lots, you’ll see pipes along the way, carrying water down the hill, along with occasional trailside poison oak. As you near the pools, you’ll pick up the scent of sulfur and notice the water turning a strange bluish hue. Then the trail jumps across the creek — which I initially missed.

But there was a silver lining. That detour gave me a chance to admire the stone ruins of a hotel that was built next to the springs in 1870s. After a fire, it became a private club. Then it burned in the Coyote fire of 1964, which blackened more than 65,000 acres, destroyed more than 90 homes and killed a firefighter. The hot springs and surrounding land have been part of Los Padres National Forest since 2013.

Hikers look west from the ruins near Montecito Hot Springs.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

On a clear day with the sun in the right place, you can stand among the overgrown ruins, look west and see the ocean, a few old oil platforms and the long, low silhouette of Santa Cruz Island. This is what the native Chumash would have seen (minus the oil platforms) through the many years they used the springs before European immigrants arrived.

Pleasant as that view was, I was ready to soak, as were the two couples who got momentarily lost with me. (We were all Montecito Hot Springs rookies.) Once we’d retraced our steps to the creek and crossed it, the trail took us quickly past a hand-lettered CLOTHING OPTIONAL sign to a series of spring-fed pools of varying temperatures.

A dozen people were already lazing in and around the uppermost pools (one woman topless, one man bottomless), but several pools remained empty. I took one that was about 2 feet deep and perhaps 90 degrees. In one pool near me sat Ryan Binter, 30, and Kyra Rubinstein, 26, both from Wichita, Kan.

Hikers Ryan Binter and Kyra Rubinstein, visiting from Wichita, Kan., soak at Montecito Hot Springs.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

“She found this,” said Binter, praising Rubinstein’s internet search savvy.

At the next pool were Emanuel Leon, 20, of Carpinteria, Calif., and Evelyn Torres, 19, of Santa Barbara. The last time they’d tried this hike, they’d strayed off-track and missed the hot springs, so this time, they were savoring the scene.

“Revenge!” said Leon, settling in.

The soaking was so mellow, quiet and unhurried that I was surprised to learn that the pools were not erected legally. As Madsen of the Los Padres National Forest explained later by phone, they were “created by the trail gnomes” — hikers arranging rocks themselves to adjust water flow and temperature, with no government entities involved.

Legal or not, they made a nice reward after the hike uphill. The downhill hike out was easier and quicker, of course, but still tricky because of the rocks and twisting trail.

On your way out of Montecito, especially if it’s your first time, take a good look at the adobe-style grandeur of the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church building, which looks like it was smuggled into California from Santa Fe. For food and drink, head to Coast Village Road (the community’s main drag) or the Montecito Village Shopping Center on East Valley Road. Those shops and restaurants may not match the wonder and comfort of a natural bath in the woods, but for civilization, they’re not bad.

Los Angeles is a place where essentially anyone can find themselves, especially outdoors lovers.

The hiking trails of Griffith Park offer tremendous views of the city and landscape. Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area near Culver City features lush spaces to spend a Saturday with family and friends. But for Angelenos seeking adventure — and even solitude — a vast forested expanse awaits.

Angeles National Forest is a 700,000-plus acre wonderland that has long billed itself as L.A.’s “backyard playground.” But it’s so much more than that.

For almost a decade, I’ve hiked much of its 557 miles of trails, and so rarely was it just for exercise. I’ve sought refuge in our San Gabriel Mountains when life got overwhelming, whether it was after my brother died and my soul ached more than I could communicate, or it was just to briefly escape news headlines that kept breaking my heart. But it was also for joy.

Every hike in Angeles National Forest offers us a chance to be awestruck by our natural environment. I’ll never forget the first time I saw a California newt waddling through Millard Canyon falls. I’ve spotted hopping deer, hooting owls and exactly one haughty rattlesnake (as all other rattlers were much calmer — even the one my dog booped).

I’ve felt the temperature shift from cool to crisp on a winter’s day hike in Icehouse Canyon as a cold mist wafted through the trees, and I’ve sweated through my clothes on the exposed hillsides of the Strawberry Peak trail. I’ve made snow angels with my dog near Mt. Waterman and swam in my skivvies in the San Gabriel River.

