Had so much fun hiking here. We climbed to the peak of a couple mountains, made it to two stone…read morepiles. Our starting point was at the opposite way of the loop, the trail wasn't very clear but we kept moving forward. We began hiking around 9 AM made 4 or 5 stops and finished at 5:40PM, I started tracking the distance roughly by the 3rd hour of our hike and it marked 14.7 miles. Most of the signs up were all rusty and unreadable. The combination of strong and cold winds, the rocky trail, a loose sandy ground on the steep areas were to die for- literally. Some parts were incredibly challenging but it was an exhilarating experience.

Will never give nature less than 5 stars but this was a CHALLENGING hike. So beautiful and plenty…read moreof rest points to break up the hike but man was I feeling it afterwards. We packed plenty of water and snacks and followed the trail etiquette(downhill hikers mover over to uphill hikers, ect) Our figure 8 route included: 2.5 miles to echo Another 2 to inspiration point where we sat and ate a quick lunch- love the telescopes all over!! Another 1.5 to Mt Lowe! This part was definitely the hardest for me, quite a bit of elevation gain in a small space but I did it! The swing wasn't at the top but still a gorgeous view. 10/10 would hike again and a great conditioning hike for Mt Wilson!

Make no mistake: unless you are an experienced hiker or a triathlete, or a trail-running…read moremarathoner, or maybe a Jack Russell Terrier who just had an espresso shot, this is a challenging hike... but mile for mile, it is a great way to spend a day exploring several different ecosystems within the San Gabriel mountains. Starting in Eaton Canyon, there are at least three different entry points-- two of them along Altadena Drive that runs adjacent to the canyon, and the highest entry off Pinecrest Dr.--to begin your journey. Eaton Canyon has a well-travelled dirt trail through the lower scrub of yucca, buckwheat, and sage in the mostly dry boulder field of the canyon bottom. If you enter at Pinecrest, you will bypass this, cut about a mile off the trip, and use the bridge to access the Mt. Wilson Toll Road. The Toll Road is an historic pathway dating back to the 1890s. Today, the "toll" portion of the title is a misnomer, as the trail is free for pedestrians, cyclists, and horses. The Toll Road is a steady uphill climb and mostly unshaded for about 2.5 miles to Henninger Flats. At last Check, there was no potable water at Henninger (or anywhere else in this hike) so plan your hydration according to weather and your needs. Henninger features a nature center (seasonally open), picnic and overnight camping facilities, and a tree farm. Continuing up the toll road about a mile past Henninger, the main toll road makes a switchback turn to the right... and easy-to-miss the first time on the LEFT your path continues to Idlehour Camp, beginning with a small wooden bridge. You'll notice the trail narrows significantly from here on to Inspiration Point. The trail climbs a little, then you start your descent into upper Eaton Canyon. As you go, you'll notice fewer signs of humanity, except maybe the erosion controls on the trail, as well as some pretty views of Mt. Wilson, Mt. Baden Powell, and some of the decomposed granite rock formations above Eaton Canyon. Be careful of overhanging poison oak in this area. This is also likely the buggiest part of the trip, with plenty of black flies to keep you company. If you have a head net... now's the time. Towards the bottom, you'll discover a very different Eaton Canyon: you are now a couple of miles above the lower waterfall where weekend canyon visitors bring lawn chairs, ice chests, and loud Bluetooth speakers. Instead of yucca and prickly pear cactus on a dry creek bed, you'll likely find flowing water under a canopy of oaks and bay trees. In season, wildflowers are abundant... but watch your step, as there is a lot of poison oak here, too. Some primitive campsites here feel like they're hundreds of miles from civilization, when really, you're only about 5. Stop here, sit, and enjoy what Eaton Canyon is SUPPOSED to be. Have a drink of water. Heading essentially north from Idlehour camp, more or less parallel to the creek, the hiking trail is slightly broken in places but pretty easy to recover. The trail will continue up the west canyon wall of Upper Eaton, climbing through chaparral, into and through oak scrub, a pine forest, and mature stands of manzanita. As you climb, the trail softens a bit underfoot in the forest duff, and if you're an old trail runner like me, you will love this part the best. Depending on seasonal winter rains, April or May can be exquisite for wildflower viewing in this area. Approaching Inspiration Point, you will pass through an area that burned relatively recently. The narrow single track will join a wider trail called Mt. Lowe Rd. and there is a small sign listing Mt. Lowe and other spots up the way. If you continue more or less straight, you're on the Sam Merrill trail... and going the wrong way. When you hit the crossroads, make a strong left on Mt. Lowe Rd. and walk up the last stretch of wide dirt road to Inspiration Point. You've made it! Take a seat, relax, and enjoy the view. Return the way you came, or you can take the Castle Canyon trail to the left of the interpretive center at the top (rocky and steep in places, but very pretty and sometimes shaded) or the Sam Merrill Trail (a little more forgiving, but a little slippery in places if you have bad shoes) to Echo Mountain, then down to the top of Lake Avenue, and walk streets through northern Altadena back to your car at Eaton Canyon (which will add a couple of miles to your trip on the loop...making it something like an 18 mile loop!) This is one of my favorite hikes in Southern California, and it will provide most of us with a great challenge. Try it in different seasons for different experiences. As a reminder, always file a "hiking plan" with someone back home... just send someone a text with your route and times so that if something unexpected happens, responders will know where to look. Be safe, take extra water, leave only footprints (don't litter), and have fun out there!

