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Hermit Falls

4.0 (298 reviews)

Hermit Falls Photos

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Steven H.

Still closed as of 6/11/23. I biked up and did the hike. It's. 1,280 elevation gain from the base (3.2m). I went all the way to the "falls" where people used to jump off the rock. The whole trail is in bad shape, spots are washed out , trees in the way , etc . It's not good or going to be open for a while based on the condition , but it was beautiful !

Austin C.

I came here on a Saturday morning around 9 AM with a few of my friends. Purchasing the $5 adventure day pass was simply done at the station in the parking lot. The parking lot was completely full at this time, so we parked about a 10 minute walk down the road; valet parking was offered for $20. The hike itself wasn't bad - mostly downhill going towards the falls and the opposite coming back. This hike can easily be completed within 2 hours. There were multiple instances during the hike where we encountered groups of young adults blasting music from their portable speakers. I'm all for listening to music during a hike, but I also believe you should be respectful to your surroundings and especially to those around you. If I wanted to blast Lil Uzi Vert with an elderly couple trailing closely behind me, then I would at least have the decency to wear headphones. Furthermore, the amount of trash and graffiti throughout the entire hike leading up to the waterfall was unpleasant to say the least. Most of the large boulders around the waterfall were covered in spray paint. The fact that Hermit Falls is close to the city, is a fairly easy hike, and has a waterfall that's a popular jumping spot only attracts more of the younger generation. There are far better hikes than this one!

This trail is still closed unfortunately. 1/9/24 drove all the way to find it was closed

Burnt
Kim S.

Beautiful hike. Mostly shady area. There are tons of bugs. Not many mosquitos tho. We got here around 9-10 am which is later than we expected and there is no parking spots near the park already. We parked on the street a mile away from the trailhead. You'll need to reserve parking permit if you want to park inside. The trail is easy, nothing difficult. As long as you follow the sign, should be able to get there in no time. The fall is nice and there is a pool under it. On the way back, we met a little friend- young rattlesnake. Just be careful and bring a hiking stick to go on the hike. (They are more scared than you) My main issue is many people leave trashes on the trails or put graffitis on the boulders which destroys the beauty of the nature. Sad to see some people don't cherish the nature. Tip: get here as early as possible. It gets hot and no shade if you have to park far out.

Sign by the dirt path leading to the pack store
Cyl C.

It's definitely been awhile since I went on this particular hike, but definitely as I remembered the last time I went. We had to drive up a winding path and then find parking in their two lots: one of cement and one of dirt. If you can't find parking in either you could park along the mountain side of the road you took up to get there, but you need to have an adventure pass or will be ticketed. So my boyfriend and I didn't get an adventure pass before coming up, but we had three available options for us to do in order to avoid a ticket: 1. Park in the dirt lot in front of the pack store. Make sure to grab a yellow envelope from this little wooden board to the left of the pack store entrance. Place a $5 bill inside, seal the envelop, write down your car's license plate number, and then put it into the yellow box attached to the wooden board. 2. Wait for the pack store to open to get a pass for $5, but their store opens at 10:00AM and we had arrived there at about 8:00AM. 3. Go down the mountain to buy a pass and come back up. Obviously we picked the first option since it made the most sense and we lucked out on having exact change in hand. So we made sure to use the facilities before going on this hike and there is no soap dispensers in there. We walked down the dirt path from the lot, leading to the cement road, and then walked down passing this white gate that continued to go down the mountain. If you haven't realized already this hike requires you to go down and then back up to get to your car. We walked a bit down on the paved path, past a sign with a quote on it, and eventually saw a another small sign that indicated that the path to Hermit Falls began there and that the path to Struvent Falls was a bit further down. So it was easy getting down the path in the beginning with a few steep parts here and there, especially if you chose to go off path, which you shouldn't. You could hear the rush of water getting a little louder as you go further down and you will see a lot of lizards out and about so watch your step! It got a bit confusing when you finally reach the bottom and see cabins here and there because you do have to cross over water streams via stepping on rocks and logs about three times as you make your way to the falls. You will pass two manmade waterfalls before you reach the natural one that has three tiers. It was really shaded down there and felt really refreshing after walking in the heat. After passing the second manmade watefall that's when the path will start having you walk up and down till you get to the final waterfall. Once you get there you could see where people have cliff dive, but the water pool at the bottom of each tier doesn't look too deep. The waterfalls aren't bursting at the seams with water, but it's still pretty cool to check out. The water is cool and refreshing, so feel free to dip your feet in. If you want to get to the bottom tier, you would have to do a bit of rock climbing and is a rope that you could use to get down and back up again. Was not that adventurous for that part. Then after spending sometime there, we had to make our way back up and that was grueling for me this time around since I have been so out of shape. When we eventually got back up, the store was about to open and we decided to wait till it did to check it out. But it wasn't too exciting since the store was only the porch area with some chips going for $1.50 and drinks ranging from $2 to $3 depending on what you get, including beer. They do offer sunblock and like I mentioned before you could purchase an adventure pass too. They rent out cabins for you to use if you want and pack mules to help you get supplies down. They have pet goats in a gated area to the far right from the shop and they do serve actual lunch meals, but haven't gotten a chance to try that out, but advertise hotdogs and hamburgers. Definitely will be coming back to this area to try their other hikes!