Years ago, Angeles National Forest supervisor Michael J. Rogers pointed out what anyone who has spent time there knows too well.

“This is a national forest that could very easily be enjoyed and loved to death,” Rogers wrote for The Times on the forest’s 100th anniversary in 1992. “All of the unique values that visitors seek such as cool trees, shaded streams, solitude, beautiful vistas, watchable wildlife, fresh pine-scented air could all be lost through overuse and abuse.”

My intention with this guide falls in line with Rogers’ message: I hope you not only appreciate what the forest has to offer but also understand your responsibility to practice the “leave no trace” principles, leaving only footprints and taking only memories (and selfies).

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

Note: To bookmark this page for future use, press Ctrl+D (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+D (Mac).

A quick geography lesson| What to bring | Getting there | Things you should know | Beginner adventures| Intermediate adventures| Advanced adventures

A quick geography lesson

A sweeping view of Angeles Crest Highway and the San Gabriel Mountains from the Hoyt Mountain trail.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Angeles National Forest is about 700,000 acres of federal land managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Its northern boundary extends through mountain ranges near the 5 Freeway near Gorman, eastward to the L.A. County and San Bernardino County line near Wrightwood. Its southern boundary runs near Castaic Lake southeast and eastward, ending north of Claremont, where the San Bernardino National Forest’s boundary begins.

It is located within a portion of the Sierra Pelona Mountains in the west, and the San Gabriel Mountains, which span about 60 miles from near Newhall to Cajon Canyon northeast of San Bernardino, according to state geology research. Angeles National Forest’s elevation ranges from 1,200 feet to 10,064 feet, its highest point being Mt. San Antonio, or Mt. Baldy as it’s more commonly known.

The original home of several Indigenous communities for thousands of years, the forest grows several species of trees, plants and animals endemic only to the San Gabriel Mountains or California, including the San Gabriel manzanita, the big cone Douglas fir and the endangered mountain yellow-legged frog. An estimated 14%, or about 29,000 acres, of Angeles National Forest is considered “old-growth” forest — white fir, lodgepole pine, Jeffrey pine (which has a bark that smells like butterscotch or vanilla), ponderosa pine and others that have grown for more than a century into hulking giants.

It is home to five wilderness areas: Cucamonga Wilderness; Magic Mountain Wilderness; Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness; San Gabriel Wilderness; and Sheep Mountain Wilderness. Wilderness areas are the “most protected” federal land in the country. Each of these wilderness areas offers something different. For example, when hiking in Cucamonga, you might spot bighorn sheep, while Magic Mountain is occasionally host to a California condor passing through.

The view of the San Gabriel Mountains as seen from the Mt. Waterman area in the Angeles National Forest.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

What to bring

A full tank or battery. Consider entering the forest with either a full tank of gas or full charge on your vehicle’s battery. There are no gas or electric charging stations (outside of a plug-in you might find on a forest service building).

Sustenance. If hiking, you will likely want to pack all of the water you need for the day unless you plan to filter it from somewhere along the trail. If camping, check the Angeles National Forest website to see whether your campground offers drinking water. You will also want to bring all of your food, unless you plan to visit one of the few places — including Camp Williams Cafe, Cosmic Cafe, the Adams Pack Station or Top of the Notch restaurant — in the forest to buy food and you know the establishment will be open.

A thoughtfully packed bag. When preparing for a hike, some pack the “10 essentials,” which includes navigation tools, a light source and emergency shelter, while others preach a different method of considering specifically what’s needed for the day. Search and rescue team members generally recommend that folks have in their pack whatever they’d need to spend a night in the woods, just in case things go awry.

Parking pass. To park in most places in the forest, you will need a $5 single-day Adventure Pass, a $30 annual Adventure Pass or an America the Beautiful pass. You can be ticketed without properly displaying your pass. If visiting trails near Wrightwood, you might need a Big Pines parking pass, as many of those locations are managed by a concessionaire, Mountain High.

Driving up Angeles Crest Highway to Mountain High.

(Ryan Fonseca / Los Angeles Times)

Getting there

Much of Angeles National Forest’s hiking trails and day-use areas through the San Gabriel Mountains can be accessed via the 66-mile, winding Angeles Crest Highway, or State Route 2. The speed limit is 55 mph, unless otherwise posted. It’s advisable to take it easy, though, both to enjoy the view and avoid an accident.