Great hiking place. It is a bit challenging but totally worth it. I have done this trail multiple…read moretimes already and I don't get tired of the view once you get to the top.

A fantastic place to go hiking! It's a nice reward because you get to see and enjoy a beautiful…read morewaterfall at the end of the trail. We put "Eaton Canyon Trail Head" on Google Maps and it brought us directly to their parking lot and there's more than enough spots for everyone but of course it's always best to come as early as possible which is 8am. The hike was easy overall. I highly recommend wearing proper hiking shoes/boots because there are plenty of rocks that you have to walk through midway through the hike. As you get closer to the waterfall you have to start crossing the creek that has even more rocks and water so please be careful and wear the proper shoes to keep yourself safe! I saw a few people fall down trying to cross the creek because of the wrong shoes. It took us about 1 hour and 50 minutes to complete the hike from beginning to end. I believe you can finish the hike in 1 hour and 20 minutes if you are a fast walker and don't stay at the waterfall for very long. Definitely one of our favorite hiking trails in SoCal!

This is one of my favorite trails. It can take about an hour to get to the waterfall. On the way to…read morethe waterfall, the scenery is rustic and rugged but still has some charm. Go early, otherwise you will encounter a lot of people on the trail. This trail seems to attract large groups or families. And please note this trail isn't for first timers due to the many crossings that require good balance and concentration. The dirt trail and scenery reminded me of some of trails on the East Coast in Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Parking is free but if you get there after 9:00am, be prepared to walk a ways from the overflow lot to the beginning of the trail.

Of the half-dozen ways to reach Mount Lukens, this is one of the steepest. Because the sights are…read morelimited to Tujunga Canyon until reaching the top when the Los Angeles basin and Pacific Ocean come into view, I prefer the most common way to reach Mount Lukens by starting on the side facing Montrose at Deukmejian Wilderness Park. To find the trailhead, drive along Big Tujunga Road and turn off at the Wildwood Picnic Site sign. Drive past the picnic area and park at the end of the road in the paved lot. Display an Adventure Pass or equivalent. Hike up Stone Canyon Trail which is 7.8 miles roundtrip with 3300' elevation change. The many switchbacks reduced the steepness and created an evenly graded ascent. The best part of the hike were the dozen varieties of spring wildflowers in bloom in May that created a color-accented trail. The lack of trees meant little protection from the heat but good visibility of the surroundings. I was the only person on the trail during the 3.75-hour hike. Consequently, the low usage meant a narrow and untrampled trail. The trickiest part of the hike was the bridgeless river crossing at the beginning. The path was maintained with only minor overgrowth near the river.

This hike sucked…read more Fire ant bites, overgrown brush, un-maintained bushes, mosquito bites, bees, poodle bush, snakes. A high PITA factor if you're just looking to get a workout, but nice to know I can rough it in the jungle, if need be. The trail is narrow and steep. It's slippery and partially washed out in a few places, so be careful! No shade either. With the way I sweat, my shirt was totally drenched, and sweat poured down below so it looked like I peed in my pants. It was windy at Mt Lukens so good idea to bring a windbreaker or rain jacket and maybe a change of shirt so you're not freezing. On the way down, I accidentally ran down the trail to Deukmejian Wilderness Park which added another 4.5 miles to the hike. It was a nicer trail so I don't blame anyone who would be tempted to go down that way. I may try that trail some day. As for Stone Canyon, never! But I've been known to have a short memory.

Sunday I hike with a friend through red box parking lot to do San Gabriel 5 peaks Circular a total…read moreof 13 miles. The wind was wild but we did all 5 peaks. The Mueller Tunnel was cool to see at the start of the trail I passed by walking and running after finishing all the peaks. Recommended to do Mt Markham, Mt Disappointment, Mt Deception, San Gabriel Peak and Mt Lowe since all are close by and you can do a loop. Look in All trails San Gabriel 5 Peaks Circular and you can download the map. Enjoy the trails and please leave no trace.

