Make sure to get there early! Fills up on weekends. Make sure you have an adventure pass, $5 for day pass at REI or whatever sporting store or borrow one for free from your library. We arrived at 6:30a on a Saturday and still ended up parking along the road about 0.4 miles away. Or (if available) valet for $20 with the shop. Has decent pit toilets and porta potties. It's a good starting point for Mt Wilson hiking loops (about 14 miles) or shorter trips to the nearby campgrounds or waterfalls. read more

Great place to experience several different hiking trails in the San Gabriel Mountains. I arrived very early on a weekday morning, so plenty of parking was available; however, supposed to be rough on weekends. Make sure you have an Adventure Pass! If not, one can be purchased at Adams Pack Station (but they don't open until 9 am?). Trails are well-maintained and there are many signs, keeping you from being lost. Well worth a visit! read more

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Get an adventure pass at big 5 or REI or the closest liquor store down the main street. Available for daily use $5 or annual pass $35 Overall nice trail the beginning is downhill so remember that is the incline on the way back. Nice little waterfall at the end couple miles in overall 4 miles round read more

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Come early if you want good parking. I recommend getting a day pass or the adventure pass before arriving. The $5 day pass can be purchased at REI. We arrived around 8am and had to park down the hill, about a 10 min walk to the start of the trail. The hike to the waterfall took about 1 hour, or 2 hours round trip. If you're not fond of getting your shoes wet, this trail has four stream crossings. The rocks are slippery, so a hiking pole may come in handy. The trail has plenty of shade, which I love. It's a fairly easy hike for first timers. The area is very green and you can spot cabins along the trail. read more

+ Mt Wilson is a great hike. + Mt Zion is nice too. + These trails have good amounts of shade and opportunities to see animals. I encountered a family of deer during my ascent, and a big bear right on my trail during my descent! :o + Nice thing about this hiking area is there's a restaurant both at the base (Adams Pack Station) and at the summit (Cosmic Café). - These trails are often overrun with flies. Two flew into my mouth during my hike. Tasted bitter. . Decent parking lot size. I found a spot right away around 10am, likely because it was a hot weekday. - Parking lot has limited shade. - The people here are impatient. Pedestrians cross the road without looking both ways, expecting you to do their job for them. And when you stop to let the slow unaware pedestrian cross, a car will show up behind you and cut around you while you're still waiting for the pedestrian to finish crossing. That other driver should've been more observant and patient. Just a few seconds more and we'd all be on our way, no cutting needed. - Restrooms lacking amenities and dilapidated. No hand-washing sink or hand sanitizer available. - Required parking pass ($5/day). read more

Chantry Flat Recreation Area - Fire destroyed Mt Wilson Trail, but Chantry Flat is still open! - Parks Near Me - Sierra Madre, California

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Love, love Chantry Flat Trail I have done many different trails Sturtevant Falls around 3m Sturtevant Camp around 9m Mt Wilson Peak around 16m Has many waterfalls and views. Recommend hiking shoes, there are some rocks around, better safe than sorry. Need a parking national forest pass or you can go to the Cosmic Cafe to buy one for $5.00 for a day pass or $30 for a yearly pass. Recommended it has a bathroom at the entrance and a campground before getting to Sturtevant Camp. read more

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Love this hike, its OPEN again after the first fires from last year. They did an amazing job restoring the area. I'm sure took a army to heal the natural habitat. We got there a bit before 7AM on a saturday and it was packed, we had to park roadside from the head of the hike. The trail itself wasn't too busy but parking lot seemed to be packed for some reason. Some people camped and backpacked so be prepared. I did the longer 5 mile loop not the waterfall one, alot of shade and the weather was perfect. There is a parking fee so be prepared to pay cash read more

UPDATED ITS OPEN NOW! They finally reopened this area for good!! ...................... read more

