Nice beginner destination for a backpacking trip…read more Likes: + Great view of Altadena/Pasadena and the LA county. Maybe you can spot Catalina or the Disney fireworks at night in the distance. + Pleasant getaway from town. Quiet, peaceful nature ambience. + A couple firepits for roasting your food with friends. + Great Mt Wilson with access to the giant 60-inch and the 100-inch Hooker telescopes. A hike you can do in a day. A camping/backpacking trip you can do in day & night. + Trails are wide and well defined. Non-likes: - The water spigot here runs extremely slow. I recommend packing your own extra water. - Restrooms running low on toilet paper. - Cosmic Cafe only open Apr-Sept 10am-5pm, and 10-4pm late Sept-Nov. If you walk farther uphill about 1-2 min, you'll find the white lavatory. Restroom stalls are more spacious than the auburn one. The water fountain and the water spigot there run fine and strong.

What goes up, must come down…read more This hike was a moderate 3 mile hike up and around the San Gabriel Mountains, but so much easier to trek back down. Although we did an extra mile after missing the turn and ended up hiking a total of 7 miles; it wasn't too bad. I only hike about once a month, so I took a few breaks along the way up so it took us about 3 hours roundtrip. The hike starts at the Eaton Canyon Nature Reserve after parking on the street along Altadena. There's parking in a lot as well but I find it easier to park on the street than finding a spot during peak hours. We started the hike by following the Eaton Canyon Falls trail, then veered onto the Walnut Canyon trail, and then followed the Old Mount Wilson Toll Road the rest of the way to the campground. There's some shade on the hike but not much so I wouldn't hike this during the Summer. We did this on 12/2/18 in 64 degree weather and it was perfect. We saw some people that did a one night backpacking trip so it's an ideal spot to practice for longer trips. There are bathrooms but they were locked when we were there and there is no water. There are also lots of tables available so pack a picnic and enjoy the view. Directions I used. If you see a white bridge on your way back, you missed the turn like I did and just did an extra mile. https://modernhiker.com/hike/henninger-flats/

Such a lovely weekend getaway. If you live in LA, but want to feel like you are far from the city,…read morethis is definitely the spot. It's less than an hour drive away It feels completely out of touch from the city bustle. There are many campsites, but they can fill up quickly on a holiday weekend. We went on Friday night around 11 PM and there was less than 10 sites left. I'd imagine by Saturday morning they were completely filled. I'd recommend driving around a couple times to scout which spot best fit your needs. There are some that feel really isolated from other campsites and there are a ton that are very close knit. The sunsets are phenomenal. And the overall atmosphere was serene and it was nice to see the amount of other people just collectively experiencing camping. There are water spouts, but we didn't end up using them. The bathrooms were as expected for a campground. There are hikes nearby that I would save off line prior to visiting so you can access directions while up there. And just an FYI, it is a first come first serve campground so it's nice as an option if you randomly decide you want to go camping! I don't know if there's any active creeks or rivers nearby, but it doesn't feel like a dry flat desert campground more on the forest type of campground. It's also dog friendly, definitely keep them on a leash for safety, and I would recommend clearing out the campsite floor prior to setting up because we did find a few nails and opened safety pins.

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

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

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

The restroom's are nasty you can barely pee the smell is awful and for the price you pay the night…read more. I don't think so

I give this place two stars, just because the restrictions not being able to have a restroom and a…read moreshower tent up, or you will get a fine for having one. The restroom was dirty which I didn't like the trash containers were full. The days we were there they weren't being empty, also there was trash everywhere. The reason they don't let portable bathrooms tents is because people would throw their poop into the river which is disgusting people need to respect Gods nature, please don't leave trash when you leave. Besides all this place is beautiful slightly quiet but some noisy with cars and motorcycles racing on the Main Street going up or down hill. Be careful and stay safe have a wonderful time, oh also didn't see or hear any bears just foxes

Great views frrom camp sites of planets, meteors, stars…read more Clean, well maintained site for daily as nightly usage. Plenty of trails to access the lical sites of clear views of mountains, sky, desert communities below.

We came here the weekend of June 19-21. It is one of the most aesthetic campgrounds, especially…read moreduring sunset hour! I will come back solely for the view, it was that beautiful! There are also numerous pine trees throughout that provide shade and a relaxing sound with the wind. I loved the nature part of this camp, and loved that there was even a walking trail traversing the perimeter of the grounds. The campsites are well spaced out for the most part as the campground is pretty big. Some sites are on the perimeter of the camp (best sunset views) and some on the inner part of the camp such as our campsite on site 83. Our site was near a bathroom which was very clean with no stench upon arrival. We also were near a water spout which had drinking water but per the host doesn't have the best taste (so I would recommend bringing your own water if you're sensitive to that). The host that came by was very nice and proactive in telling us about not just the campground but also the area around. First off he offered us firewood for purchase that he had in the back of the truck which was a nice gesture. He also told us about a lake nearby for fishing called Jackson lake which we went to & also about the town which are all about 10 mins away. The town is small and quaint but cute! The lake is small but beautiful and perfect for a picnic. Overall our group thoroughly enjoyed this place and we will be back :)

