It is so beautiful and amazing. The view is surreal. When…read moreyou go into the nature center and visit the snakes and beetles it's cool but then you walk out to an observatory type deck and it's breathtaking!

I've been hiking in this area for a few years. I started out with the short loop trail then…read moreadvanced to the Devil's Punchbowl trail, and then yesterday completed the Devil's Chair trail. I didn't know about the Chair trail until recently. I found that with the short loop trail, since it was reasonably close to the ranger station, the reception was okay. While hiking the Devil's Punchbowl trail there was hardly any reception. I have Verizon as my carrier. The Devil's Chair Trail had great reception. I was able to periodically text my family and update them, letting them know I was okay. When hiking I use Spotify and ensure my songs are downloaded so even offline I can listen to music. This also works well when I want to listen to Audiobooks I've downloaded. The Chair trail was quiet, there wasn't anyone else on the trail or even much wildlife besides lizards and some insects. It wasn't bad at all. The trail was pretty well maintained with some areas needing extra support. Shout-out to the employees who ensured the steep cliffs and the Devil's Chair Trail were safe to walk on. The Chair itself is on a rock so someone had to get there and install the fencing for safety. Thank you, whoever you are! As with many other trails in Southern California there is some fire damage. Some fallen trees. This trail has A LOT of rocks so step gingerly and don't roll your ankles. Most of the trail is not covered so sunscreen/sunblock and proper gear is really important. The trail is roughly 3-5 hours. I clocked about 3 hours 55 minutes moving time on Strava but 4 hours 28 minutes total on AllTrails. I stopped a bit to catch my breath, get water and just observe nature. Everyone says it's a 7 mile trail. I'm not sure what I did but it was 9 miles for me. I am blessed to have been able to enjoy it.

Gorgeous trail in an area of the forest that is recovering from the Bridge Fire in 2024. While it's…read moreshocking to see so many burnt trees, it's also cool to see signs of life emerging from the ashes. There were many pine seedlings to be found along the trail and lots of wildflowers called "fire-followers" that actually require and benefit from the fire to bloom. To find the trailhead, look for the Big Pines Visitor Center. The parking lot for the trail is right across the street and the standard Adventure Pass is required to park in this lot (thank goodness, it is not part of the Mountain High Ski Resort cabal, so you don't have to buy the "Big Pines" parking pass as well.) It was a bit tricky to find the actual trailhead, as it's a few feet away from the parking lot. The parking lot does have restrooms as well as ADA parking available. The trail itself is very well maintained and offers stunning views. It's pretty much uphill all the way to the Blue Ridge Campsite and (of course) downhill all the way back. It's mostly in the shade but can get warm, so make sure you have plenty of water and snacks. Look for fungi, mariposa lilies, butterflies, squirrels and birds. Highly recommended!

The good: I came on a Tuesday and it was completely empty…read moreand serene. We came with our almost 3 year old but we carried him most of the time. The trail was mostly shaded and there were creeks with running water. We saw blue jays, chipmunks, squirrels, woodpecker and other birds. It was breezy with nice views of the mountains and far out in the canyon areas. The bad: We didn't get to finish the trail because we had a toddler. I think there were only 2 parking spots. I am not sure if there were other areas you can park. It was just on the dirt by the campgrounds sign. The interesting: Lots of the trees were burnt and fallen over. We saw red plants and some interesting mushroom growing on the trees. Some areas of the trail are more narrow with a sloping hill off to the side so be careful if you're coming with kids.

The Pacific Crest Trailhead - Mojave River Forks End of Road serves as a significant access point…read moreto the iconic Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in Southern California. Situated at an elevation of 923 meters in the Mojave Desert region, this trailhead marks a unique intersection where the vast wilderness of the PCT meets the end of California Highway 173. It is a crucial gateway for exploring the diverse landscapes of the San Bernardino Mountains foothills and the unique desert environment. Visitors consistently highlight this trailhead as the most accessible starting point for reaching the popular Deep Creek Hot Springs, making it a favored destination for hikers. The opportunity to experience a distinctive desert section of the Pacific Crest Trail, with its scenic Deep Creek Canyon and lush riparian vegetation, is another major draw. The convenience of a wide parking area at the end of the paved road also contributes to its popularity among those looking for day hikes or shorter excursions on the PCT. Before setting out, hikers should be prepared for a creek crossing within about a mile of the trailhead, as Deep Creek must be forded. While often shallow or dry, especially during certain times of the year, water levels can rise significantly after rain or snowmelt, potentially requiring an alternative parallel track near the dam. The trailhead offers ample free parking at the dead-end of Highway 173, making it easily reachable by passenger vehicle. This trailhead is ideal for hiking and trail running, particularly for those aiming for the Deep Creek Hot Springs, which is typically a 12-mile out-and-back journey. The arid desert climate suggests that spring and fall offer the most comfortable conditions for exploration, avoiding the extreme heat of summer or potential high waters in winter. Its location also provides convenient access to nearby amenities at Mojave River Forks Regional Park, including camping and recreational opportunities at Silverwood Lake.

