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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 !
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!
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.
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!
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.
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. :(
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.
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!
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.
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!
A beautiful walk, nice scenery, just a tad bit disappointed that it wasn't a longer hike to get to its glory. I will definitely take the trek to Hermit Falls, we went as a small group, and everyone enjoyed ourselves which was all that mattered. I recommend hiking there, don't know where/how people are jumping into the water, very risky to say the least. When parking you can pay for your pass, and actually eat. They're prepared for anything food wise, and cold drinks. Nice people, very friendly. Cool place to hike with friends.
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.
2 years ago
2 years ago
This is a 2.4 miles round trip hike that features a waterfall with two swimming holes and is fairly easy to do. Parking your vehicle here requires an Adventure Pass that can be purchased at the Park Station/Visitor Center. Early morning visit is highly recommended due to minimal parking spaces. You can try your luck by the mountain alongside of the road, if space permits. Enter where the parking latch gate is located. You'll walk on the descending paved road before a sign at a switchback in the road marks the junction with Hermit Falls Trail on the right side. The trail has several switchbacks (both shaded and non-shaded) that's fairly easy. Only towards the final mile mark, the trail starts to narrow down as you approach the top of Hermit Falls. If you're adventurous and the water level is high enough, tons have jumped off the rock ledge into the swimming holes. I don't recommend it but it's been done. Overall, great easy hike and one for the books! read more
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 ! read more
2 years ago
6 years ago
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! read more
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. read more
3 years ago
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! read more
6 years ago
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. read more
14 years ago
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. :( read more
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. read more
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! read more
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. read more
14 years ago
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! read more
A beautiful walk, nice scenery, just a tad bit disappointed that it wasn't a longer hike to get to its glory. I will definitely take the trek to Hermit Falls, we went as a small group, and everyone enjoyed ourselves which was all that mattered. I recommend hiking there, don't know where/how people are jumping into the water, very risky to say the least. When parking you can pay for your pass, and actually eat. They're prepared for anything food wise, and cold drinks. Nice people, very friendly. Cool place to hike with friends. read more
9 years ago
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. read more
This is a fun hike! It was my first time this weekend and I went Saturday and Sunday! I did get a little lost though lol. Driving & Parking: It is a climb up the mountain, kind of reminds me of the drive to Arrowhead or Big Bear. You have to drive all the way to the top for a parking pass ($5 or $10 depending if you want street parking or lot parking). The two days in a row I went, it's hard to find a spot in the lots since there's not that many spots. A friend went down and picked up the pass and we went on our way down the mountain again looking for a parking spot. Parking is kind of a pain since you need to be inside of the white line, Saturday we parked a mile away from the trail head, Sunday we were closer, probably 0.25 miles away, just depends where you can wedge your car into the mountain lol. Trail head: On Saturday I thought the trail head started at the general store, but it doesn't, it starts at the lower lot/white gate where there's a ranger asking if you have a pass on your car. Trail: Since it was my girl friend and my first time hiking Hermit Falls on Saturday, we got lost and hiked an extra 3 miles, totaling 6.1 miles on Saturday. We accidentally walked pass the Hermit Falls trail entrance. We asked though and were guided back to it. It's a smaller dirt path on the right hand side. It's not too far from the trail head. Once we found our way it we were good to go. Part of the path is in direct sun, the other half is shaded by trees. The sign said 1.2 miles to the fall, but I tracked it with Nike+ and it's about 1.5 miles. Some parts of the dirt trail were pretty narrow, so when you are passing people, some would wait for others to cross. The hike to the falls is mostly downhill, so keep in mind on the way back it's all uphill. You cross two creeks and I think pass 2 man made dams before you get to the slides and jumps. Hermit Falls: Once you get there, there's a natural pool where the slides are and you can hang out down there. Or there's the jumping part where you can jump from a 15 ft cliff or 40 ft cliff. You just put your stuff on the side and go play in the water from here! The rocks get pretty slippery. I really enjoyed the hiking and jumps! I would recommend it! The friends I took Sunday enjoyed it to! When you are walking back to your car on the rode, if you look down into the valley you can spot the cliff jumping area. read more
