This Great L.a. Trail Is A Perfect Place To Spend The Longest Day Of The Year

I was only astir 30 minutes from my home, but location I was successful nan solitude of nan San Gabriel Mountains without different psyche connected nan trail.

Dozens of butterflies, apt variable checkerspots pinch hints of yellowish and reddish connected their wings, fluttered each around. A territorial hummingbird many times buzzed past my head, resembling nan sound of either nan world’s largest bumblebee aliases a mini angry drone zipping past my face. Western whiptails flitted crossed nan way and onto rocks. A cacophony of birdsong and calls filled my ears, including, per my birding app, spotted towhee, Western wood-pewee, wrentit, bushtit and a purple finch I looked agelong and difficult to effort to place successful nan treetops. Later, a grey squirrel expressed its displeasure astatine an interloper disrupting its peace.

These are typical and communal experiences that I often find hiking on nan Gabrielino Trail, a 28(ish)-mile way done nan San Gabriel Mountains that runs from Chantry Flat northbound of Arcadia to a lush riparian area on nan Arroyo Seco eastbound of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab adjacent Pasadena. Although it offers hikers an epic close-to-home backpacking experience, you do not request to complete nan full way to bask it.

Because of its magnitude and proximity to different trails, it is replete pinch epic day-hike opportunities and, because of that, it’s a awesome spot to walk nan summer solstice, some nan people of nan opening of summertime and nan longest day of nan year.

This weekend, we will spot conscionable complete 14 hours of sunlight connected Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The sun will emergence astir 5:40 a.m. and group conscionable aft 8 p.m. It offers hikers nan opportunity to not only recreation longer distances, but besides return rests on nan measurement to really savor their surroundings.

In this version of The Wild, our play outdoors newsletter, I will propose a fewer routes on nan Gabrielino Trail. I promote you, though, to return a look astatine a insubstantial representation of Angeles National Forest (available astatine astir section outdoors cogwheel stores) aliases usage a mapping work specified arsenic CalTopo aliases onX Backcountry to discern what would beryllium nan astir nosy for you and your hiking party.

Before we talk nan hikes, a fewer information reminders:

• 🙅 Don’t portion h2o consecutive from nan creek (unless successful a serious emergency). Always usage a filter aliases battalion your ain water.
• 🫗 Pack much h2o successful summertime than you would successful different seasons. Dehydration tin germinate into a superior and life-threatening situation.
• 🤮 Never relieve yourself successful aliases adjacent to a river, arsenic it’s a awesome contributor to pollution; ne'er time off toilet insubstantial successful nan woods.
• 🥾 Wear water-resistant aliases waterproof footwear pinch bully traction, and battalion other wool socks to amended guarantee you won’t get blisters.
• 📡 Bring a cellphone pinch outer messaging capabilities aliases a satellite communicator to guarantee you tin telephone for help; you apt won’t person cellphone reception successful nan San Gabriel Mountains.
• 🤔 Freshen up connected Leave No Trace principles and how to champion battalion your container for nan safest champion day.

Additionally, please statement that nan conception of nan Gabrielino Trail successful and astir nan West Fork and Devore Trail camps was damaged successful caller storms. The Lowelifes Respectable Citizens’ Club, a way attraction crew, is repairing it and hopes to person it online soon.

OK, here’s what I urge on nan Gabrielino Trail. Have nosy retired there!

A hiker meditates adjacent nan Brown Mountain Dam conscionable disconnected nan Gabrielino Trail successful Angeles National Forest.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

1. Gabrielino Trail adjacent JPL to Brown Mountain Dam (or beyond)

Distance: 7.6 miles
Elevation gained: About 650 feet
Difficulty: On nan easier extremity of moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: Paved conception of Gabrielino Trail from Windsor Avenue

This 7.6-mile out-and-back trek takes hikers on nan Arroyo Seco, nether nan canopy of monolithic seashore unrecorded oaks and past aromatic autochthonal plants specified arsenic California bay laurel.

You will parkland successful nan ample ungraded parking lot and return nan steep paved roadworthy a very short jaunt to subordinate nan trail. If hiking pinch a wheelchair aliases if you’re a hiker who prefers pavement, it’s amended to parkland successful the lot southbound of nan ungraded lot.

Once connected nan Gabrielino Trail, you tin hike arsenic acold arsenic you’d like. Short connected time? Hike 2 miles to Gould Mesa campground, person a small snack (and possibly a swim) and caput back.

To scope nan dam, travel nan way successful nan northwesterly guidance for astir 3.4 miles from nan starting point. You’ll travel to an intersection wherever nan Gabrielino Trail continues northwest, starring you distant from nan river. Instead, you’ll want to travel nan footpath on nan stream to scope nan man-made-but-still-lovely waterfall.

1a. Want a longer day?

If you want a longer day, you could proceed connected nan Gabrielino Trail aft your broadside quest to nan Brown Mountain Dam waterfall and inquire a friend to prime you up astatine this gate disconnected Angeles Crest Highway astatine a circumstantial time. This point-to-point travel will beryllium astir 7.6 miles. The hold is besides overmuch much challenging than nan first 3.7 miles, arsenic it gains astir 1,500 feet complete 3.9 miles. This way done Dark Canyon tin beryllium overgrown, truthful please scheme accordingly, including downloading a representation and bringing a insubstantial representation pinch you. (See map)

Switzer Falls successful Angeles National Forest.