State Route 39, another winding mountain road, takes visitors north to popular trails along the San Gabriel River and into the Crystal Lake area. The road features jaw-dropping views of the San Gabriel Valley, occasional wildflower blooms and steep drop-offs. Best to let whoever in your party isn’t scared of heights drive.

Lupine is sometimes spotted on the hillsides around San Gabriel Canyon Road (Highway 39) in the Angeles National Forest north of Azusa.

(Raul Roa/Los Angeles Times)

In 1978, a landslide destroyed the segment of Highway 39 that connected it to Highway 2, turning it into what one public official called “a 27-mile-long cul-de-sac.” Officials have said it is too costly — and dangerous to bighorn sheep — to repair, although there have been recent discussions about its reopening.

Regardless of where you’re traveling in Angeles National Forest, you should check road conditions before heading out, especially in the winter, as officials will close forest roads to protect the public, including because of snow, or require that drivers carry tire chains.

You should keep in mind while traveling to trailheads that it is considered rude in mountain driving culture not to let faster vehicles pass you. Angeles Crest Highway has several paved turnouts for this reason. Additionally, please take good care to notice signage regarding segments of the highway where daytime headlight use is required.

Lastly, be aware that there are dirt fire roads and several off-road vehicle routes through the forest. Your phone or car’s mapping app might try to send you down one to reach a trail. Please do not assume a road will be passable just because it’s open. When in doubt, call the ranger station before heading out.

Things you should know

Communicating while away. You should assume you won’t have cellphone reception anywhere in Angeles National Forest. For safety while you’re out of your mobile service area, you should share this form with a family member or friend to ensure someone knows where you’re headed. You should also print the form and place it on your dashboard so, in the event of emergency, rescuers can find you more quickly than having to track down details of your whereabouts from your family. If you forget to bring the form, simply write down the details of your day or overnight trip, including when you expect to return, and leave them on your car dash.

Emergencies. Emergency services in Angeles National Forest include 23 fire stations such as the Clear Creek Fire Station and the Monte Cristo Fire Station off Highway 2. Volunteer search-and-rescue crews respond in most hiking emergencies. If you are ever rescued by helicopter, you will not be charged by these groups. That said, they’re always in need of donations to stay afloat.

Fire restrictions. Forest officials will, at times, limit campfires and stove usage because of elevated wildfire risk. Before heading out, check the Angeles National Forest alerts webpage to discern what’s allowed on your trip. If campfires are allowed, you must still secure a free campfire permit and have a copy with you.

A vehicle heads north on Highway 39 into a winter wonderland with a good accumulation of snow at the 5,000-feet level in the Angeles National Forest north of Azusa in January.

(Raul Roa / Los Angeles Times)

Weather. Checking the forecast is not always top of mind for your average Angeleno, but hikers and campers must assess the weather before leaving for the forest. Temperatures in Angeles National Forest can range from below freezing overnight in winter, especially above 6,000 feet, to above 100 degrees in summer. Even after checking the forest, remember that elevation will play a role in temperature. Generally, for every 1,000 feet you gain, the temperature can drop from around 3½ to 5 degrees, something meteorologists call “environmental lapse rate.”

Eaton fire closures. Please note that the following guide does not include any of the trails burned in the Eaton fire, as they remain closed. Once they’re open, this guide will be updated.

Leave no trace. Whenever you hike, camp or otherwise visit Angeles National Forest, please practice the “leave no trace” principles, which include packing out everything you pack in, respecting the animals (which means not taking selfies with them), and overall ensuring these lands are protected for generations to come.

With that said, take a deep breath, and imagine being surrounded by the fresh scent of pine as mountain chickadees chirp all around you. Yes, friend, that’s possible — and all within a short drive of L.A. Let’s go on an adventure!

(Ruby Fresson / For The Times)

For Angelenos seeking a relaxing respite (easy)

It might seem daunting to drive into the hulking mountains surrounding L.A., but there are many easy-going and family-friendly adventures to be had in Angeles National Forest. Many families and friend groups spend time visiting vista lookouts and at one of several day-use picnic areas, which often feature picnic tables and grills (when allowed).