Dee D.

I'm by no means a trailblazer or outdoorsy and adventurous. I've only been on like 6 hikes in my 40 years of life, lol. This one was fun, but a bit challenging for my 11 year old since this is his 3rd hiking trip and he's not very outdoorsy and adventurous either. The paths were moderate for us. First part (paved road) from the parking lot down was a breeze, not so much on the way back up, lol. The rest through the trees and bushes was fairly easy with a few small challenges for us beginners. The creek hopping was cool. Definitely recommend water shoes, it makes it so much easier and safer, since you don't have to worry about slipping off rocks or losing your balance. Water is clean! And there are some cool cabins on the way. Yes, the path as you get closer to the falls are narrow, but overall not bad. I definitely didn't expect what we saw when we arrived to our destination...it's beautiful! Pretty clean with some graffiti, unfortunately. I even saw some kid writing on a big rock with a gold marker, SMH!! People were jumping off the cliffs, there are "rock slides" to get down to the main wading area and a nice sturdy rope to get you back up. Good spots for a picnic too. I would definitely do it again.

The shaded part on the way to Hermit Falls
Jason R.

I have hiked to Sturtevant a few times, but did the Hermit Falls trail for the first time yesterday. Parking- Chantry Flats parking lot just like Sturtevant; Adventure Pass needed Trail- same trailhead as Sturtevant, go down the fire road for a couple minutes and you will see a sign on the right; downhill to the falls and of course an uphill trek back but it isn't too hard since RT is only about 2.5 miles Vibe- beautiful scenery but the vibe is much different...almost everyone we saw were in the late teens and early 20s age range...loud music, don't initiate a "Hi", Converse wearing, guys w/out shirts, smell of weed in the air, and more graffiti and trash than Sturtevant that left me with a bit of a "yucky" feeling when all was said and done.

the giant leap of faith. yep, that splash at the bottom is me!
Catherine C.

Not a bad hike at all! And to tell you the truth, the waterfalls weren't spectacular either, though they were still pretty. What Hermit Falls is REALLY known for is the jumps! My friends and I decided to go to Hermit Falls this morning, and around 9:30 AM, there were already cars parked all along the mountain. We had to park a little ways down and walk up, but it wasn't a big deal. Parking is $5 for an adventure pass, but my friend has an annual pass so we were good. The trail starts off the same path as Sturtevant Falls, but it forks off to the right and it's called First Water Trail. It's a smaller path, and we didn't see too many people on this trail actually. It's a short hike down with 2 small streams to cross before arriving at the falls. Once there, it clears up, and the first thing you see is 2 small water falls that make a natural slide and a jumping point about 15 feet sown into a pool of water. If you walk a little further, there's another point that's somewhere between 50-60 feet high! My friends and I were planning on jumping off the short cliff, but we saw some people by the higher one and went over to talk to them. Since it was still relatively early and there weren't many people there, no one had jumped yet. We wanted to see if someone would actually do it, so we just sat there and waited to see someone jump. One guy finally did! Kudos to him for being the first one! I wanted to do it, but seriously, it's high and I was scared for my life! But I worked up the courage. It's a little tricky because halfway down, the cliff juts out a little, so you really do have to jump to avoid hitting it. I finally forced myself not to think about it, said a little prayer, and jumped! ..... The drop took forever. I had time to think to myself that I couldn't believe I actually jumped and was crazy. And when that thought was done, I had time to think, "WHY AM I NOT IN THE WATER YET?!" Not going to lie, it was painful hitting the water (jump straight, feet first!) and the water was FREEZING. But really, I was just mostly thinking, "Woohoo I did it! And I'm alive!" I know, it's not the safest thing in the world, but it was exhilarating! But try at your own risk. And make sure the water level is high enough before you jump! I also jumped off the smaller one. That drop, in comparison to the massive one, was easy peasy! If you want a thrill but can't do the big one, do this one! It's fun, painless and safer! The climb back up wasn't too bad except for one difficult section where a rope really helps. There was a rope today - hopefully it'll still be there and no one takes it! Also, if you use the rope, let it back down for other people! When I was climbing up, the previous person didn't let it all the way down so we had a slightly more difficult time. Also, people should stop tagging nature. There was graffiti all over the rocks. :(

Cydney M.