If you get car sick easily, note that the drive up is windy, with a good amount of twists and turns along the way. It isn't too long of a drive up (about 10 minutes, but it feels longer!), but once you reach the parking lot you will be rewarded. This hike is so fun. You will get a good amount of steps in with some incline and you will definitely want to reach the waterfall area for soothing views and sounds. Parts of the well-marked trail are sun exposed but there are also some shady areas. In the fall/winter you will have to cross some streams, but it is doable. There are restrooms and a cute little place to eat too! I am so happy to be able to visit Chantry Flat again since it's been closed for four years due to the fire! read more

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Been going here since 1990 but haven't been for 10 years. It's still beautiful but nothing compared to the 90's. Also, the amount of foot traffic is insane. I saw only two bathrooms for all those people and one was closed. read more

Such a beautiful place to relax and go for a walk! Go early or there will be no parking! Very limited parking spots.

Glad it's opened up again! The waterfall was a bit overcrowded but it went well! Its not as green as it used to be but it's still just as beautiful read more

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My parents have lived in their home for nearly 30 years, and they found it because we drove by it on our nearly weekly hikes at Chantry Flats. We lived in Pasadena for the first few years of my life, and did the waterfall hike often, before moving to a house a few blocks down from the entrance gate. I have very early and frequent memories of the hike down into the valley, the bridge, crossing the stream a few times, and my dad occasionally spotting fish in the stream and telling me to come over very quietly so as to not scare them away. The hike along the stream to the waterfall is very pleasant, with shade, and some good stopping places to sit. As I grew up, my birthday parties would involve hiking here; we'd all pack into my parents cars (shout out to the trunk seats of the Camry station wagon), followed by pizza at our house. We'd go up from the parking lot occasionally. There are a lot of trail options, but we've mainly focused on the waterfall for a morning hike, so that we could get back in time for lunch (usually dim sum). This past holiday break we came back for the first time in a while. My parents haven't taken us as much recently because it's a very popular trail, so it can be hard to find parking. We had a fun time; I especially enjoyed seeing my daughter bravely cross a log bridge over the stream. Lots of good memories here, excited to come back again soon. read more

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Loved the waterfall and the easy hike, loved the path up above the falls for a scary view from on high.

I am so heartbroken to hear about chantry flats!!! Chantry flats was recently burned in the 2020 bobcat fire. At the time of this review there is no word on the trails, the 80 cabins in the Santa Anita canyon or the wildlife that called this home. The Adams Pack station was however able to be saved. Chantry Flats is a great introduction to the outdoors for anyone! Here you can find many trails that connect all over the Angeles National Forest. You have the more popular trails, Sturtevant Falls as well as Hermit Falls. I prefer Hermit Falls, it is not only a longer hike but also offers a swimming hole at the end. My go to would be Chantry Flags to Mt Wilson. This is roughly a 17 mile hike. When you leave Chantry Flats you would be able to take a steep trail to the bottom of the canyon. Once there you can really see how the terrain changes, it's like you're some else else completely. The Forest begins to blossom as you follow a stream down the canyon. You also begin to run into old cabins that are still homes for some. Once you hit Sturtevant Trail you gain some elevation and begin to become surrounded by more trees. Eventually you hit Sturtevant Camp. Here you find hammocks, a swing and a water supply. The camp was available to rent out for large groups. Leaving the camp it's a steady 3mi elevation gain until you reach the top of the peak, Mt Wilson. At the top you will find a historic observatory that holds more history than you can even imagine. Chantry Flats and Mt Wilson was/is my favorite place in SoCal. It's heartbreaking to hear that in my lifetime this place will never be the same. I cherish all the backpacking trips I have made in this area. read more