Here you’ll find some kid-friendly and wheelchair accessible trails and other opportunities, including campgrounds where you can easily drive up and spend a weekend.

Large boulders at the Mt. Hillyer summit.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Hiking trails

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

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

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

🪨To see massive rock 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 in the “easy” category because they’re straightforward to reach. Additionally, they all usually offer piped (i.e. drinking) water, but you should check on the campground sites linked here to ensure it is available before heading out.

Crystal Lake Campground is a 120-site campground north of Azusa.

(Raul Roa / Los Angeles Times)

The campgrounds below range from $12 to $30 per night for single sites ($5 per additional vehicle), with some requiring payment by cash or check. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis unless otherwise noted; feature picnic tables and fire rings; have vault toilets; and allow dogs.

• Appletree Campground: Open year-round, Appletree features eight first-come, first-served walk-in sites that are a short distance, less than 100 yards, from the parking area. Three sites are ADA accessible. A Big Pines pass from Mt. High is required to park. Each site has a grill on top of the usual amenities. The campground is only 10 minutes from Wrightwood, a cozy mountain town with restaurants and a local grocery store.
• Buckhorn Campground: Arguably one of the most beautiful of Angeles National Forest’s campground offerings, Buckhorn is a popular 38-site campground shaded by California incense-cedar, white fir and tall sugar and Jeffrey pine trees. It sits at around 6,500-feet elevation and, as such, is open from spring to fall since it is often blanketed in snow come winter. Campers should be prepared to pack their food and scented items in the bear boxes supplied, as our ursine neighbors are around the area. Many campers walk the short distance to the Burkhart trailhead and visit Cooper Canyon Falls, a 40-foot cascade reachable by carefully scrambling down from the trail. Others simply lounge in hammocks and play in the seasonal spring that runs through the site.

• Chilao Campground: Chilao has 84 campsites spread over two loops, Little Pines and Manzanita. Its landscape features large boulders, sweeping views and pine trees (especially the eponymous loop). Piped water is available, although it is at times turned off, so please check the campground website before heading out. The Chilao Visitor Center, open on the weekends, is nearby.

  

• Coldbrook Campground: Coldbrook Campground sits on the north fork of the San Gabriel River, where visitors can splash around its cool waters. Its 22 campsites offer shade and a river soundscape.
• Crystal Lake Campground: Crystal Lake is a 120-site campground north of Azusa. It sits at 5,539-feet elevation and features great views of nearby peaks, including Mt. Islip and Windy Gap. Visitors can fish in Crystal Lake when it’s deep enough and find a hot meal at Crystal Lake Cafe and General Store.
• Los Alamos Campground: One of few campgrounds in Angeles National Forest requiring reservations, the Los Alamos Campground has 90 individual and three group camp sites. Visitors are a short drive from Pyramid Lake where they can swim at Vaquero Beach or fish and boat elsewhere. Call ahead to ensure that Pyramid Lake isn’t experiencing an algal bloom, which has been a common occurrence in recent years.
• Monte Cristo Campground: Monte Cristo has 19 individual drive-in sites, including some with large shady sycamore trees. A small creek runs through the middle of the campground and has small pools to splash in. Drive 2½ miles south to the nearby Hidden Springs Picnic Area for more swimming.
• Table Mountain Campground: Open spring through fall, Table Mountain has more than 100 campsites that can be reserved through Recreation.gov, although first-come first-served may, at times, be available. This large campground is operated by Mountain High Resort near Wrightwood and near the company’s North Lodge, where guests can play a round at the disc golf course with sweeping views of the desert below. A Big Pines pass from Mt. High is required to park.

Bonus spots

The forest and the surrounding area have far more to explore than hiking trails and campgrounds. Some of the spots listed here are outside the forest but are included because they’re worth visiting when nearby.

Visitors walks on a path through fields of California poppies in the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in Lancaster.

(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

• The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve: Although not in Angeles National Forest, this state natural reserve is over 1,700 acres of open space that bursts, when conditions are right, with bright orange poppies from sometime between mid-February to May. Note: Do not leave the trail and trample the poppies to nab selfies or other images, regardless of whether you see others doing it.