The hike to Hermit Falls was beautiful and I almost felt like I wasn't near L.A. at all. Details: 12/8/13 Drove up to the end of Santa Anita which was about 6 miles from the exit on the 210. The road is very narrow and windy so I had to drive pretty slow. There are a few parking areas at Chantry Flats where you need to display your Adventure Pass. I was not lucky when I arrived because all spots were taken. I ended up having to pay $10.00 near the Pack Station Café to park, but they refunded me the $5.00 I paid for the daily pass. I met with our Wolf Pack members as follows: Wan L. , Tony L., Gloria R. & Cecile C. It was near freezing up there, so if you come up here in December bring layers and gloves. I was thankful I had my gloves for sure. Trail to Hermit Falls: This is just one of the many hikes from Chantry Flats. Go past the gate near the entrance and head downhill. You will see a sign off to your right that is really worn out and old, but it reads, " May Your Search Through Nature Lead You to Yourself". Shortly after this sign you will see another sign on your right pointing to the right and it indicates that it is 1.2 miles to Hermit Falls. Follow this trail all the way to the bottom and then you'll see the water and you'll have to hop from rock to rock to get across to the other side. The trail just goes downstream and it is a very beautiful trail at that. There are vibrant green ferns, lots of beautiful trees, cabins and a few man made dams. Hermit Falls was nice, but smaller than I had imagined. The boulders were large and I could see how dangerous that area could be. It was pretty cold up there in December, so there was zero temptation to jump in the water. I seriously don't think I would want to jump in there if it was the middle of summer either. MIsc. Info: -If you park in the $10 lot by the Pack Station you can charge it on your credit card. -They serve food there, but I saw how disgusting the bathrooms were. I saw some Forest Service workers walking around, but apparently cleaning bathrooms is not something that gets done. - Dan's Hiking Pages has some more details which are helpful: http://www.simpsoncity.com/hiking/hermit.html Tips: -Bring hand sanitizers for sure. -Don't forget to bring layers. You can always leave your jacket in the car if it's warm. -Hiking boots would be good because there are some steep and slippery areas on the trail. -Poles would be good because there are some steep parts. -Carpool from an area in Arcadia to save all the expense of purchasing passes for multiple cars. We did not, but maybe next time we will. Parking spots were limited. Recommendation: It is a nice hike that I would definitely like to do again in the late Spring.

Water :)
Danny T.

FUN and LOCAL Hike! Very Short trail and very easy to go down. The best part of this trail is at the end there is a pool of water were everyone cliff jumps off of. To get down into that area you do have to climb down, there are already ropes set up to help you get down (one person at a time) be very careful because even though it has the set up it still is a little dangerous. Make sure to bring water shoes and MAKE SURE the WATER level is not to shallow, you only want to jump in if the water level is somewhat high. Have FUN and be SAFE!

Stephanie T.

Instead of picturesque memories of lush greenery, flowing streams and endless views, our recent expedition to Hermit Falls will forever be marred by the lush piles of plastic water bottles/trash; flowing bits of broken glass (from beer bottles) and endless trails of dog poop. The rumors are true, the scathing reviews a depressing reality-- this place is a dump. Seriously, how irresponsible and lazy are these visitors that they can't walk 10 more steps to a trash can or simply hold their disposables until they leave?! Truly a shame considering the potential of this once beautiful place. Trash and dumpiness aside, we arrived a little past 8 on a Saturday morning and by that time parking was already tight. Luckily we were able to score a spot off the highway. The hike itself was about 1 hour each way and pretty simple for my 8 and 10-year old-- except for the trek going uphill on the way back--- take plenty of water and rest! When you get to the swimming hole, you will have to climb down to actually see the "waterfall" (which at first only had a light stream thanks to all the trash that built up). Fortunately for Mother Nature, two [very] good-doers happened to be frequenting the swimming hole that morning for their monthly clean up of the area. Trash bag and trash pickers in hand they were able to clear the mouth of the waterfall allowing a strong flow to replenish the swimming hole below. Thank you young couple (see photo) and continue doing what you do--- Mother Nature and the rest of us are indebted to you!!! And if you happen to run into them on your journey, stop and thank them, as they are lot better than most--- yours truly included.