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I love this hiking trail. It's amazing. Although the drivers around are not the best, and I often see hit and run's, this is a great hiking trail. The trail range from easy to medium difficulty. You could even bring your dogs. However, I would not recommend bringing your dog to the Hermit Falls trail as it's very narrow, but the Sturtevant trail is good and flat for most part. The beginning of the trail is asphalt I believe, so please be careful with your fur babies and their paws. Although it's beautiful, I wish people would stop tagging the area and throwing their trash everywhere. Some people have the audacity to ruin it by spray painting rocks and trees and breaking and messing up the cabins. I mean c'mon. No one wants to see that. Grow up and stop being a selfish jerk to everyone else. Anyways, the parking situation is difficult depending on when you decided to come visit. There is a parking area, but you need to buy the pass, which you can get at REI. For me, I park on the side of the roads, but I try to park as close as I can so I don't get side-swiped. People here often do hit and runs so be wary of that. read more

I've heard about this hiking trail for years but never bothered to try it. Finally we went with my neighbor who knows the area very well. Instead of going on the short hike to the falls we hiked the Upper Winter Creek Trail loop which is 5 miles long. The area is amazing and beautiful and you don't have to wear a hat because the trees keep you in the shade. read more

Chantry Flat Recreation Area - Upper trail 5 miles - Parks Near Me - Sierra Madre, California

This hike has been on my bucket list for a long time. Parking is very difficult to come across in the morning. We circled around then went down this narrow road where we finally found a spot. The lady there told us it was a private parking lot and that our national Park pass wouldn't be any good. At this point, we didn't want to keep looking for parking and forked out the $20. I'm not hating on her hustle, it's a great way to earn money. We hiked Sturtevant Falls which is a beautiful hike and it definitely got our hearts racing. It is a 3.3 mile out and back hike with an elevation gain of 708 feet. As we were hiking down we saw many signs with pictures, about hiking with dogs and to be aware that the paved ground does get hot and could potentially burn your dogs paws. It starts off easy as you're going downhill and ends hard with a steep incline. It's challenging, but has beautiful views. It was mostly a shaded hike and had a small waterfall at the end. read more

I have been visiting Chantry Flats since I was a little kid. As a Cub Scout and Boy Scout, I came here with my friends to hike pretty frequently. Over the years, I came to know every little corner, switch back, and meander of the small creek that runs along the bottom of Santa Anita Canyon. Way back when, no one thought of charging parking up here or ever closing the road at 8 p.m. for that matter. The descent into Santa Anita Canyon from the parking lot was still paved as far back as I can remember, but somehow, the area was a little more wild. No one would think to come here with their CrossFit team, carrying a wireless speaker blaring some god-awful music and destroying the ambience of the creek and bird music for everyone that passes by on the trail. There were not nearly as many eyesores of graffiti on rocks and signs like there are today. Despite being close to civilization, this really was not a weekend hang out spot for people who like to leave lots of trash and crap behind. But those days are gone now, and lest I sound like an old fart at 41, they're not coming back anytime soon, even with the five dollar parking fee, and the limited parking spaces available most of the time. The other modern crisis here is that the gates are locked from 8 PM to 6 AM, yet this is a crossroads, of sorts, for many of the trails that head deep into the Angeles National Forest. No sense in parking here after 6 AM if you're going on a really long hike. If your plans change, you get delayed, or something happens, you're getting locked in. And not that I'm much of an early bird, but if I'm going on a long hike, I'm not leaving after 6 AM... More like 4:30. All that to say, you are pretty much limited to some of the shorter loops, which are nice, but don't really get you very far away from other people and signs of civilization. Still, there are some pretty places here in Santa Anita Canyon. The canopy of native pines, oaks, and laurel trees provides a mostly shaded walk alongside the creek. In the spring, wildflowers are abundant, and wildlife is still present here if you look for it. Everything from hummingbirds and butterflies to black bears and mountain lions can be found here. Somewhere in the middle of that spectrum, the California Newt calls this canyon home. They have the distinction of being one of the cutest and most poisonous creatures on earth. Just under the skin, they have glands that create a potent neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin, similar to that found in puffer fish and poison arrow frogs. Luckily, handling the creatures is not dangerous, and you will die only if you consume or ingest them. Sadly, there used to be a lot more of them here. I suspect that over the years, they were captured, taken home in water bottles, and lived out the rest of their short lives in aquariums and goldfish bowls. Like most wild things, they don't do very well in captivity. Definitely look for them and quiet waters, snap a few pictures of these cute little critters, and then let them go where you found them. Along the same lines, there are posted signs at the waterfall asking folks not to take the "shortcut" up the hillside, to join the Gabrielino trail. Several thoughtless conquistadors roundly ignore the sign, and some idiot chose to share his feelings on the rule by writing "F--K YOU" on the sign. I guess he told them! Unfortunately, he also told everyone who visits here, including my Cub Scout group, my kids... you get the idea. Anyway, we're generally not lucky enough to watch people ignoring the sign fall to their deaths or get mauled by local bears; but people walking on the hillside do quite a bit of erosion damage in the waterfall area below. Over the years, this has gotten several trails in the Angeles National Forest closed, when people climb up switchbacks, or go off trail and cause damage. On today's visit, I watched unassuming folks walk right past the sign, and on their way up, one of them kicked a small rock that gathered speed coming down the hill, and narrowly missed hitting my three-year-old in the face, who was sitting on the rocks near the waterfall. Luckily, someone left an old dirty towel on the ground, which slowed the rock down. Our little Cub Scout group walked around and picked up some trash, including an old pair of Ray-Ban's , several plastic baggies, chips and cookie bags, a tuna can, that old beach towel, and someone's hat. Maybe you don't care either? But I think if everyone cared just a little more, visiting this place and others like it, it would be a lot nicer. The attitudes that "I don't need to pick up my trash" or "I don't need to clean up after my dog " or "this bathroom already stinks like hell, so I can trash it" ... do nothing to improve this place for future visitors. There's enough beauty here to mitigate the human impact, even the discourteous and self-righteous. But it just isn't what it used to be. Most things aren't I guess. read more