i love this trail, but do it on a cloudy day, wont recommend hiking this on a hot day because…read moretheres no shade the whole time. and pls. pick up after your pet. parking is kinda sketchy too. so take the risk. Other than that love the bridge at the end of the trail!

It is a very calming place to just walk and enjoy the view. There are plenty of benches to take…read morebreaks on and the sound of the birds chirping around just feels so natural. There are many beautiful flowers and plants I would highly recommend to venture out.

Talk about diamond in the rough, first of all, I completely forgot about the decent part of San…read moreBernardino- YES, there are nice parts of this city, all of it north past the 210 fwy, facing the mountains. (Which would include the University). This park is located amongst it. Don't let the stigma of the area discourage you, you drive up & see a normal neighborhood filled with mostly working class folks and this park with a small playground, baseball field, basketball courts, skate park & parking surrounding it. Clean restrooms & Pet friendly too. Even though I saw dog crap through out, it wasn't as much as the other popular trails. You have lots of trails & options - no markers, but it's wide open, self explanatory & you won't get lost. You got a good view of the area all around. Although from pictures it looks big, it's relatively under 2 miles. I did close to 3 miles doing laps. Coming down can be tricky with the rocky dirt inclines - wear good comfortable shoes with good tread & just use caution going down because you'll slide. And your not too far to drive up towards Arrowhead & Crestline, etc., more options to explore.

Very nice trail, good for beginners, nice workout. Hiked it with my daughters and they liked it…read more The payoff is the waterfall.

In comparison to all other trails in the area, this would be rated a medium to hard trail. For…read morelength, the trail for the upward Climb is around 2 miles up till you reschedule the waterfall area. After, the trail narrows and continues deeper. During the summer, this hike will test you. The entrance and parking are super easy to navigate, as qr scans are available for info and parking payment- just scan and your ready to go. There are No ebikes allowed just walkers joggers runners hikers and nature. Once at the top, there are other trails that split off and will.offer more northern or western routes ... the loop to the west and then south will. Increase the length of the hike from 4 to 6 miles and others can even stretch further inland. The sceneries will make a huge impact, late evenings adventures should offer spectacular vistas and the trail itself is easy to read and follow. Small tables for picnics dot the bottom rung of the trail. This hike would not be be for newbies...instead for slightly novice and higher. Bring water and snacks, clean after yourself and enjoy the wilderness. The trail is rated at a 4.5 stars - only thing missing are more informational directions on the upper trails

Relatively easy hike at about 3.8 miles. I did it with family members of different ages, along with…read moremy 8-year-old golden retriever, and everyone handled it well. The trail is beautiful and mostly shaded, which makes it especially enjoyable. I recommend starting no later than 6:00 a.m. to avoid the heat on the way back. The return portion is mostly uphill, so it's best not to tackle it during the hottest part of the day. You'll also need a parking permit (costs $5) for your vehicle.

Today's the 4th of July & they are CLOSED. The entrance gate was locked when we got there! We…read morewaited around about 15 minutes before seeing another person trying to come out of the gate and could not. (Hope she didn't wait long for police to get there & let her) It would have been nice if the site didn't say open. Another hiker said that someone told her they didn't want anyone in the area just in case they wanted to set off fireworks. Hopefully, I can review it again and have a personal experience. But for now just wanted to make others aware that it's closed today.

This was a moderate trail as far as difficulty mainly due to steady incline. There is no shade on…read morethe trail. Once you get to the falls, there's plenty of shade from the trees. Wear decent shoes; the fire road is dirt and rocks the whole way. Take water. Your body will thank you. Parking- there is a decent amount of parking in two small lots at the end of the paved road. There are QR codes to scan to buy a day pass. It's $4 for 4 hours. That's plenty of time to get to falls, enjoy them for a bit and get back. Keep the trail and waterfall preserve area nice by taking your trash home with you. We all want to enjoy this space

$4 for short term parking. There are about~60 parking spots in the lot and no neighborhood parking…read morealternatives, it's all permit parking which is understandable. If you get here at prime-time around 8am on the weekends, should be fine but past 9am and you're going to be SOL. Better to wait until the first wave of visitors finish... Takes about 1.5hrs. More parking in the afternoon but then you're risking peak sun which can be unbearable depending on the weather. Little to no shade on this tail. Lots of areas with loose rock, so be careful with casual shoes. It gets very, very windy towards the top of the trail and some areas along the hike. There is some graffiti on the trail. The waterfall is okay, can't complain considering limited hike options nearby.