Emily T.

4.5 stars!! Parking is simple but hard to find in the small lot during busy hours. ADVENTURE PASS NEEDED! This parking lot is shared with Sturtevant Falls and begins at the same entrance and the trail to Hermit Falls is on the right side when the trail splits about 5 minutes after the entrance. You are mostly going downhill on the way to the falls and you have to climb down some boulders in order to see the falls. The majority of the trail is very narrow, about 2.5 feet, along the edge. It was kind of scary for me because I'm a little scared of heights and there weren't any bushes to hide the edge of the cliffs and give the illusion of a "wall". The trail is dog friendly but I don't think you and your dog are able to get down the boulders/giant rocks to see the waterfall from a parallel view if that's what you're aiming to see. There's also a rope that you need to use to climb down even further. You can stop at the boulders to sit on the edge and peer downwards into the water and see the waterfall from an above angle. Going back to the car is the most tiring part because you're going back uphill. There's graffiti on a lot of the rocks which is kind of disappointing but I guess it's someone else's work of "art" and expression. Round trip with a few minutes to check out the water took almost 3 hours.

Juanita D.

This place is beyond beautiful. This review is specifically for Hermit Falls hike which is only about a 2 mile hike. The park itself has multiple trails so keep that in mind when choosing to come hike here. What I loved about this trail was you literally start at the top of the mountain and hike your way down to the bottom. The hike itself isn't that long but you could easily spend hours upon hours down in the trail, hiking through the stream, diving into the pond, hang out by the waterfalls. The word has definitely got out about this place. This was our 3rd attempt in the past month to get hiking this trail... if you want decent parking, get there before 7:30am. - you have been warned - and you will have to pay for a parking voucher at the camp site near the parking lots - usually runs about $5. Based on the reviews and photos, you'd be crazy not to check this place out. I didn't even know this place existed before... so happy I found this park! :) I'll be back!

the slide area

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Page 1 of 8

Ask the Community - Hermit Falls

Do anyone know this trail open yet on May 2025 yet?

Hermit Falls is permanently closed. The trail was damaged in the Bobcat Fire and they're not fixing it. Too many injuries and deaths so they've opted to let nature reclaim what's left of a trail. Done forever per the people that work at the pack… Read more

The trail Still closed?

Yes

Is the trail open for November 2023 yet?

Closed indefinitely

Is it still closed?

Closed

Is the trail open yet?

Closed

Is this hike still closed now?

Closed

Is it open now?

Still closed as of July 17th 2022.

Is Hermit Falls open now; if so is a online reservation required?

No as of april 2022 it's still closed due to road construction. Won't be open for a while even though the fire was lifted

Are these falls open?

Yes, the trails are open. There are many trails lead to different falls or spots. You can based on your day and time to decide. One hermit falls trail is closed when we visited last month (July 2020) due to some fire I think.

Do we need a reservation to hike here?

You'll need to purchase parking permit if you want to park inside the park. It's easy to park on both sides of the road prior to the entrance.

Is it open now because of the fire on Monday?

I drove up there today and it was unfortunately closed:(

Is the trail still closed during the weekends?

No it's open but it does get very, very crowded.

Is hermit falls open?

Yes the Falls are open. Very crowded right about now tho. Arrive early

Is trail suitable for strollers?

Definitely and it's not baby friendly, it's super steep and you have to climb over many rocks and cross many rivers and the road/hiking trail is very very narrow and very very dangerous there's no rails going down so if you fall off the road you… Read more

Is this trail open right now during the corona virus? Or is there somewhere I can call/check?

Yes it is open

Are both trails open during the pandemic?

Yes they are open but not the bathrooms

Is this still open or close?

Open now

Is hermit falls open right currently?

Yes

Is hiking trail still closed?

Nope

View All 41 Questions

Review Highlights - Hermit Falls

Last time we came up to Chantry Flat on a weekend, we ended up at Sturtevant Falls because we got lost.

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Hoegee's Loop Trail

Hoegee's Loop Trail

(20 reviews)

Worked on this trail recently with Bear Canyon Trail Crew and had a blast…read more The trail isn't that difficult with a few stream crossings with shallow water lines in February 2026. The trail has some decent shade in some areas, but a lot of exposed areas as well. This trail is secluded from the outside world compared to Chantry Flats and is a perfect day hike to get away from people. Highly recommend coming early to beat the heat and find parking. A day pass or an adventure pass is needed for parking. Beware of poison oak. There's a lot in this area. Would come back!