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The drive here is pretty steep, you go up a windy road that hugs the mountain. The views are pretty great because you can see over everything. I came here at 9:30am hoping to do one of the hikes, but the parking lot was already full. We drove down the mountain a bit and found some parking on the side of the road. I read on Yelp that you could get a parking pass in "the green shack," which is actually called the pack station. I decided to do this so I didn't have to make an extra stop to buy an adventure pass somewhere else. This was the wrong decision. If you have a chance to buy the adventure pass from 7-eleven or one of the sports stores, do that! You can only park in a small parking lot of the pack station store, even if you pay $5.00. I actually gave a $5 donation since I didn't read until later that you can't park on the side of the mountain without an adventure pass or you'll get ticketed. At the pack station, there are signs that warn you about taking your dog on this hike. A little pug ended up dying because of heat exhaustion and burnt paws. In the end, we couldn't find parking so we didn't do this hike. Do yourself a favor by getting here early and don't rely on getting a pass here. Random: it was pretty animal smelly at the pack station. There are goats near the pack station and there are horse crossing signs, so you definitely get a whiff of that. read more

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We went here on a weekday to do the Sturtevant Falls Hike. There are multiple hikes in this recreation area including Hermit Falls, Mt. Wilson, Upper Winter Creek and a couple campground bikes. Once we exited the 210 freeway Santa Anita Ave, there is a park station immediately to the right of the exit where you can buy an adventure pass for $5. Unfortunately at the time we came, they were out or lunch so we just paid at the top of Chantry Flats. Go up Santa Anita Avenues windy roads to reach the top parking lot. There may be some light construction at the bottom of the mountain, but no traffic on a weekday. There is a pack station where you can pay the $5. You must have an adventure pass to hike here. If there is no personnel at the pack station, park your car in the graveled lot and leave the $5 in a donation mailbox. You'll see the sign. The pack station has donkeys and goats, so don't be alarmed by animal noises. Trailhead is below the pack station. Signs will lead you to Sturtevant Falls, Hermit Falls etc. The first portion of the hike is a downhill paved road (which is harder on the way back up) but then turns into gravel pathways down to the falls. It's not a hard hike at all, you'll at most see a squirrel. You have 2 very very small river crossings - you'll most likely stay dry the whole time unless you take a little swim in the falls which is nice during summer. read more