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. read more
Came here a couple weeks ago on a gloomy and cold day. I was surprised there was a lot of people at the location. It was super busy and parking was pretty hectic. You can also try to park along the side of the mountain but be careful!! Also, make sure to purchase an adventure pass! It's $5 a day. There are restrooms and benches out there before you start the hike. As we started the hike, it was pretty easy and do-able. It's not too far either. There was a few small streams of water where we had to cross. Not too bad. When we got to the location, it was a nice small waterfall. There are cliffs there and you can jump off into the water. I heard that the water isn't so deep so be careful! I couldn't jump or swim in the water because it was too cold. So next time I will come back in Summer! Oh btw, there are ropes for you to go down to the little waterfall/lake. It was a kind of scary because I'm afraid of heights... Ughhh. But anyways, going up was more of a struggle. Some guys came and was on their way down so they helped us. Thank you! It was very nice of them! I needed a little boost. Well this hike was very enjoyable and I liked it. Will be back soon! read more
First off, parking is kind of annoying to find when you go on a busy day. Make sure you drive up and buy the parking pass (I think it was 5 dollars) before you have to drive back down to find parking. It took me almost an hour to find parking :( There are restrooms in the beginning, but they're really dirty. The beginning of the hike was pretty easy since it was mostly just downhill. Make sure to wear good shoes because it's easy to trip and fall if your shoes don't have good grip. The trail is actually very narrow at times, which doesn't help with my fear of heights. But when you reach the end, it's worth it. It was fun watching people cliff dive. I don't think I will ever have the guts to do it though. Coming back was definitely harder since it was uphill (work out those legs! :P). I would come back again. I took off one star because of the parking situation. read more
6 years ago
RESTROOMS ARE DISGUSTING‼How come nobody mentions the dirty restrooms? I wanted to vomit! This isn't the first time I go to hermit falls and the restrooms are always always dirty, disgusting and just gross! Some People are very disgusting and nobody works there to clean them. Or where does our $5 that we pay for parking goes? Restrooms are essential to use after long hikes. PLEASE KEEP THE RESTROOMS CLEAN! Take toilet paper, wipes and Lysol w you. Also hand sanitizer and lots of water. I can't believe some people leave trash behind on the trails, some stupid people be tagging on Nature and some people can't take care of restrooms. Lastly the mapping is not clear to follow. It needs clear directions with arrows pointing which way is which. I give all my stars to Nature but some people are destroying it and apparently no one works there to take care of it. Sucks!! (FYI I was there June 2020 after pandemic) read more
I was really excited about hiking this trail... the hike itself wasn't too difficult. It is surrounded by tall trees a very beautiful walk to to the graffitied fall. The trail was dirty with so much trash I was very disappointed. I wish mor hikers took care of out land so our future generations can enjoy. I did see one hiker picking up trash that made me feel better. I will return with trash bags and do my part read more
This is a nice, short, semi easy hike in my opinion. Vary narrow trail and has tons of shade as you get down further. It does start up high and the hike goes down so he prepared for the incline back up. You get a nice view of the river and trees. Tons of squirrels and lizards. Didn't see any snakes...thank goodness. It was pretty hot for an end of June hike. I totally recommend this hike over Sturtevant Falls. When you get to the end of the trail, be ready for a swim! read more
14 years ago
Fun hike. Wear proper shoes. (I was wearing basketball shoes.. *smh* What a noob.) When I got to hermit falls, I wanted to watch people jumping off the rock. But then I decided to back off from the edge and when I did I slipped on the rock and slid from one rock to the next rock and almost slid into the water. I also saw other people slipping on the rocks too. So be careful. But no doubt it was a fun hike. Lots of people on the trail and also jumping off the rocks into the water. Parking: Can be a pain. Some people park at the bottom of the parking lot and have to walk their way up to the trail. So far I've never had any problem finding parking in the main parking lot. Don't forget to get a parking pass. Oh yeah! and watch your step walking towards the place where you buy the parking pass. I swear the ground just sank right under me while i was walking cause I ate it there too!! lol. Yeah... Wasn't my day. haha Yes I will do this trail again. read more
5 years ago
8 years ago
I didn't know this place was popular until I looked up some vids on YouTube. I've heard stories of a place where one can hike down a mountain and the side of a cliff to jump into freezing waters but never new the location. Imagine my delight when I stumbled across Hermit Falls. This place is not only a work out, but a complete adventure if you go with a ton of people. The crowd there is so energetic and encouraging. It's like all the thrill seeking people we're all on the same channel. There were chants, hi fives, cheers from people on every plateau of the mountain. It was an event to say the most. The pressure of the crowd enabled me to jump from about 25ft and to my surprise it wasn't half bad. I'm now considering the 60ft jump but you can forget about that 100 footer. There no drug or amount of money that would make me take that flight down. Make sure to take a change of clothes, comfortable shoes, and plenty of snacks if you plan on maximizing your trip. Also if you own a pair of water shoes, that will def help when your toes go numb and you want to climb out of the water. read more
