Nice beginner destination for a backpacking trip…read more Likes: + Great view of Altadena/Pasadena and the LA county. Maybe you can spot Catalina or the Disney fireworks at night in the distance. + Pleasant getaway from town. Quiet, peaceful nature ambience. + A couple firepits for roasting your food with friends. + Great Mt Wilson with access to the giant 60-inch and the 100-inch Hooker telescopes. A hike you can do in a day. A camping/backpacking trip you can do in day & night. + Trails are wide and well defined. Non-likes: - The water spigot here runs extremely slow. I recommend packing your own extra water. - Restrooms running low on toilet paper. - Cosmic Cafe only open Apr-Sept 10am-5pm, and 10-4pm late Sept-Nov. If you walk farther uphill about 1-2 min, you'll find the white lavatory. Restroom stalls are more spacious than the auburn one. The water fountain and the water spigot there run fine and strong.

What goes up, must come down…read more This hike was a moderate 3 mile hike up and around the San Gabriel Mountains, but so much easier to trek back down. Although we did an extra mile after missing the turn and ended up hiking a total of 7 miles; it wasn't too bad. I only hike about once a month, so I took a few breaks along the way up so it took us about 3 hours roundtrip. The hike starts at the Eaton Canyon Nature Reserve after parking on the street along Altadena. There's parking in a lot as well but I find it easier to park on the street than finding a spot during peak hours. We started the hike by following the Eaton Canyon Falls trail, then veered onto the Walnut Canyon trail, and then followed the Old Mount Wilson Toll Road the rest of the way to the campground. There's some shade on the hike but not much so I wouldn't hike this during the Summer. We did this on 12/2/18 in 64 degree weather and it was perfect. We saw some people that did a one night backpacking trip so it's an ideal spot to practice for longer trips. There are bathrooms but they were locked when we were there and there is no water. There are also lots of tables available so pack a picnic and enjoy the view. Directions I used. If you see a white bridge on your way back, you missed the turn like I did and just did an extra mile. https://modernhiker.com/hike/henninger-flats/

Pretty great. There are fire pits and picnic tables at each site. The pit bathrooms were in pretty…read moregood shape.

-First come first serve. -Trust system $12 fee paid in a…read morebox at the entrance -This campground is small and intimate which is actually really nice. -There's no water faucet on site. -Porta potty with swarms of flies living inside. Gnarly! - Not much shade!! It is so hot in June -Dogs are allowed. It was cool for a quick weekend getaway but I think Id rather drive out of LA a little longer for a campground with amenities.

I have been there as a scoutmaster with my scout troop in the 1990s the camp is a great camp for…read morefirst time scouts the hiking is not to hard a good training hike have a great time ! .

I've fancied myself an outdoorsman since I was a kid--fishing, hunting, kayaking, hiking,…read moreorienteering... heck, all I needed was an Eagle Project to finish the whole BSA thing, but instead, I got a girlfriend... oh well, I was THAT close... But all that as prologue to a couple of weeks ago, when I went with my son, another dad, and a slew of Boy Scouts on a two-night backpacking trip into the San Gabriels. I've completed the Sturtevant Falls hike more times than I can count, and I've hiked and re-hiked all sorts of trails in this area. But I can't say that prior to this trip, I had taken the path to Spruce Grove Campground... it just never came up I guess. I'm glad to have experienced this nice little spot just a few miles from the parking lot at Chantry Flats. The campground is little more than a marginally flat area between the trail and the creek. Plenty of shade trees in the riparian spot makes for a tranquil camping place, despite the steady flow of hiking and trail biking traffic just feet from your tent. Each campsite features a fire pit, and there is a rather unique toilet with a conveyor belt "flushing" system. Kudos to the engineers for not only a waterless set-up, but also the clear plexiglass roof offers light and a nicer view of the laurel and sycamore trees. Just a few minutes from Sturtevant Camp, this simple little camp site is first come, first served, and free to use. No bear boxes here, so bring a good bear can/hard-sided bear container. Unless you're really good at it and know what you're doing, don't bother trying to hang a bear bag. Really, you're doing it wrong. Pack out what you pack in, trash wise, too. If you're camping here, it's probably during the "absolutely no fires.... seriously, what were you thinking even bringing a lighter?" season. So there's that, too. Four stars for being a cool, free, close, and relatively pretty campsite in a high traffic area. The consistent parade of people in their REI-inspired plumage was definitely a few steps higher on the food chain than the Eaton Canyon waterfall people, but still distracting.