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Great hiking spot. The shorter trails are easy to medium difficulty. Most of the trail is shaded by trees and has the nice sound of water flowing by. Some areas are pretty rocky though, so be prepared for that. The hardest part is probably walking back up to the parking lot, because it is steep and doesn't have a lot of shade. Parking costs $5 and is pretty limited, especially if you come on the weekend. Overall, it was a great experience and I would visit again. read more

Chantry Flat Recreation Area - Plenty of hiking options available! - Parks Near Me - Sierra Madre, California

Such a beautiful place. If you're an amateur hiker, then this is a good place to go hiking. It is amazing here if you love nature and the fresh breeze of pure air. Parking is a bit hard to find if your coming on a weekend. It is similar to the parking in Griffith Observatory, where you have to drive down the hill to find parking. If you want to park in the main entrance parking lot, you'll have to buy an Adventure Pass which is $5. I always have a great time here. You don't have to be well-fit and active. It's a medium-type hike. Not too easy, but not too hard. Walking down the hill to go to Chantry Flats is easy. The only hard part is when your walking back up. Once you go down, you then arrive where the hiking trail starts and you see green, luscious trees with the view of the creek. Your going to have to cross rivers if there is a lot of water, but it is very easy, nothing risky at all. It is quite fun actually. The waterfall is breathtaking once you are at the end. It makes it worth the hike. This place is a hidden gem in LA. It feels nice to get out of the city and enjoy nature. read more

Chantry Flat Recreation Area - Water fall at the end - Parks Near Me - Sierra Madre, California

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Want to work off some holiday calories? Chandry Flat is a great place. Located at the end of Santa Anita Avenue, it's literally just at the edge of town. On weekends, it's crazy busy and parking is difficult to say the least. I have parking tickets as evidence. You also need to purchase a pass for parking. The pass is available at a general store at the edge of the lot, if they're open, or at REI and other sporting goods stores. Alternatively, there is a dirt lot at the general store which is privately owned and you can park their for a fee ($5). As for the trails, there are many many options. The most popular is the hike to Sturtevant Falls, which is around 4 miles round trip. It's a moderate hike but the accent back to the parking may be tougher for the coach potatoes. This route is also the most crowded. For those seeking a more strenuous workout, there are other trails that are longer and provide more seclusion. I strongly recommend ascending on the Gabrielino trail simply because this trail is almost entirely in the canyon under the canopy so it is entirely shaded and stays cool even on hot days. This way, you're descending on the Zions and Wintercreek trails which are much more exposed to sun. For being so close to the city, the Chandry Flats recreational area is an oasis away from the stress of city life. read more

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I love this place so much. It's one of my favorites , and I'm so sad it won't be opening for a whole due to the previous wildfires. I can't wait to be back, and hope everything will be okay :( read more

Chantry Flat is honestly one of my favorite hike! There's more than one hike trail but this review is based off my experience on the way toward Sturtevant Falls. The view starting up from the top, going all the way down, leading you into a Disney type of forest setting. You'll be amazed by the scenery once you're surrounded underneath all the trees. The aura that's presence in this hike will blow you away! Into the hike there's cute little cabin areas. I'm not sure on the situation on that, always check out the website for more FYI on the park. I've gone on this hike maybe two or three times now. It's easy, and enjoyable. You'll get rewarded with a beautiful waterfall at the end, which in my opinion, I think is better than Eaton's canyon view (still love Eaton Canyon though). This trail is just more fun scenic wise, and so many photography spots and potential. Open your eyes and let that creativity pour! Or just simply enjoy all of nature's surrounding! I also remember seeing some deers too. Gotta love those beautiful animals. The only difficulty of this hike is on the way back going back up to where you came from. It's a steep uphill but your legs, glutes, and thighs will thank you! -1 star because parking is so difficult. you can get an adventure pass for $5 before hand. Other than that if there's no parking near the top, you'll have to look for a spot among more further down the mountain and in hidden little mountain corner stops or along the edge of the cliff rail read more