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

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

Afraid to leave the house due to coronavirus? Tired of being confined? Need something that is time…read moreconsuming and safe? Hiking to the top of Mount Pacifico is a good choice. Out of the way, driving to the trailhead takes time (unless coming from Acton). A 12.0-mile hike obviously took most of the day. Best of all, we crossed paths with NOBODY during the entire hike. The parking entrance is at a sign for Mill Creek Picnic Area with overhead power lines on Angeles Forest Highway. Drive past the fire station and park when the paved road ends in the Pony Park Day Use Area. A $5 Adventure Pass is needed to park here. Two dirt roads depart the parking lot. The obvious looking flat and sandy road on the right is not the trailhead. Find the other dirt road on the left with the Pacific Crest Trail marker. Follow this dirt road with gradual 2100' elevation change to 7100'. Motorized vehicles are allowed on this road if given the key to the gate by the forest service to reach Pacifico Campground. The campground is at Mount Pacifico's summit - a rarity when the campground sits at the peak. The campground has an outhouse and many picnic tables. Definitely can't see the Pacific from Pacifico Campground but the northern view is of the Antelope Valley and the southern view is of other mountains in the Angeles National Forest. We didn't encounter any bears as other Yelpers warn but a quail skittered across the path. Don't be afraid to go when the weather isn't perfect. The best part of the hike were trees flocked with shards of ice (see pic from 3/7/20) with a few patches of snow flanking the trail.

The campgrounds seem a little dry and bare but you are in southern california…read more What makes this place so awesome are the trails and fire roads you can hike and ride your bikes on. This is bear country so you better bring a bear bell, plenty of water and maybe some bear spray. Just be smart about it all.

Great route for hiking and biking. Even better if you are into bouldering…read more You are in bear country so be weary. Adjacent to horse flats campground. Nearby Pacifico and the PCT. Ranger and Firestation are nearby for an added sense of security.

You can get to Mt. Hillyer from Upper Chilao Campground, from Horse Flats Campground and from…read moreRosenita Saddle. To get to Upper Chilao or Horse Flats take Interstate 210 in La Canada, exit at Angeles Crest Hwy. (Hwy. 2). The drive takes less than an hour. This review is for the backdoor entry into Mt. Hillyer and the descent towards Horse Flats Campground. This backdoor entry starts at Rosenita Saddle which you can get to by turning right at the same fork which takes you either left to Horse Flats or right to places where you can park if you are not camping like Rosenita Saddle. If all you want to do is admire the 360 degree view that is afforded by Mt. Hillyer then start at Rosenita Saddle. It is less than a mile of hiking from Rosenita saddle to Mt. Hillyer. The hike from Rosenita Saddle to Mt. Hillyer is easy. You don't have to climb uphill at a steep incline. The trail is easy to follow throughout the hike. After the lookout rock atop Mt. Hillyer there is a descent to Horse Flats. The climb back up to Mt. Hillyer is not too steep at all. Then from there it's downhill to Rosenita Saddle. We were here in April and there really are no bugs like on other hikes along the Angeles Crest Hwy. You may need sunblock since most of the trail is not under the shade of trees. The whole area is characterized by high areas (where you feel refreshing gusts of cool wind), some meadows, pine trees and large rock formations. Some of these formations can be climbed and they afford incredible views. There are no streams or waterfalls here if that is what you consider necessary for a beautiful hike, but generally those kinds of hikes do not afford the views hikes like Mt. Hillyer offer. From the top of Mt. Hillyer you can see the extent to which forest fires have caused deforestation but you can also see pinecapped mountains. At the right time of the day if you look towards Los Angeles you can see clouds and/or smog hugging the mountains. It's quite a beautiful sight. We were lucky to see gray squirrels, blue jays, woodpeckers and unfortunately a rather large rattlesnake - so be very careful around the parts of the trail with brush. It's bear country so make noise often and be sure to contact the Ranger's Office for tips on what to do if you encounter a bear. Since it's bear country you need to be very careful if you bring along kids or pets. Pets are allowed but must be on a leash. Be wary of mountain bikers. Some of them rush downhill recklessly. The trail is fairly kid friendly since the climbing is moderate, but you can't forget it's bear country. Don't forget your Adventure Pass which is currently $30 for a year and $5 for a day and can be obtained at Ranger Stations. The fines are pretty steep for people who don't use Adventure Passes. The area around Mt. Hillyer is just as beautiful as more famous trails like the one at Mt. San Jacinto near Palm Springs. This trail is really worth your time if you like to climb rock formations, see impressive views and love pine trees!