  

  A ruby-crowned kinglet after it was measured and banded at the Bear Divide banding station near Santa Clarita.

  (Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

• Bear Divide Banding Station: Volunteers operate this banding station seasonally from late March through mid-May. They place nets on the hillside to catch migratory birds that they add small metal bands to the legs of, collecting annual population data for further research.
• Camp Williams: A privately operated RV and tent campground on the East Fork of the San Gabriel River; also has a cafe that’s open on weekends.

• Cali Splash Park at Castaic Lake: If hiking near Castaic Lake, the Cali Splash Park offers what’s essentially a massive bounce house and obstacle course in the middle of a lake, a memorable experience and fun surprise after an early morning hike.

  

  Jackson Lake in Angeles National Forest near Wrightwood.

  (Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

• Elizabeth Lake Day Use: A small picnic area about 30 minutes west of Lancaster where visitors can fish and kayak on a seasonal lake, or sag pond, formed by the San Andreas fault.
• Jackson Lake: A small mountain lake near Wrightwood where Mountain High, a local ski resort, offers kayak, paddleboard and pedal boat rentals until the winter season. Guests can also fish, as the lake is stocked with rainbow trout several times a year, according to Mountain High.
• Mt. Wilson Observatory: Visitors can look through large telescopes, enjoy Sunday afternoon concerts, take guided tours of the grounds and snag a bite to eat at the Cosmic Cafe, which is open seasonally.
• Placerita Canyon Nature Center: Although not in Angeles National Forest, this charming facility near Santa Clarita is within a short hike from federal land. Swing by before a hike, and you can say hello to the animal ambassadors, which usually include red-tailed hawks and other native birds.
• Stonyvale Picnic Site: A lesser-traveled picnic area with 11 tables and grills near Big Tujunga Creek, where families and friends can spend the day splashing in its cool waters, especially in the spring when it is flowing.
• Vasquez Rocks Nature Center: This L.A. County park has been the site of several movies and television shows and is a fun side quest for those hiking on nearby federal forest trails.
• Wildwood Picnic Area: A large picnic area near Sunland-Tujunga situated next to Big Tujunga Creek meanders where visitors can splash around the exposed rock bed of Stone Canyon.

(Ruby Fresson / For The Times)

Are you ready to expand your hiking excursions beyond your favorite L.A. trails? Have you been hiking up to Mt. Hollywood, wondering what those peaks are beyond the city? Well, buckle up, buttercup, because here you’ll find an assortment of day hikes and weekend camping ideas that will have you filing for vacation before you realize you’re typing an email to your boss.

These trails are varying levels of difficulty, but are listed as moderate because none of them should require you to have significant technical outdoors knowledge. Enjoy!

Hiking trails

Hikers on the trail to Switzer Falls.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

🌇For great 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 be among tall 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 cool 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 see massive rock formations: Castaic Rock Trail near Castaic Lake, Devil’s Chair Trail, Mt. Hillyer via the Silver Moccasin Trail.

Campgrounds

These campgrounds are considered “moderate” because they either do not offer water but still offer car camping or they require a short backpacking trip. They offer opportunity for memorable outdoor experiences in remote places without making you feel like you’re secretly being filmed for “Naked and Afraid.”

The campgrounds here range from free to $12 per night ($5 per additional vehicle); available on a first-come, first-served basis; feature picnic tables and fire rings; have vault toilets; and allow dogs.

• Cooper Canyon Trail Camp: The Cooper Canyon Trail Camp is a backcountry campground shaded by towering old pine trees. It has five sites, and bear-proof boxes are available to store food and scented items. It can be reached a few different ways, including a 1½-mile one-way trip down a fire road starting at Cloudburst Summit. There is no piped water. Campers will need to either bring their own or filter water from the nearby river.
• Gould Mesa Trail Camp: Gould Mesa is a five-site backpacking campground accessed by a two-mile hike via the Gabrielino Trail starting near Pasadena. It can also be accessed by hiking Gould Mesa Road from La Cañada Flintridge. The Arroyo Seco flows nearby and offers seasonal swimming holes for campers. No fee charged outside of Adventure Pass for your vehicle at the trailhead.
• Glenn Camp Campground: Accessible via a seven-mile bike ride or hike, the Glenn Camp Campground is a 10-site forested haven next to the West Fork of the San Gabriel River. There is no piped water. Campers will need to either bring their own or filter water from the nearby river.
• Horse Flat Campground: Horse Flat is a 26-site shaded campground offering corrals and hitching posts should you have an equine companion. It is close to the Silver Moccasin National Recreation Trail, which you can hike to nearby Mt. Hillyer for bouldering. No water available. Closes seasonally.
• Oak Flat Campground: Oak Flat is a rustic 20-site campground near Castaic that will provide you with an easy night of car camping although you might, at times, hear Interstate 5. Shaded by oak trees, the campground is close to Whitaker Peak and Piru Creek at Frenchman’s Flat. There is no piped water, so campers will need to bring their own.