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I really enjoyed this hike. At first I was kinda confused as to where we were going because we had to go up the mountain but after paying for the parking pass which is $5.00 it was pretty simple. The hike is beautiful. You start off with a cement pavement that eventually leads you to a trail that goes into the mountains. Lots of sight seeing and places you can take pictures at. Leads you to a waterfall. Must say that I truly enjoyed the 1.8 mile hike. So I'll give it 5 stars!!! read more

Chantry Flat Recreation Area - Little cottages that you can see along the way to the waterfall. - Parks Near Me - Sierra Madre, California

I've gone on quite a few backpacking trips out of this spot. And I will say that this has some good hikes stemming from it. None of my trips have resulted in mind blowing views or anything like that, but it doesn't feel like a short drive from LA. So I'm really appreciative of this nature get away that is so close to the city. Where do I start? First, the parking. It's a mess. There's not a ton of parking spots, so you have three main options. One, get here extremely early, around sunrise, to get a parking lot spot. Two, park on the windy road leading up to it. You might be in the road a little bit, but everyone does it. If you're looking to camp or backpack, that's probably not the call for you. Third, show up late enough in the day to catch someone as they're leaving the parking lot. You might have to drive a few circles and wait a little bit, but this is generally a pretty safe bet. One note is that you have to have a parking pass or the annual adventure pass to avoid a ticket. This goes for people parking on the street as well, so don't overlook that. The trails themselves are initially pretty packed. You can go to hermit falls or Sturtevant falls on short hikes, and I would recommend visiting both. But just be aware that you're not really going to get any nature seclusion that way. You're going to have to go up and over Sturtevant falls (the turn off is about .25 miles before the falls themselves). If you're looking at that turn off and see the upper and lower creek trails, take lower creek. Upper is a horse path with limited views. Lower creek puts you on top of the falls, and follows a stream the whole way. It's a no brainer. Past the falls, you start to hit the secluded nature aspects you probably made this trip for. There is a campsite about 3.5 miles out. After the campsite there is a split. Go right to see literally no other humans. You'll hit some campsites about 6 miles further if you want to backpack. Veer left to go through Sturtevant Camp and have a few options. One is Mount Zion. This can turn into a loop that will eventually take you back to your car. The other is Mount Wilson. For those that don't know, at the top of Mount Wilson is an old observatory. On weekends they have a cafe open, and there is also a bathroom and running water to refill. Also, there are huge telescopes that make you feel like you've entered another world. The first time that I hiked Mount Wilson, I had no idea there was an observatory up there. I was just backpacking and decided to climb the mountain, and when I saw these huge white telescopes emerging out of the earth at the top it gave me a sense of wonderment that I'd never experienced before. I felt like an old time explorer, discovering an abandoned city. That was of course because I had no idea to expect, but it still made for a cool experience. There's a lot of stuff to do from Chantry Flats. If you want to get away from LA, come here. That's all I've got now, bye. read more

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Tried to hike here this weekend. Road still closed. Was able to do near by hike at Mt. Wilson instead, just as an fyi.