The smaller sign is first and then the big sign for Buckhorn Campground is shortly after and now…read morehas a small arrow pointing to the left. That's where you make a left onto a small road. Keep driving and you'll reach the campground.

No fires, stoves or grills. Not until Jan 2026, found this…read moreout the hard way. I didn't see much on the websites or reviews. I should have called first.

As an avid hiker, Sturtevant Camp was always something of a unicorn; relatively close to the…read morenearest parking lot, but even closer to much easier hikes often taken with young Cub Scouts and inexperienced hiking parents (like Sturtevant Falls, for example)... I just never had occasion to visit. Instead, I would just happen upon the website (http://www.sturtevantcamp.com/) from time to time, and marvel at this relic of yesteryear, so close yet so far.... Well, that all changed a few weeks ago. On a short weekend backpacking trip with my eldest son and his Boy Scout troop, our 12 mile loop passing through nearby Spruce Grove put us on the doorstep of Sturtevant Camp... literally 0.1 miles from it! Not wanting to miss the opportunity to visit a place I had read about for years, I took the two minute walk from camp. Upon arrival, you really feel a sense that you've traveled back in time. Huge trees tower overhead-- much larger than any of the laurels and oaks that dot the landscape near the creek. Sturtevant Camp offers small rustic cabins, a mini-museum, a large mess hall (that offers hikers free coffee right nest to a tip/donation jar), and plenty of campy camp. Seasonally, irises bloom in small plantings, a big rope swing between big cedars is eye-catching, and the whole place makes you feel like you're a kid at summer camp, even for the briefest of moments. Due to its proximity to the REI in Arcadia (yeah, I went there, which is to say... I WENT there), large shoals of twenty-something hiking-social groups come through here frequently, especially on weekends. Clad in puffer jackets, workout crop tops, yoga pants, and $200 trail running shoes... oh, and with plenty of fancy hydration devices... the whimsy of your time travel is quickly Thanos-snapped back to reality. Unless you're into that sorta thing. But no matter-- they move along, and you can linger as long as you like. I suppose it might be worth it to try staying here sometime. Per the website, you can hire a mule team to carry your gear in for a nominal fee. Heck, there's even a honeymoon suite (probably not quite as fancy as other similarly-named accommodations at other places down the hill, but not without its charm, I'd guess.) In the meantime, this one is worth hiking to sometime. One note: the trail here from the south is very scenic, very narrow in places, shared with trail cyclists who often ride very fast, and has steep drop-offs that would certainly result in first responders coming to rescue you or recover your corpse. If you bring little ones-- or if you're one of those people who hikes with headphones so you can't hear bikes coming-- please be careful!

Who knew someplace this rustic and wild still existed so close to Los Angeles?! The camp is an…read moreeasy four-mile hike -- mostly well shaded -- out of Arcadia, CA (a suburb in the San Gabriel Valley). They offer a bunch of terrific cabins for rent...very cheaply as it's a non-profit. They have CLEAN men's and women's bathhouses with hot and cold showers, plus a fully equipped camp kitchen with EVERYTHING you need to make and eat as extravagant a meal as you want. All you need to bring is your food (and they even offer a mule train to haul THAT for you if you want!). There's ping-pong, a zip line, a huge swing between two mammoth Redwood trees, archery, horseshoes...even a piano in the lodge that at least one guest always seems to know how to play. The whole thing is nestled in a heavily forested canyon under a thick canopy of massive trees...you'd swear you're in Sequoia or Yosemite even though you're only a few miles as the crow flies from the big city. Totally unique experience...a great quick weekend adventure without going far at all.

I give this place two stars, just because the restrictions not being able to have a restroom and a…read moreshower tent up, or you will get a fine for having one. The restroom was dirty which I didn't like the trash containers were full. The days we were there they weren't being empty, also there was trash everywhere. The reason they don't let portable bathrooms tents is because people would throw their poop into the river which is disgusting people need to respect Gods nature, please don't leave trash when you leave. Besides all this place is beautiful slightly quiet but some noisy with cars and motorcycles racing on the Main Street going up or down hill. Be careful and stay safe have a wonderful time, oh also didn't see or hear any bears just foxes

The restroom's are nasty you can barely pee the smell is awful and for the price you pay the night…read more. I don't think so

We loved our campsite! It was so peaceful with beautiful views…read more The staff were very friendly and helpful and the market was stocked with everything you might have forgotten! We would recommend Bonelli Bluffs to any camper! Katherine & Bill B.