This is one of my favorite trails as you have an opportunity for a great workout. I enjoy the…read moretrails as it has a mix of moderate and advanced. You have a great opportunity for a bike ride, jog, or run that brings in a workout well worth it.

This was my first time coming here, and I really enjoyed it. The trail has two fairly steep hills…read moreone going up and one on the way back so it's about a 2-3 mile hike depending on your pace. I'd rate it easy to moderate because of those hills. I brought my 5-year-old, and she was able to handle it, but she did complain on the way back, so next time I probably won't bring her. The views are really nice, and there are a few smaller trails around the area. I'm definitely planning to go again. I went a bit late around 9 a.m., and the sun was already pretty strong, so going earlier would be better. Overall, I 100% recommend this hike.

Beautiful hike near the intersection of the 2 and the 39. Parking lot and pristine trails are…read morewell-maintained. Well worth the drive up from the Los Angeles basin. Check traffic, weather and fire status; the forest is extremely flammable at the moment. Bring water, snacks and first aid kit. An Adventure Pass is required to park within Angeles National Forest. Be prepared for a work-out and some beautiful views.

This is a strong 4 star hike...near Mount Baden-Powell and similar in many ways. Use the All Trails…read moreapp to get directions. Parking and the trailhead is on Hwy 2. We took the 210 to the 2 Hwy near La Canada Flintridge and it took us about 50 mins and 40 miles of twists and turns while sharing the road with motorcycles and high performance cars that are testing their cars handling. You will pass the parking area for Switzer Falls (see my review for that one) and you will pass the Red Box parking area you can use to do the Strawberry Peak hike (see my review haha) and still will need to continue on Angeles Crest Hwy for about 25 more minutes. If you want you can continue tpass the main parking area for the Islip saddle about one mile to the east and find some parking on the side of the highway that will allow you to take a shortcut trail that connects with the main trail but is about .4 miles shorter, so .8 miles RT...you can see the start of the trail near the metal barrier blocking any traffic on the access road. The first .6 miles is pretty steep and then you connect to the main trail and head left to the Little Jimmy Campground which is 1.1 miles and pretty flat. When you reach the campground it gets a bit confusing with intersecting trails. Don't stop here, continue on for about 1.5 miles to reach the Mt. Islip peak. The 3rd mile is the steepest and you will gain about 550 ft and pass the 8,000 ft elevation level and come to a fork in the trail that is well marked and you will make a right to go about .2 miles to the peak. It was 3.2 miles to the peak and 6.4 miles RT using the shortcut starting area that I mentioned in the first paragraph. At the top is the ruins of a small structure, some concrete squares, and a plastic and metal box with some notebooks. There is no sign with the name and elevation of the peak but it is about 8,250 ft. above sea level. There are some great views, not quite as great as Baden-Powell. This is a moderate hike, definitely not hard. We completed the hike in 2.5 hrs with no running. There are parts that are exposed to the sun, but equal amounts that have shade. I loved that we only came across 6 total people while hiking. I just hate that it takes so long to get here and especially the amount of driving the incredibly curvy Hwy 2.

Great way to spend a late afternoon. Bring a hiking stick for balance and leverage as coming back…read moredown can at time be a bit steep and slippery. Also use bug repellent because chances are you will be bit. The views are spectacular. Well worth the hike. It's definitely a good workout both in the going and coming back. Time well spent!

The harder the climb, the better the view. Now let's begin this hiking adventure review…read more Mystic Canyon Trail is short trailhead with a steady elevation gain of 700 ft that reaches 1,908 feet (hoisted flag point). This trail's degree of difficulty is considered Moderate albeit challenging. The trail is well kept and easy to navigate with little pockets of tree shades along the way. Hence, a hat and sunscreen and plenty of water are recommended. Furthermore, this M.C. trail interconnects with Lower Monroe and Punk Out trails. I proceeded further to 2,069 ft of the Punk Out trail. Views are amazing! Going back to the parking lot was a breeze. Parking lot is not big but can hold ~25 vehicles. Overall, this hiking trail is great for experienced hikers, family and dogs.