One of my favorite places to hike in SoCal! We have been coming here for over a year now and try to come every weekend when the weather is nice. There are several trails here that can be worked in multiple directions. We have hiked to the campsite, the waterfalls and even spent about 6 hours hiking to Mt. Wilson and back. I'd warn any hiker to pay attention during certain seasons. We have seen rattlesnakes on 3 different occasions. On the trail to Mt. Wilson, we heard the snake as it hissed at us for walking too close but couldn't see it. During one early morning hike, we also saw a paw print in the dirt that was large enough to be either a bear or cougar print. I've seen many hikers going alone and with headphones on. I would continue to caution against that. Being aware of your surroundings here is pretty important. Also, on the way to Mt. Wilson, the path can get narrow and is steep with loose gravel. There are also times when you will need to share the road with bikers coming down hill. Come early as parking gets hectic on the weekends and is extremely limited. If you come after 7am, you might find yourself parking down the road and hiking up before your hike. Parking passes are available for the day ($5) or for the year ($35). Go enough and it will def pay for itself and it worth the splurge. I love taking people here as they always fall in love with the overall beauty of the hike and appreciate the challenge coming back up "cardiac hill". Every time we go, we try to challenge ourselves to take a different trail, push on our pace or go further. Love this place and am always impressed with the views! read more

Amazing hiking trail. Lots of nice sights out here. Come early as parking usually gets crowded. Weekdays much easier as opposed to weekends. Dogs are welcomed (keep them on a leash, however). Many trails to choose from. The Sturtevant Falls is an nice sight to see, long trail about 2 miles north so be prepared to walk for some time but you'll see lots of nice sights of old cabins built 100 years back. It is alot easier than the First Water trail. Another trail , the First Water trail, leads to Hermit Falls which I heard has a area to jump and swim in , didnt get to that part of the area (first time here, didnt want to wander off and get lost). But I was going into the right direction. This path is a bit narrow so proceed with caution especially going down certain spots. *CAUTION* Always be aware of your surroundings , you are entering an undisturbed area of nature , so there is wildlife out there. Encountered a rattlesnake , backed away a couple feet to give it time to go away and luckily it went away on its own as taught to do so. Other than that, you get to see alot of birds and reptiles roaming around and I got to see a pack of mules making a journey down the trail!! *Update* GET THE ADVENTURE PASS. Its $5 and you need it to park or else you'll get ticketed. read more

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Hiked Sturtevant Falls Trail. It was a very easy hike, great trail for families with kids and fun and adventurous enough for your pet. If you do a stop and go and a stroll like hike, should take you 2 hours or less round trip. Parking during the weekend (especially on Xmas day) was packed. Albeit we arrived around 11:30AM. You can buy your parking pass $5 from the Arco Gas Station before you continue your drive up to the trail or at the Packing Station which is a short drive up above the parking area at the trail site. Once your parking is situated, you will walk down a paved road for about 5-7mins. Enjoy the scenery and mountainous backdrop. You will cross a small bridge, which is the starting point of the trail. This area is where the bathroom and garbage is located. There is also one before the hike next to the parking lot. **WARNING!!** the restrooms are disgusting. Aside from the nasty bathroom, this trail is beautiful. One of my favorites. Nicely shaded with enormous and various trees. We will definitely come back and probably be more daring and do Mt. Wilson.....probably... lol read more

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It's very unfortunate what has become of this place . Over crowded . The trash was horrible ! It's like they stopped picking up trash . The restrooms were horrible I can't even explain how dirty they were.I can't believe how people litter here no respect for nature. Good luck with parking.cars badly parked all the way up the road .Come early it's over crowded . read more

Chantry Flat Recreation Area - Looks like they stop picking up trash. - Parks Near Me - Sierra Madre, California

I live not too far from here and I love going up to clear my head. I have the yearly pass, it's $80 for all the parks in the US, and with all the buzz going on in life getting out with nature and being human, going back to who we are without all the material things, traffic, work, problems at home, this is a nice break of tranquility much needed. The area opens at around 6am, and there's usually parking during the weekday. A trail by the sign (notes you should probably read like bear sitings, etc), takes you down to a nice area to do some moderate hiking. It declines so I recommend that you use a hiking pole to walk back. Big 5 has them cheaper (or on Amazon) for about $20. Bring water, and a backpack. It never gets old, love it here. read more

