FUN rock scrambling at almost 45 degrees! It was slightly out of the way on our drive to LA but I…read morewanted to come here for a long time. A lot of movies, music videos, and TV have been filmed here, often to depict otherworldly alien landscape, it was in a couple episodes of Star Trek and the gift shop has some Star Trek related merchandise. You can park right next to the famous rocks and go climbing up, this is my favorite type of park since there are no guardrails or fences, you can go where you want. Be careful though, the ranger told us the week before we went someone got scared coming down and broke their ankle and had to be airlifted out, remember it's always easy to climb up than it is to climb down. Toward the back of the famous rocks are some nice boulders and a hike you can go on, some of these rocks look like animals or faces and is worth checking out if the famous ones are too crowded. The witches hat is a bit hard to find but go to the visitor center and it's walkable from there. The rangers can help you find it, there are also animals in the different sheds you can check out.

Hidden little gem for you your friends and family to come down and check out. On-site staff at the…read moremain Center are super sweet and answer any and all questions that you have and you additionally get an opportunity to see some of the local wildlife up close. For the most part trails are pretty flat however, rocky and uneven ground in certain parts so make sure to wear sturdy shoes. I'd recommend taking a backpack with some water, pack a few snacks, or even a sack lunch to enjoy while on the trail. And most importantly make sure to take your trash out with you.

This review is for the Indian Canyon North Via Pacific Crest Trail which was a ~4.5 mile round trip…read morethat took ~2 hours to complete. Trail entrance is across the street from the parking lot. The first ~0.5 miles was a bit overgrown and washed out. In addition, there was one large stream crossing with a lot of water. For this particular stream, it was somewhat ankle deep otherwise you can cross by using the logs and trees. Once you cross the railroad tracks to another part of the PCT, it becomes a steady incline / flat trail for the remaining duration of the hike. Plenty of wildflowers and views throughout the hike. Unfortunately, nothing exciting at the end of the trail. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/DyMKtjR5YZk

A decent trail and hike. No trees just bare hills. Would be pretty in spring but rather lackluster…read morein late summer/fall. No bikes or motorcycles allowed. Parking is easy and there's a restroom at the parking lot. The trail connects to the PCT so you can make it a longer hike if you want.

Wonderful hike to the top of Parker Mountain where there is the foundation of an old fire lookout…read moretower. We only saw one other person on the hike today. Beautiful views at the top!

A nice, easy hike on a pretty decently maintained dirt road. 2 mikes uphill outgoing and 2 miles…read moredownhill back. Nice views and the foundation left of the fire watchtower. No shade so not advisable on hit da.

This is one of my favorite trails as you have an opportunity for a great workout. I enjoy the…read moretrails as it has a mix of moderate and advanced. You have a great opportunity for a bike ride, jog, or run that brings in a workout well worth it.

This was my first time coming here, and I really enjoyed it. The trail has two fairly steep hills…read moreone going up and one on the way back so it's about a 2-3 mile hike depending on your pace. I'd rate it easy to moderate because of those hills. I brought my 5-year-old, and she was able to handle it, but she did complain on the way back, so next time I probably won't bring her. The views are really nice, and there are a few smaller trails around the area. I'm definitely planning to go again. I went a bit late around 9 a.m., and the sun was already pretty strong, so going earlier would be better. Overall, I 100% recommend this hike.

We did the loop on 12/30/22. There were patches of ice and snow. I wore microspikes for about a 1/3…read moreof the hike. We did the loop and the total mileage was 7 miles. The 2 people I did the hike with didn't have microspikes and they were fine. A lot of this area has been affected by the fires over the previous couple years. Since it is such a long, winding drive along Hwy 2 this trail is not very busy. Make sure to display your Adventure Pass parking permit. Because of the recent storms the waterfall had a good amount of water.

This is a 3 mile (roundtrip) trail that takes you to a really cool waterfall that's located deep…read morewithin the San Gabriel Mountains. Tall trees provide shade throughout most of the trail. There are just the right amount of people on the trail where it is not too crowded and it's also not too secluded. What I wish I would have known before I went was that you can park right next to the trailhead. If you enter into Buckhorn Campgrounds you can drive right up to the trailhead parking lot. I didn't know this so I parked at the outer parking lot and had to walk a half a mile down the hill. The parking lot nearest the trailhead actually had less cars then the outer parking lot. The other thing is that the majority of the trail is really easy to follow. You just have to remember that when you get to the signage and junction that lists both Cooper Canyon Trail and Burkhart Trail be sure to keep going straight along the Burkhart Trail. The falls will be a little further down on your left. You will have to descend down to the canyon bottom, with the assistance of a rope, to reach the base of the falls. Kids can do it no problem. The waterfall empties into a pool of water that's about a foot deep. It's really cold and refreshing. The waterfall was really wide with a nice and strong flow. Be sure to bring your Adventure Pass. There's no cell service. There are bathroom but they were all locked probably due to Covid-related precautions.

Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness contains 26,839 acres of pristine California land reaching from the…read moremountains to the desert. I found out about it by accident while on the hunt for wildflowers; I entered the Wilderness from the west, via the Burkhart Trail next to Buckhorn Campground in the Angeles National Forest. This wilderness is home to several trails, including the Pacific Crest Trail and Islip Saddle, and offers some of the most stunning land I've ever seen. Please check your GPS before heading off into the wilderness; the directions on Yelp may not be 100% accurate. An actual paper map will be more accurate in this area; there is no service or signal. I parked in the Burkhart Trail parking lot and entered from there. Take your charged phone (you may still be able to call or text 911 in case of emergency),map and compass, snacks, water, and anything necessary to survive completely on your own. Look out for falling trees; this area burned not too long ago but seems to be recovering beautifully. You will be rewarded for your efforts by views of unspoiled lands, wildflowers, pine trees, waterfalls and wildlife. Absolutely stunning. Protect your wilderness by leaving no trace; pack it in and pack it out https://lnt.org/ Let someone know when you are going; folks have been lost in the area. Stay safe and enjoy this spectacular experience.

It's up and down. Can be a little tough going up. I am a beginner and manage to make it throughread more

I've been hiking in this area for a few years. I started out with the short loop trail then…read moreadvanced to the Devil's Punchbowl trail, and then yesterday completed the Devil's Chair trail. I didn't know about the Chair trail until recently. I found that with the short loop trail, since it was reasonably close to the ranger station, the reception was okay. While hiking the Devil's Punchbowl trail there was hardly any reception. I have Verizon as my carrier. The Devil's Chair Trail had great reception. I was able to periodically text my family and update them, letting them know I was okay. When hiking I use Spotify and ensure my songs are downloaded so even offline I can listen to music. This also works well when I want to listen to Audiobooks I've downloaded. The Chair trail was quiet, there wasn't anyone else on the trail or even much wildlife besides lizards and some insects. It wasn't bad at all. The trail was pretty well maintained with some areas needing extra support. Shout-out to the employees who ensured the steep cliffs and the Devil's Chair Trail were safe to walk on. The Chair itself is on a rock so someone had to get there and install the fencing for safety. Thank you, whoever you are! As with many other trails in Southern California there is some fire damage. Some fallen trees. This trail has A LOT of rocks so step gingerly and don't roll your ankles. Most of the trail is not covered so sunscreen/sunblock and proper gear is really important. The trail is roughly 3-5 hours. I clocked about 3 hours 55 minutes moving time on Strava but 4 hours 28 minutes total on AllTrails. I stopped a bit to catch my breath, get water and just observe nature. Everyone says it's a 7 mile trail. I'm not sure what I did but it was 9 miles for me. I am blessed to have been able to enjoy it.

I don't live too far away and had been going to several of these campgrounds for more than 20…read moreyears. I always liked Camp Zuni, as well as a bunch of secret spots, which I would never divulge publicly. The stories I read of folks not being able to find the falls always make me smile, as part of the beauty of that has always been that's the point. To keep the outsiders at bay without outright saying you can't come there. Similarly, that's the exact reason why the place has been ruined in the first place, is those people.

Back in the 60's and 70's it was our party place of choice. There was no graffiti and everything…read morewas maintained. We spent a lot of weekends up there. Back then it was a 5 star kind of place. Loved the little beer and BBQ joint on the way up. It's a shame it isn't kept up.

I wanted to find a trail that was secluded and didn't have mass crowds following me my entire hike…read more This trail is not too much further than most of the other "popular" tourist hikes available in the surrounding area, however, it is very isolated. My buddy and I hiked over 4 hours and never saw or heard a single soul. This fact alone makes the hike worth the small drive. As far as difficulty, the original hike down is pretty straight forward. There are some steep cliffs with very little room for error at certain points. While this isn't immediately frightening for the average hiker, I wouldn't recommend it for the faint of heart. Just be sure to watch your step! It will seem easy at first because you are going down the whole time. Remember, the way back up isn't your run-of-the-mill trek. . You must make your way back up the same route you originally came down. Keep this in mind and be sure your in good enough shape to complete the hike. Bring lots of water and stay hydrated. Most importantly, be sure to buy a day pass for parking or you will be fined. You can pick one up for $5 at Big 5 and other participating locations. I how you enjoy it as much as did!

It doesn't seem like many people hike through here as much since the fire…read more I ran into fresh snake holes on the trail, so be careful. Snakes usually avoid humans, so hopefully if more people start using the trail they will move somewhere safer. There's lots of tall and itchy vegetation growing near and on the trail, I reccomend to wear pants. Overall, it's a lovely trail with an amazing view. The camground is clear and spacious. The first stream crossing you'll encounter is barely a trickle. Dont worry! There's more water the further you hike and enough at the campsite to filter some water. It's not a pool anymore, but its deep enough to go halfway up your calves.

Over Thanksgiving weekend I wanted to get some fresh air and burn off a few holiday indulgences, so…read moreI found this great trail to hike with an excellent view of the Quartz Hill/Palmdale area. This is also a trail that memorializes a local hero (Sgt Steve Owen of the LA County Sheriff's Dept) that was gunned down and then executed by a parolee with a stolen gun during an attempted robbery. https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-sergeant-steve-owen-killed-20161006-snap-story.html The trail begins along the Palmdale aqueduct (a section really popular with runners and dog walkers) and then veers off to the right at about the 0.5 mile mark to begin the ascent to the first memorial bench on top of a lookout point. The out and back hike in total is short at 3.5 miles, with all of the elevation gain in little over a mile, so consider this more of a mini peak hike to get some morning exercise and take in a great view of the AV. There's ample free parking across the street from the trailhead and a porta potty. If you don't want to hike the hill, there's also the paved side of the Palmdale Aqueduct trail that's also accessible from this trailhead.

Nice little hike. Lots of trails. Good place for dogs. Watch out for snakes during seasonread more