Bonus spots

Pyramid Lake near Castaic.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

• Adams Pack Station: A last remaining pack station in Southern California, this rustic shop in Big Santa Anita Canyon sells hot meals, hiking gear and souvenirs. Its wooden deck is close to the donkeys, who are worth saying hello to.
• Castaic Lake: A fishing and swimming spot to cool off after a hike in the western Angeles National Forest.

  

  Cora and Kenny, two donkeys at Adams Pack Station in Big Santa Anita Canyon.

  (Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

• Chantry Flat picnic area: A large picnic area with grills offering a great spot to rest after a nice hike through nearby Big Santa Anita Canyon.
• Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area and Nature Center: An L.A. County park near Pearblossom with massive rock formations and easy access to Angeles National Forest trails nearby.
• Green Valley SmokeHouse: Nestled in the gorgeous rural town of Green Valley, this is a family-owned local restaurant with a robust menu that features both meat by the pound and vegan options. It’s an easy stop if you’re hiking or camping in the western end of Angeles National Forest.
• Sturtevant Camp: Founded in 1893, the camp has cabins to rent, but is also a fun day trip. It’s a four(ish)-mile hike from Chantry Flat to reach the camp. If you would prefer not to haul in your gear, you can hire a mule team from Adams Pack Station to carry it for you.

(Ruby Fresson / For The Times)

For the adventurer whose friends regularly call them ‘hardcore’ at parties (advanced)

The trails here are challenging but worthy adventures for experienced hikers to consider. What does “experienced” mean exactly? Unlike the trails categorized above as “easy” or “moderate,” the trails here require you to plan ahead, bringing plenty of water and other supplies, looking over topography maps and reading trail reports. With proper planning, though, you will find yourself on a great adventure that’s also close to home. Please note: Some of the trails below may be covered in snow in winter and require technical experience.

🌇For great 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 be among tall trees: Mt. Waterman to Twin Peaks; Mt. Baden Powell; Ontario Peak; Cucamonga Peak (with permit); Mt. Hawkins; Pacifico Mountain.
💧For cool rivers and cascading falls: Icehouse Canyon to Icehouse Saddle Trail, Oak Springs Trail
🪨To see massive rock formations: Strawberry Peak; Islip Saddle to Mt. Williamson Ridge.

Backpacking opportunities near L.A.

• The Gabrielino Trail is a 26(ish)-mile National Recreation Trail that hikers traditionally start at Chantry Flats and hike north, west and finally south to its exit point near Pasadena.
• The entire Silver Moccasin Trail, another National Recreation Trail in Angeles National Forest, is 53 miles — and you could buy yourself a vintage Scouting America “Silver Moccasins” badge on eBay afterward as a humble brag to friends.
• An estimated 176 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail‘s 2,500 miles are through Angeles National Forest. Per the forest service, you can take the trail through Angeles high country, from near Mt. Gleason through Mill Creek Summit, Mt. Pacifico, Sulphur Springs, Cooper Canyon, Mt. Williamson, Little Jimmy, Mt. Baden-Powell and Blue Ridge and on to the Cajon Pass area.

Campgrounds

The campgrounds here are considered “advanced” because they require a level of planning and preparation that falls beyond your average car-camping trip. Several are backpacking sites and do not offer potable water. Some do not have streams to filter water. Despite the challenge to reach them, they are worth it for the sweeping views and solitude, the ability to nap under a hulking pine tree without interruption, outside of maybe a Steller’s jay curious about whether the weird animal (i.e. you) in its yard has any food to steal.