I use to like going to this location for hikes as there is quite a few trails in this area from easy to hard level of hiking distance. From sturtevant falls, upper falls and hike to mount wilson from here. To name a few, but there is a lot of different trails you can come back another time to knock out. You can pick up an adventure pass here at the pack station or REI. If you go hiking enough, don't buy a $5 pass, just go for it and pick up the $30 annual pass. There is a restroom right before the trail starts near the parking lot area. The reason I dislike going here is not because the trails are terrible. It's really crowded and the parking fills quick on the weekend. It will force you to park down the hill which forces you to extend your hike even further than necessary. I would think it be nice on the weekdays. We did hike here when it rained, and that was fun, no one hikes in the rain:). We did, only a few hikers will do this. Unless, you really want to see Sturtevant falls, there are quite a few other trails nearby without the $5 adventure pass and crowd. For one, check out echo mountain is also crowded with plenty of street parking, but it's free and the hike is beautiful or bailey canyon to jones peaks, which is also free. Or unless you're an early bird, then this won't be an issue for you to find parking:) read more

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I'm an avid hiker who is constantly looking for new hikes to conquer. We chose to try this hike due to hearing about the awesome waterfall at the end of the hike. Overall, the hike is is easy/medium hike. The most difficult part for some people might be towards the end of the hike, when you have to hike back up a steep part of the mountain. We enjoyed seeing some wild life, walking parallel to a beautiful creek, shade from the trees, and seeing the little cabins that reside along the trail. Parking might be difficult, so on a weekend be prepared to have to park far from the trail. read more

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First things first, get here really early. Like at sunrise unless you want a hassle with parking, it fills up fast even on weekdays. If you don't find a parking in the lot then you have to park along the side of the highway which everyone does but make sure to display your adventure pass which you can purchase beforehand or at the station for $5 dollars. I usually get mine at REI the night before. Wear comfortable shoes. I wouldn't recommend hiking in tennis shoes although everyone does. The road to the trail head is an easy one down. You have many choices to chose from when it comes to trails here. I rarely see people taking the more challenging trails & always see people going to either hermit falls or Sturtevant. All in all, amazing area in the mountains to come and frolic around in, have some lunch. Enjoy the wildlife. Be careful during stream crossing, the rocks are slippery and you can really hurt yourself. Also bring a lot of water and wear sunscreen. Let me just say if you don't bring water on this hike you are a moron. read more

I use to hike this trail with my family over 30 years ago! It's where I first fell in love with the mountains. I returned to these trails a year ago, in the hopes of healing a broken heart. I hiked this trail twice a week for 12 months....the trail is so peaceful and quiet. There are equal parts sun and shade along the trail. Parking can be crazy, but I head up before 8am and parking isn't an issue. This hike is definitely worth the drive from the OC weekly! I can't say this hike has healed my broken heart (yet HA)...but if you're looking for a nice 3 hour hike with sunshine, crisp air, peace and quiet with nature...this is your spot! read more

This place should be your standard in terms of hikes! I love going to Hermit Falls, because there's ample shade, not a long route but fun for beginners, and has pools to dive, swim, and wade in. read more

This is my FAVORITE local hiking spot. It's a great trail head with a bunch of cool trails you can take. I just hiked Mt. Wilson this past weekend. In addition, I have done the Santa Anita Canyon loop quite a few times, and there's Hermit Falls, Sturtevant Falls. There are so many great trails you can do from the Chantry Flat area. There's a few picnic areas and a few campgrounds also. The parking lot is extremely small, so you'll likely have to park somewhere along the road. I've never been able to get there early enough to catch a spot.. Also, because it's in Angeles National Forest, you'll need to purchase an adventure pass (if you're new to this, it's a permit to park) I have the yearly one for $30, but you can purchase daily ones for $5 at REI, or other sports stores.. You can actually buy a daily one at Chantry Flat usually as well... Tons of shade, and trails near the water make for an awesome hiking area. Get off your computer or phone and go! Smell the trees and fresh air! Get a workout in! Anything! Go! read more

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