Hermit falls is geared more towards the thrill seeker. You can make an invigorating, albeit dangerous jump on either a ~20 foot ledge or a more daring ~50ft ledge. The trail itself turns from hillside to a foresty area. You may even encounter a stream here or there and pass several dams. Notes: -- The hike is approx 2.6mi round trip to Chantry Flats. -- There is a 600 ft elevation change. You will be going mostly downhill towards the fall and uphill back. -- The rocks by the falls are slippery, be careful or wear shoes with good traction. -- The trail can get narrow at times. Not fun on a busy day. -- You need an adventure pass(5) for parking. Not too far from the trail head. -- Keep an eye out for poison oak/ivy (I found alot by the Dams and along the trail). -- Here is a map to the falls (note you start at Chantry Flats): http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=qpbaFBZLuvXSXVUfQdjIuQ&userid=_W7GXF-Kf_prAOCSz08Caw -- If you plan on doing both the Falls, here is where you'll find information on Sturtevant Falls: http://www.yelp.com/biz/sturtevant-falls-sierra-madre -- It never hurts to bring an extra pair of socks since you may step in water. Overall, quite a short hike (if you only plan on doing Hermit Falls) and might be disappointing if you don't plan on jumping. The water can be full of trash at times, and the rocks graffiti-ed up. This is one of the trail ends that you reach a paradox wherein one must risk ones life in order to feel alive. I don't recommend the jump for the feint of heart or the fearful of heights, otherwise, Good luck and make them memories! read more
This hike should be 5 stars. Nice elevation, beautiful canyon, and a picturesque waterfall. Not to mention the 50 foot cliff jump into one of the many pools along the granite rocks. Unfortunately, the trail is heavily littered with hundreds of water, beer, and Gatorade bottles. The waterfall and rock area is covered in graffiti. People suck and this place is more depressing than enjoyable. read more
I love it here. It's a little hard to find the trail but we asked the gentleman we bought our parking pass from and he directed us perfectly. The views are incredible. The parking is terrible we drove around for a while before finding a parking space. read more
Probably one of the best outdoors places i've encountered! I've never been cliff jumping before so this was definitely new to me. The highest i've been was a high dive at a pool party, but at that point you're sure you're not going to hit anything on the side (say, a huge protruding rock for instance LOL). But this was definitely fun and I definitely will come here again!! One of my friends did the 50 ft jump and that looked so fun! I heard people get hurt from that though, so the scaredy cat in me came out and I chickened out. But seriously, don't be scared of the 20 ft! A few friends and I actually had to talk a girl into doing it for around 15 minutes because she was too scared, but she finally did it and ended up having a great time! We also jumped 2 times each because it was so fun and refreshing especially on that hotass day. Hermit falls is known as a "reverse hike" which means you hike down hill, and when you're done you go back up. It's nice because after you jump into the water hole, you're all wet and going back up isn't as hot. Make sure not to get lost!!!! We did and we ended up taking 3 different trails... One leading to Stutervant falls (also beautiful, but no cliff jumping there), and some other places we didn't even know. But anyway, when you get to the bottom of the hill after finishing the paved part, go right and don't cross that little bridge thing!! It might not seem like a trail because it's so narrow and it's basically a trail of rocks, but trust me it's the right way haha. It'll save you around 2 hours unlike us haha. The hike down is pretty fast, and the hike back up isn't that bad either EXCEPT the walk back up to the car O M G was that brutal hahaha.... The road back up is so steep and definitely works them calf muscles. ALSOOOO we saw a bear cub no big deal or anything (definitely a big deal). Freaked everyone out, but we hadn't even jumped yet, so we ended up staying! We did realize the momma bear would be coming soon after though, so we tried to be cautious. Thankfully everyone was okay! read more
12 years ago
- - - WARNING, CONTENT MAY BE TOO EXTREME FOR A SUNDAY - - - We had been wanting to check out Hermit Falls since last Memorial Weekend. [Parking] To arrive in the lots you must drive up the winding road of the Mountain. But also, you may have to park on that road. Both occasions lots were full (first time around 10am, today 7am) and so we had to drive back down the mountain to park on the side. Several cars had Tetris'ed their way in for space. Felt unsafe both times. Also, you may need to purchase a parking pass, we got lucky with no citation. [Hike] The trail to Hermit Falls was 1.2 miles. Not bad. Change in incline made it seem longer. BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAIN SCENERY, BUT HARD TO ENJOY BECAUSE TRAILS SO NARROW AND DANGEROUS. **What I did not like was the path was extremely narrow. DANGEROUS NARROW. To the point where those onward had to back into the walls to let people heading back through. The side rails were few and this is probably not good for kids, especially the quicker ones.