Unless otherwise noted, the campgrounds here range from free to $12 per night ($5 per additional vehicle); are available on a first-come, first-served basis; and allow dogs.

• Big Rock Campground: Big Rock has eight free first-come, first-served sites, with picnic tables and campfire rings. It has vault toilets. Big Rock is on the “expert” list because the road to reach it is frequently closed. This means you’ll need to hike about one-eighth of a mile from a locked gate or take a 4×4 high-clearance vehicle from Vincent Gulch down Big Rock Creek Road (if open). You could also park at Vincent Gulch (displaying a Big Pines parking pass) and hike down the road to reach the campground. Either way, you’ll likely find solitude and hopefully seasonal springs to filter water from. Otherwise, you’ll need to pack in what you need.
• Bear Camp: This trail camp, labeled “extremely primitive” by the Forest Service, has seven sites, each with a picnic table and campfire ring. It does not have toilets. Bear Camp is located on the far northwestern corner of the forest and is best reached by 4×4 or mountain bike, or by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, which passes by it. It is, per the Forest Service, “extremely primitive” and lacks toilets or water. That said, each site features fire rings, bear-proof storage lockers and picnic tables.
• Hoegees Trail Camp: A 14-site backcountry trail camp accessed by hiking by a 2½-mile, one-way hike up the Upper Winter Creek Trail in Big Santa Anita Canyon.
• Little Jimmy Trail Camp: Little Jimmy is a 16-site campground positioned among tall trees at 7,500-feet elevation. It has a seasonal spring where campers can filter water when the spring is running. It is free. It has vault toilets. Each site has bear boxes, as it is an area of high bear activity, along with picnic tables and campfire rings. You can reach 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 water is not available.
• Mt. Pacifico Campground: A 10-tent-only campground with picnic tables and vault toilets but no potable water. Mt. Pacifico is reachable by high-clearance vehicles until the first winter storm of the season is expected, and the Forest Service then closes the road. Hikers can access the campground all season by taking the road or Pacific Crest Trail before turning east onto a spur that leads to the campground.
• Sawmill Campground: Although you can drive to the eight-site Sawmill Campground, it is on the “hard” list because of the drive itself over a bumpy, steep, dirt road. Once there, you’ll be treated to expansive views of the Antelope Valley and beyond. Each site has a picnic table and campfire ring, and there is a vault toilet available. Potable water is not available.
• Southfork Campground: A remote and rustic 21-site campground reachable with a high-clearance vehicle, as the road isn’t maintained. Campers often visit the South Fork of Big Rock Creek to splash around and observe fish swimming about.
• Sulphur Springs Trail Camp: Sulphur Springs Trail Camp sits at 5,300 feet and features about six tent-camping sites. You can reach it by parking at Three Points and hiking about 3.6 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail to reach the camp. Its campsites are shaded by tall pine trees, ideal for hanging a hammock. It has vault toilets but no potable water or bear boxes.
• Spruce Grove Trail Camp: A remote seven-site trail camp accessed by a 4(ish)-mile, one-way trip from Chantry Flat Picnic Area.

Bonus spots

The landmark Mt. Baldy Lodge, with quaint and cozy cabins in the village just as you enter town.

(Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

• Buckhorn Ski Lodge: A backcountry ski club with an off-grid cabin in a remote area of Angeles National Forest.
• Mt. Baldy village: A small community near several popular trailheads where you can stop to eat at the Mt. Baldy Lodge and visit the Mt. Baldy visitor center, which is open generally midday on weekends. You can check the forest’s website for the visitor center’s latest hours.
• Rowher Flats OHV: An off-roading site for motorcycles, ATVs and 4-wheel drive vehicles. Get your vroom-vroom on via several miles of trails.

A contemplative sign in Big Santa Anita Canyon in Angeles National Forest.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Respecting the land 🗻

L.A. is the second largest city in the U.S. and is often called the “entertainment capital of the world.”

But it offers residents and visitors alike the rare opportunity to spend the morning along bustling Hollywood Boulevard before finding total solitude in Angeles National Forest. With that opportunity comes a great responsibility to protect it so that Angeles National Forest is not loved to death but rather cherished for generations to come.