This hike is a segment which is a steep tangent from Eaton Cyn in the San Gabriel mtns. If you're…read moregoing to do this, be an extremely seasoned hiker. Like we hiked for a total of 10 miles, an entire day later, 2 sandwiches, trail-mix and extensive water-bottling. It's an awesome workout. And yes and mentioned by others, the recreational hikers stay far, far below. This hike is steep, and winds for miles. Once you arrive at the nature center, there is a cool centuries old restroom. I found this lovely, don't ask why. Vintage is my vibe. The nature center is educational. There are diagrams of tree and forest history. Stuffed wild animals, of the smaller variety: squirrels, birds, and the like. And the three-dimensional map of the forest range is cool. You feel like such a tiny fragment of a massive universe. Of which, we are regardless. It just places you in this perspective, at that very moment. The forest rangers are cordial. Yes, not park ranger bc it's this Rustic. Also, note you can buy water bottles at the nature center. This is vital bc the hike is extensive and you may need like 10 refills. So here you are. There isn't a filtered water supply elsewhere. These are also camp grounds, and pine trees nestle together here for miles. And the vista is gorgeous.

A mere three miles past the despair and human detritus that is the cavalcade of Eaton Canyon…read morewaterfall-bound imbeciles carrying Bluetooth speakers blaring DMX and coolers full of glass bottles that will be "deposited" in shards amidst the tagged and grafitti'ed rocks and trees, Henninger Flats is a much more peaceful representation of the San Gabriel mountains. Thankfully, the elevation gain involved in the short but steady uphill keeps the majority of idiocy far below. The hike itself is about three miles on the Mt. Wilson Toll Road, a wide dirt path with very little shade by midday. Just past the sign welcoming you to Henninger Flats, pine trees provide shade over picnic and camping areas. Pit toilets, a tree farm, a nature trail, and the nature center are also featured here. The visitor center is variably open most days, and has some historical and natural displays that are showing their age, but are still as interesting as they were when I was a kid coming up here with my dad. A soda machine offers cold drinks for a buck, but it only takes quarters. Be sure to sign the guestbook on the counter, and on the rare opportunity that someone is staffing the front desk, stop in and say hi. Note well: while a project is currently underway to bring potable water back to Henninger, as of September 2018, there is STILL NO DRINKING WATER AT HENNINGER. Bring plenty of drinking water, especially if you are continuing deeper into the mountains on a longer hike. Most of the times that I visit, there are Boy Scout group camping on the weekend. Camping is free here, but you need to reserve the spot.

Clean campsite,a quiet place to escape city's noise,stayed in site #12 for one night,absolutely…read morewill be back soon.

I really like the campgrounds here! It's really nice and some of the campsites are designed that it…read morefeels away from the other ones and some of them have really great views. We got one with really nice view of the sunset with a shaded area with the trees. Every campsite comes with a fire pit and a large bench table. The dumpsters and restrooms are throughout the campgrounds so you'll never be too far away. There's also a couple hikes nearby like the Silver Moccasin trail right outside. There's no running water so you need to bring your own! NOTE: No fires are allowed until Jan 2026 bc of the recent fires. This includes campfires and portable stoves. The current fee is $12 but will increase to $20 in May 2025. You can also contact the Chilao Visitor Center if you have any more questions.

In love with the camp Side. Friendly reminder bring cash to…read morepay the daily fee It's worth it.

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

This out and back hike is about 17 miles with about 4100' gain (some of it on the return). It…read morestarts from the peaceful campground and continues onto Baden-Powell peak, the 4th highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains. Along the way, there are opportunities to stop at several other peaks, such as Dawson, Hawkins, Throop, and Burnham. This would add several more miles to the total hike. The trail is single file with varying sizes of loose rock under foot. Most of the trail is a fairly tame ascension, but there are also multiple areas of decline, which of course means climbing up on the way back. You will follow signs to Windy Gap, Pacific Crest Trail, then Baden-Powell. At the summit, there are nice 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains and cities far below. A dedicated monument and plaque stands, honoring and named after the founder of the Boy Scouts. parking - adventure pass required for the parking lot tip - this hike starts at about 5,000 feet, so it may be cooler than expected, depending on the season. In the summer heat, though, it's still quite warm.

Love this place, we been going every month and every time it's a nice adventure !!! Nice place to…read moredo Hiking, camping and off roaring !!!! #hiking #offroad #camping #crystallakeasuza #crystallake

What an awesome little spot!…read more Emphasis on little. The campsites are very close to one another with very tight parking for your vehicles. However, if you come in with more of a community mindset than seeking isolation in nature, it'll be just fine. We went camping with our teen and our toddler (sorry neighbors), but there were lots of other children around so it felt pretty family-friendly. The camp host was super friendly and they had local firewood for sale onsite. Facilities were pretty clean, even when they were a little bit more on the trashed side during a 5am bathroom run (was it children or critters, idk but the toilet paper was everywhere haha). Every campsite had a bear box, picnic bench, and fire pit; trash disposal was conveniently placed and walking distance from most campsites. Since it was July, it was on the warmer side but still fresh and beautiful. My toddler had a blast chasing all the lizards. And while we were a little nervous about the bear warnings with a hyperactive toddler in our party, we didn't see anything bigger than a squirrel. We will definitely be back!

What an awesome campground near Mt. High Resort and Angeles Crest Hwy. The campground is situated…read moreacross from Jackson Lake, where people can be seen fishing and riding paddle boards. We reserved Campground No. 12, a spacious corner lot that offers one of the BEST VIEWS of the sunset. During summer hours, the sun doesn't set fully until close to 9 pm, and from a distance, I could see the city lights, which was Lancaster. The campground provides bear lockers to store food, as bears are commonly seen in the area. It's essential to keep food properly in the evening. The campground also has flush toilets and toilet paper, though they may not be the cleanest. There's a fire pit for burning wood and a table for dining. If you forget to bring your wood, the campground host sells a bundle for $10. Overall, I had a great time hanging out with friends, and the distance is tolerable for many Angelenos.