During a recent weekend backpacking trip with my son and his Boy Scout troop, I enjoyed our first…read morenight of camping at Hoegee's Camp on the Loop Trail. As posted in my other Chantry-esque reviews, I've hiked this area hundreds of times, but always with young kids or inexperienced hikers... thus, we end up at Sturtevant Falls instead of venturing into connected trails. This time, we arrived at the Chantry lot around 6 P.M., hung our Forest Adventure Passes on the rearview mirrors, and backpacked with headlamps into the local hills. At the bottom of the asphalt-paved trail from the parking lot-- just as soon as you cross the footbridge, the trail to Hoegee's branches off to your left. A slow but steady uphill climb saw us arrive at Hoegee's camp in the dark of night. Just a few other folks were availing themselves of campsites, so our group of about 15 made camp, and enjoyed a sack dinner. All trash and food was secured in bear cans (which we brought) and a bear box that was found in the middle of camp near the trail. Plenty of bears in the area at all times, so be bear aware. No, actually, you probably aren't very good at creating a bear hang, and you're doing it wrong. Use the bear box! Plenty of water rushing over the nearby spillway for late winter/early spring was a delightful sound as I fell asleep on my not-entirely flat camp spot selected in the dark. In the morning, we awoke with the morning light to a beautiful canopy of oak trees. After breakfast, we tore down camp quickly, and continued up the loop for Spruce Grove. This hike can be completed in a single day, to be sure... but if you want to stretch it into an overnighter, camping here is free for first-come, first-served folks. Do note that there are no restroom facilities at Hoegee's camp-- so you're going nature potty and/or digging a latrine. Please be sure to move far away from Winter Creek before digging your little hole... everyone downstream thanks you :) If you're doing the day loop, there is a restroom at Spruce Grove, but no running water.

Inspiration Point via Castle Canyon

Inspiration Point via Castle Canyon

(191 reviews)

Long and difficult hike but worth the view! About 10 miles…read moreround trip from Cobb Estate. Bring a hat, lots of water, snacks, sunscreen, and BUG SPRAY. Me and my husband started around 7:30am and finished the whole hike around 1pm at a steady pace with about an hour break when we got to Inspiration Point. The hike from Cobb Estate to Echo Mountain was a breeze for us, but the hike from there to Inspiration was a whole other story. I recommend wearing long pants as the second half of the hiking path isn't as clear and pretty narrow on some parts. We took our time and treaded lightly but still got some minor scratches on our legs from all of the branches and leaves. My husband started getting irritated from walking into all of the spider webs lol. Not sure if the actual hike was 2 miles from Echo Mountain because it felt so much longer than that. We started getting really tired near the end from all the incline. We almost gave up until my husband saw the view of Inspiration Point. Once we got there, the views made it all worth it! Would we do it again? Maaaaaybe lol.

Updated review: I've been to Inspiration Point twice now, most recently after the great Los Angeles…read more"blizzard" of early 2023. And how super intense and cool (figuratively and literally) it was! Total about 10mi from the top of Lake - Echo Mountain - Castle Canyon trail - Inspiration Point - Sam Merrill trail - Echo Mountain and back down to Lake. DEFINITELY a strenuous hike and would highly recommend hiking poles, sunscreen, water, and snacks! The view is incredible, especially with tons of fresh snow everywhere. Hiked this early March 2023 and the Castle Canyon trail leading off from Echo Mountain (a decent hike in its own right) is pretty challenging, if not a bit brutal in some areas: slippery snow, downed trees and bushes blocking the path, and a heavy incline. Again, highly recommend poles. Once at Inspiration Point the view is phenomenal. The Pacific Ocean, Palos Verdes, Catalina Island, and even Anaheim and Irvine are all visible from the top, and downtown LA too of course. Lots of picnic benches and photo-op-worthy view finders for major Southern California sites. Gorgeous San Gabriel mountains in the background. The Sam Merrill trail leading down the backside of the mountain (and then curving back around to the south/west) is much more tame (but still a bit precarious with 2+ feet of snow) and very sun-exposed all the way back to Echo Mountain. All in all probably one of the more butt-kicking Los Angeles hike. Takes about 4-5hrs round trip depending on your pace.

Hermit Falls - hiking - Updated May 2026

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