COVID REVIEW! Just hiked the Switzer Falls trail yesterday. As of right now, some of the parking lots in the area are not open so you don't need to buy an Adventure Pass if you're just parking on the side of the road nearby, which is what I did!
However, if you want an Adventure Pass for $5, you can grab one from the Shell station just off the 2 freeway. (About 15 min from the actual trail).
I went with a friend on a Saturday at around 1PM. Thought it'd be crazy busy, but it wasn't. Parking was relatively easy, but I know that other reviews have stated that it gets crazy packed early in the morning - so just be cautious and know that it could end up being super busy / hard to find parking.
As soon as we got here, we noticed that people mostly were not wearing masks. Because it's outside, it doesn't feel as worrisome in the pandemic so long as we all stay a safe distance (which can be hard when the trails are narrow further into the hike). I did mask up most of the time unless it felt like there were zero people around in certain areas.
After parking, you'll see the Picnic Area sign and a gate that keeps cars from driving in further (there's a small lot as well, but it was full.) We walked around the gate and then downhill. This is where the trail begins. We continued walking downhill for a while until you get to a bridge. Once you cross the bridge, you should see signs indicating different trails. The Switzer Falls trail is where we went, and it was still a while to get there from this point.
There's a ton of shade at this point, and lots of little areas with water. Super beautiful and relaxing. Once you've hiked to actual trail, it starts to get a little confusing if you've never been here before. The shade disappears and you start to go uphill, which can be strenuous so know that this is not a super easy hike if you're trying to see falls. There's three different water falls. You might need to ask someone on the trail who has been here, to know where to go next.
Once we got to a small waterfall, there were people swimming and just sitting near the water. But everyone was a safe distance away from each other, and it wasn't too packed when we went. Again, I'm sure it gets crazy at peak times. We dipped our feet and enjoyed the moment for a little while before making the trek back.
This is where it gets tough. The hike back is incredibly tiring if you don't hike often. The final stretch is all uphill. I had seen reviews about this before coming here, but I didn't realize exactly how exhausting it would be. Bring plenty of water especially if you're going in the summer. I brought a big hydro flask and had plenty of ice water the whole time. By the time we were done, it was 5PM. Overall, it took us 4 hours to and from the falls. As we were leaving, we saw many people coming in to hike to the falls - it wasn't as hot anymore so many people do start later in the day. I'd advise that you just need to be cautious of when it gets dark.
We also did see little snakes in the water by the waterfall, and also a rattle snake at one point on the trail. Be super cautious of your surroundings.
The gnats were super annoying on the way back, as well. Bring first aid if you can, I did lose my footing at one point and slid down - pretty badly scraping my knee.
My review probably sounds overly safe, but.. better safe than sorry! Nature is beautiful but unforgiving. Good luck to everyone hiking! It's a wonderful place to visit and unplug. read more