The Lanterman House is a craftsman museum house Listed on the National Register of Historic Places…read more The owner of this house was Dr. Roy Lanterman and wife, Emily, and they bequeath it to the City of La Cañada Flintridge. We registered for a group tour which cost $5/pp. The group was greeted by two old docent female staff (Marylou and Gayle). We started off by watching a short film about the history of La Cañada and the Lanterman family back in the late 1880. Some highlights about the tour: This house has a U-shaped Mexican Colonial hacienda design with 35 French windows, multiple rooms, a playroom, an entertainment room, Doctor's office, a large granite fireplace and a dance ballroom. Our docent was very knowledgeable and amiable. The house itself is not an estate per se but rather sits on a large lot. The house has many cool artifacts. Free parking lot on the side of the house. Tour lasted 75 mins. Overall, it's a nice historic house by the family who contributed significantly to the city of La Cañada.

If you're in the area visiting Descanso Gardens, try and set aside time to visit this lovely 1915…read morehome which is about a 5 minute drive away. Access only via scheduled docent led tours - it's a well-spent 1.5 hours for, believe it or not, only $5 for adults (discounts for Seniors and Students to $3, I think.) I won't repeat the program structure re: starting with a video and the path of the tour, as other reviews cover this accurately. But I will say if you're interested in stepping into a home and learning about the history of an area (La Canada) via the eyes of a family very influential to its growth, this is a must for you. Any history buff, and avid documentary watcher (you know who you are LOL) will enjoy a visit. The interiors have been restored and the vast majority of the furniture, art and collectibles are original to the 1915 construction. This is thanks to some "pack rat" sons who kept everything and more inside their parents' house before it was finally acquired by the city of La Cañada as a historical home. This isn't a vast Vanderbilt, grand estate - it's a beautiful and charming family home that has surprisingly modern touches that were ahead of their time - but maintaining the quiet elegance of another era. Docent Yvonne was lovely and the volunteer team at the Visitor Center equally helpful and kind. Great step back in time - you'll feel as if the Lanterman family could walk around the corner at any moment. Just go, you'll enjoy it!!! :-)

The gentleman in the store is nice and welcoming. He answers questions and offers tips with…read moreenthusiasm. Thank you!

A big shout out to the lady who works here during our visit in late Oct. 2019! (We should've asked…read moreher name) We usually come to Mt. Baldy for the snow, but this year, we decided to come for fall leaves and hiking. First off, we stopped at the visitor center for the parking pass. ($5 parking fee) The lady, who works there, was so informative and helpful showing us where to go, where has a better view point and all those other good suggestions! She even told us this location once was a school back in 1920s, it was also the first school they had in Mt. Baldy! The staff here def made us feel invited! Excellent service!! Some Tips: They have a actual bathroom in the visitor center. It's clean! Or else, there is a public toilet next to the parking lot, close to the entrance of hiking trials. (You can't wash your hands there) There is no WiFi in the mountains, so get yourself prepared for the route first! (Ask a map from them, screen shot your hiking routes!)

Mt Waterman is truly the greatest, local ski resort in the L.A.area. One hour from Burbank…read more "Snow from heavens, not from hoses" is their slogan and its exactly that. They do not blow snow. So the resort relies solely on Mother Nature! This year has been pretty exceptional. Open on weekends only, unless otherwise reported on their snow phone and/or website or Facebook page. There are 3 chairlifts. The Face of the mountain is experts only and can be closed if deemed unsafe (ice is generally the main culprit). The other two lifts are located at the top back of the mountain and have easy to intermediate runs. The runs tend to be a lot shorter in the back, but bonus... this place is never too packed. From what others have said, this mountain is better for skiers, and you'll see a good amount of them here. But snowboarders do come here too. As well as day hikers or those just looking to sit by a roaring fire on the top of a snow capped mountain. Lift tickets are $50 all day (ski/snowboard). $40 half day, after noon. $20 non ski user. They also offer season passes. Parking lot can fill up fast on weekend days, but there are several small lots just up and down the road. I always recommend having an ADVENTURE PASS , but it is not required in their lots. But the sheriff's will have your car towed if you park over the white lines, so keep that in mind...it's a long way to any tow yard!

This review is specifically in regards to snow sport season…read more When Mt. Waterman (only 30-miles up the ACH) opens, that's a very special occasion because they really only get to open for skiing once every 3 to 5 years because of a wide variety of factors; they do not make any snow and rely fully on mother nature, the winter can be very harsh on the mountain roads, which cuts them off a lot of times, one year a forest fire took out their phone lines, etc etc etc... it's always something. Therefore, you can't plan to go to Mt. Waterman, you just have to be ready to run when they do open! This resort may not share the polish of the other local resorts, but the entire staff is a class act and they're all just ON IT when it comes time to opening with very little notice. The people who come out are all so appreciate of the staff and you can hear everyone telling the staff thank you, etc all day, as well as chatter amongst themselves. People are generally very, very happy to be there and don't worry about the minor inconveniences that they might bitch about at the other resorts. Everyone has to get there and enjoyment while they're there because you really never know when you might be there again. The chairs are older and slower, but extremely well maintained and they get you up the slopes! Come and enjoy it anytime you can. As far as summer, the hiking trails and views are awesome and they have summer recreational sports as well, but winter is the special time to visit.