What a fantastic resort…read more We had to come and stay a couple weeks for a project and also at the same time my father in law was at the city of Hope, so with that being said it was so convenient to have our 5th wheel and be away from home but still home! So This location is perfect, quiet, safe and beautiful! Everyone was so nice! We stayed in F premium sites, it was near pond for easy fishing and anytime! It was not far from front office, laundry etc This park has so much to offer it's reasonably priced and so gorgeous. It's also very clean and they are organized which I appreciate. Also not far from here are some great restaurants and shopping! We will definitely be back

I could just be a loose screw at times but how did I not know that there's camping here..lol…read more.. I've been loads of time but along Mulholland for hiking. Normally from the top and working my way down to the MASH filming site. Hence not knowing about the actual full camping experience. Anyway, lol... We were meeting some friends to help them celebrate a big birthday over the weekend. Me and camping, that's something we can discuss later. I'll just say, I'm more of the fours season, room service and nice comfy bed, enough said. It's actually not that far off the 101 freeway. Give or take a couple miles heading towards the mountain just past Mulholland. Make a right at the entrance sign and you're greeted with the park ranger station. We were only here for the day to meet up with friends but fees are implied. Hourly at 3.00 or you can get the full day for 12.00. Upon check in, they do ask where you're heading to and so on. We had to give our friends information, their campsite number and first and last name. It was pretty busy when we arrived Sunday afternoon as I believe there was a marathon that was happening. From the ranger station, it was maybe a mile or so down the road to the campsite. It was a straight shot up. You do get a lot of people here which I did not know or been to this side. The campsite has assigned parking spot for 2 cars I believe. They do have overflow parking spots if you have other cars. Spots are assigned with a bbq grill and a picnic table and water spigot. Looking around the site, some are bigger where it seems like you could get a couple of tents while others looked like it's mainly room for one tent. Campsites are pretty close to each other depending on what side you get. Parking is pretty decent in size for a trailer as well as a car. There's no camping bones in me so I cant review on roughing it...lol... Restrooms are scattered throughout which was nice. Decent and clean with a good amount of toilet paper but no seat covers. Bring your own please. They had sinks inside each of the restrooms as well as the communal on the sides. Showers are available and but a small fee if you wanted hot water. Our friends said it was quite nice with the cool water as it was pretty hot out. Just be careful around your surroundings as you are in nature. But being in the campground, it was safe but still be cautious. I don't know if it was the food we had or what but the bees and wasps was loving our site. It made it quite uncomfortable trying to eat. Hiking is nearby with a good amount of trails. Some of the group did do a hike to the pond/creek which there's still water but green. I don't know if there's a pool in the area for cooling down. Overall, the place was quite nice and organized. Campsites are decent and pretty much nice that grill and picnic tables are included. Some sites does get full sun while some was nice with shade as there's trees surrounding. Fees wasn't expensive as well as daily site fee. It does get dark at night as expected so make sure to have a flashlight. Pets are allowed on the campground. Over, it was pretty nice knowing that this was just a little ways out of the city and your in nature.

Updating my review since we had the opportunity to camp here a couple times. Love love love it!…read moreThis place truly is a little gem! After taking my nephews baby bump photos a couple years ago we've been back a couple times to camp. Both experiences were wonderful. We were able to try out both sides of the campgrounds. Our most recent camping trip was in the middle of June. Weather was great in the 80's and we didn't really notice with the cool breeze passing by. Our spot was perfect! We had a giant tree giving us shade on our picnic table during the day and a big open field to gaze at the stars at night. We were just a short walk across the field to get to the restroom/showers. We stayed for 2 nights. Everyone there was very friendly and observed the quiet time at 10 pm. Will definitely be coming back again in the future! Only con is I wish that they would post the fire condition on the website so you can prepare before heading out on your trip. We brought some fire wood not knowing that the fire conditions were yellow. Tried calling before we left the house but no one answered the phone. Had we know. We would have brought more propane to cook with. They do sell fire wood at the campground, but that doesn't so anyone any good when fire conditions are high. The closest store is a bit far away so just come prepared for both conditions if you decide to come during summer.