We hiked eaton saddle trail for the first time this past weekend. Make sure you display your…read moreadventure pass. We started at 6:30am as we knew it was hot due to weather temps rising in southern cal lately. So plan accordingly and pack enough for any type of season. The hike itself was nice. The biggest negative was the mosquitoes all over the place the moment i got out of the car. I got bit a few times but come prepare with long sleeves and pants or bug spray. Otherwise, i think winter time they will be gone. The hike to mueller tunnel is not far. Nice gradual incline and the trail is wide enough with out any dangerous drop offs. After passing the tunnel, the trail continue on and can go to many points of interest. When you arrive to the water tank fork, there are many trails to go on. Far right will take you to san gabriel peak, mount disappointment and mount deception. Left of that trail looks like a service road, that will take you to inspiration point, which most people hike to inspiration from the sam merrill trail to echo mountain. The trail left of the service road, there is a sign but can be difficult to spot if not paying attention. That leads to mount lowe. The trail left of mount lowe or farthest left. I'm not 100% sure, but think it's to mount markham. If anyone hikes it, let me know. But for this day, we proceeded to inspiration point. The posted signs here are not great, i would recommend printing out a trail map of the area as there is a lot of trails to explore. So pace yourself and have fun. We explored tom sloane saddle also. We roughly hiked about 8 mile round trip.

Wonderful hike, if you don't mind getting your feet wet. Starting from the Stonyvale Picnic Area…read moretrailhead, there are five creek/river crossings before you reach the ascent into the mountains. Be prepared; take hiking sticks, knee-high waterproof boots or waders, unless you like getting wet. The water was running pretty swiftly today, well above the ankles. The landscape changes from chaparral, to riparian, to oak woodlands with some conifers as well, which is beautiful and adds variety. There is no cell phone reception on the trail, so highly recommended to take a satellite location device. You may park in the Stonyvale parking lot, with an Adventure Pass. Gorgeous hike.

Beautiful trail with views of Big Tujunga Canyon and, as promised in the name, a multi-tiered…read morewaterfall. The trail is well maintained with several parking spots at the trailhead. It's only downfall (haha) is that it's all downhill at the start and all uphill on the way back. But, don't worry, it's not super steep and the views are worth it. To see the waterfalls close up, you do have to clamber over some rocks, follow along the creek, and eventually cross the creek (bring your waterproof boots.) As of this date, the creek had a decent current, so be careful. As always, bring water and your mobile tracking device (I've watched one to many "disappeared on the trail and never seen again" videos, sorry!). And enjoy.

First thing to know if you plan on going to the waterfall is you will get wet in the creek at the…read morebottom, and you should wear covering pants for your legs and long sleeves because there are a lot of overgrown plants here along with poison ivy or oak. Really I rate this as a 3 1/2 star but going down with the curve score due to the elements and conditions. Falls creek falls trail head is about 6-7 miles away from Trail Canyon Falls on Big Tujunga and only a mile away from the Big Tujunga Dam overlook. The trail going down to the creek is easy to follow but is has a lot of rocks and overgrown plants all over the trail so I would recommend coming here with your kids or pets. Once you're at the bottom there's a spray painted arrows on one of the rocks pointing to the right, that's the path to stay on the trail to go wherever it leads to. If you're heading to the waterfall go left and walk through that creek. I'll admit I wasn't about an hour trying to avoid walking through the water in the creek and I probably fell into some poison ivy and might also have Lyme disease because of all the plants I went climbing through. Do yourself a favor, don't waste your time trying to make a path away from the water, just go through the creek. It's maybe shin high and the water is clear enough that you can see where you're stepping. Closing this long ass review up, this is So Cal and it barley rains. Best time to check this waterfall out of the week right after it rains so you can see a decent flow. I came here a month after the winter rain we got and it's almost dried up again. This trailhead is in the Angeles National Forest so you'll need to display your adventure pass when you park.

I did the trail counterclockwise. And that was by accident. Usually I like to do the steepest part…read moreon the outbound leg. In the end, I think I made the right decision. As one of the other reviewers mentioned, the only way to ascend going clockwise is to do so on your hands and knees. Coming down that stretch was pretty death-defying, although my hiking boots definitely proved their worth. Once you get off the main trail, most of the ascent and descent is grown over. Wearing shorts, that meant getting some pretty serious bushwhacking. Although somehow I escaped without any cuts or bruises. Weather could not have been more perfect. High clouds, no direct sunlight, and a decent breeze. Parking is on the street in a residential neighborhood, but it seems pretty safe. That said, there isn't much curbside parking. I am not one who enjoys an early morning hike. On a May afternoon I started around 1400 and finished around 1800. Perfect timing.

This trail was brutal especially for my older badminton friend who had to stop several times on the…read moreincline. Parking is on the street with limited space on Saturday morning! Looked like there were a few trails that branch off as you hike further in. Many people on this trail until you hit the last 1 mile to Jones Peak. The trail was very narrow; some areas can only fit 1-2 people so watch your steps! This was supposed to be a 5.3 mile loop, however we missed a turn and it ended up being 6.83 miles. We ended up at Bailey Canyon Park which was 0.75 miles away from where we parked. My friend was dead tired to walk that 0.75 miles so he called his wife to pick us up. Haha