*** [The Cliff] Hermit falls leads to a main site that has a 20-25 ft jump and an adjacent cliff about 50ft. I can see why Hermit is popular amongst the younger crowds. Many were leaping off and recording on their phones. The 50ft drop did not have a rope to climb back up so most left it alone. Lots of graffiti and trash on cliffs and areas. ****DRAMA FOR YO MAMA TIME**** So a friend of mine wanted to take the 20ft leap. Cool. Grown man. I trekked on down to the lower part of the waterhole to be ready for anything. He's not a swimmer. He makes the jump! His woman is impressed! And I was relieved not to make a rescue. Afterwards, a young boy (11-12yrs) dived in. Came a float but struggled. Started to head-dip. His buddy (around same age) dived in to the rescue. No Bueno because Boy 1 was panicked and made Boy 2 unable to bring him back. Both Boys then were drowning. My nephew jumps in to save both but everything was in a scramble and he screamed my name. It was obviously no Baywatch moment, no Enrique Iglesias 'Hero' song playing. No time to rip off my Nikes and so slipped into the water. Those boulder rocks on the bottom had crazy algae and so getting in was tough. Anyways, went in and grabbed boy 1 and the latter two swam back in towards the rocks. I was pretty shocked and scared for those two. Someone's kid may not had gone home today. I certainly hope some communication system by that area is set up. [Leaving Hermit] As we left we saw a Helicopter circle around the area. Silently hoping nothing else on this laundry Sunday was happening. Finally, arriving back to the entrance: firetruck, paramedics, and search and rescue teams everywhere. WTF. I know mountains and hiking trails have their dangers but damn. [Overall] Of course its nice. Parking sucks. Trails are fair to moderate, but narrow as heck. Those 'Cliffs' areas are not worth anyone's life and I certainly would not bring any young children here. read more
4 years ago
What an Adventure!!! 6 of us had our minds set on hiking the Chantry Flats (first destination: Sturtevant Falls then onto second destination: Hermit Falls). Hermit Falls is an awesome little place that has about 4-5 different jump sites into the deep pools. The different jump sites had different heights starting from 15 feet up to almost 60 feet. The trail to Hermit Falls is a bit less obvious than going to Sturtevant Falls. But once you find the beginning of the trail, the trail becomes very easy to follow. The entire route to Hermit Falls takes about 20 minutes to get to. You will cross some creeks (the first creek you cross has a wooden plank with a warning sign that says "one person crossing bridge at a time"). On our way there, we encountered a rattle snake. People ahead of us warned us that they saw a rattle snake on the trail and it went into the bushes. By the time we were at the sight of the snake, we could only hear it's rattle. It was quite nerve wrecking...but we swiftly ran through the trail where the rattle snake was. We were amazed once we got there. The site and scenery of Hermit Falls is just unimaginable, considering that we are only 20 minutes drive away from the city. All but one of us jumped off the rocks into the pool. Some of us slid down the water slide (beware, your tailbone might hit some rocks on the way down). People there were very friendly and offered us tips and advices on how to tackle the fear of jumping. The hike back was deadly. It was all uphill climb on the way back. The intense heat and hot weather made it perfect to play in the water. Had it been any cooler, the water fun may not have been as refreshing. Can't wait to go again!!! read more
**THIS IS PART OF CHANTRY FLATS, and you start out from the same path as Sturtevant Falls, but not all the way to SF" Parking: You need the Angeles Forest pass here...if not you can get a daily pass for $5. I tested out my luck and parked without a pass and didn't get any ticket, yet. Distance: 2.4 round trip Trail: - So you start out from the parking lot, just like how you take the trail to Sturtevant Falls - After you pass the first sign that said "May your search through nature lead you to yourself", and see the first bench...take the right path - You'll actually see a sign that indicated "Hermit Falls" 1.2M - Once you hit the junction and see the sign, "horses trail" or "foot trail" you can take either route. - Your first crossing will start from there. And you have at least 3 more after that to cross - You'll see another sign that said you have 3/4mile left - The trail is pretty easy to find so you won't get lost. - The path is narrow and small. You start out by going down hill and going back up will actually make you sweat but it's not that bad! Pool: - So when you get to the end, there are 2 pools. I don't know how high it is but it's too high for me to jump!!! Jump at your own risk I say -The water was still strong when I went so I'm not sure it would be a good idea to jump anyway. Maybe it will be better in the summer, not as strong? - Why do people leave their stuffs behind!! It's freaky and ruining the place in general. I saw 1 sandal, a pair of socks, boxer?!?! read more
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More info about Hermit Falls
Santa Anita Ave
Arcadia, CA 91066
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Indoor Amenities
Outdoor Amenities
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…
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
Is it still open?
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…
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
Review Highlights - Hermit Falls
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