(Raul Roa / Los Angeles Times)

1b. Big escapade day

For an moreover longer point-to-point journey, time off nan Brown Mountain Dam waterfall and return nan Gabrielino Trail each nan measurement to Switzer Falls, asking a friend to prime you up astatine nan Switzer Picnic Area astatine a circumstantial time. This point-to-point way will beryllium astir 11 miles, and you will summation astir 2,350 feet successful elevation. This is nan astir rugged option, and this way tin beryllium overgrown successful places. Plan accordingly! (See map)

The Gabrielino Trail, a 28-mile trek done Angeles National Forest, passes done various works communities and canyons, providing pockets of shadiness on nan way.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

2. Red Box to Valley Forge Trail Camp via Gabrielino Trail

Distance: 4.8 to 6.6 miles, depending connected your route
Elevation gained: About 1,200 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: Mt. Wilson Observatory paved stepping path

This 4.8- to 6.6-mile out-and-back trek will return you on a delightful way that ever feels a small spot for illustration a fairy wonderland to me. You’ll walk nether shady oak canopies and past moss-covered stone walls. You extremity astatine nan Valley Forge Trail Camp, which has beautiful gangly conifers and a vault toilet (that’s usually clean).

To begin, you’ll parkland successful nan Red Box Picnic Area parking lot, which tin capable up connected nan weekends and does require you to show an Adventure Pass aliases different national nationalist lands pass. You’ll find nan trail’s commencement down immoderate rock steps successful nan confederate area of nan lot.

Valley Forge Trail Camp, left, and mossy rocks.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Just complete 2 miles in, you’ll adjacent nan way camp. Take bully attraction to guarantee you’re connected nan correct trail. Instead of pursuing nan Gabrielino Trail, support your eyes peeled for nan way that descends toward nan riverbed. After a bully remainder astatine nan way camp, you tin return nan way aliases occurrence roadworthy back. (See map)

As of mid-June, nan Red Box Picnic Area is experiencing progressive carnivore activity, truthful beryllium mindful if returning to your car astir dusk.

2a. For those emotion hardcore

From adjacent Valley Forge Trail Camp, you could see taking nan very steep Valley Forge Trail, a 2.6-mile trek that gains astir 1,550 feet, to nan Eaton Saddle. From here, you could return nan Mt. Lowe Motorway to nan San Gabriel Peak Trail, caput northbound concisely utilizing nan Mt. Disappointment Road to return nan Bill Riley Trail down to Mt. Wilson Red Box Road. The downside is that you’ll person to past return nan roadworthy astir a 3rd of a mile down to Red Box, and drivers zoom done present for illustration they abruptly learned burgers astatine In-N-Out are free for only nan adjacent hour. That’s to say: Proceed pinch caution.

City lights glow aft sunset successful a position on nan roadworthy to Mt. Disappointment successful Angeles National Forest.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Additionally, parts of this travel hold mightiness beryllium overgrown. It is astir 5.5 miles and gains 2,300 feet successful elevation. It will beryllium done a beautiful area of nan wood though! (See map)

Regardless of which way you take, please make judge to cheque nan weather, pack smart and beryllium OK pinch turning astir if nan conditions connected nan way aren’t passable. Additionally, please beryllium mindful of trails that stay closed nether nan Eaton occurrence area closure order.

The agelong of nan Gabrielino Trail betwixt Red Box and Switzer picnic areas offers awesome views of adjacent peaks successful nan San Gabriel Mountains.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

3. Red Box Picnic Area to Switzer Picnic Area

Distance: About 8.6 miles
Elevation gained: About 1,450 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: West Fork National Scenic Bikeway

Earlier this week, I took this 8.6-mile mean route, parking astatine nan Red Box Picnic Area earlier heading down into nan canyon connected nan conception of nan Gabrielino Trail that runs parallel to Angeles Crest Highway. (See map)

This way is some beautiful — lush pinch autochthonal plants and nan past blooms of wildflower play pinch awesome views of adjacent peaks — and exposed. There will beryllium shady patches arsenic you hike nether patient oak and maple character canopy, but deterioration ample sun protection.

One of galore heavy pools on nan rivers that tally adjacent to nan Gabrielino Trail.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Although nan way runs parallel to nan Arroyo Seco for a stretch, you cannot easy entree nan stream because of a steep drop-off from nan way to nan river. I didn’t transverse nan stream until 3 miles in, and by then, I was emotion basking and fresh for a speedy dip.

That said, erstwhile I arrived astatine nan Switzer Picnic Area, I felt for illustration I’d won nan lottery. I had skipped nan nightmare that it has go to parkland here, but I still sewage to aquatics astir successful 1 of nan river’s heavy pools. It was 1.8 miles farther to Switzer Falls, 1 of nan champion cascades successful Angeles National Forest.

Great views from nan Gabrielino Trail.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

***

If you person immoderate questions aliases feedback astir nan suggested routes, you tin simply reply to this email if you’re a Wild subscriber. It will spell straight to me. I emotion proceeding from you. Have nosy retired location and happy summer!

3 things to do

Volunteers activity astatine a Channel Islands Restoration event.

(Channel Islands Restoration)

1. Serve nan stream successful Santa Paula
Channel Islands Restoration, a Santa Barbara-based residence restoration nonprofit, needs volunteers from 9 a.m. to noon Sunday astatine Santa Clara River Preserve (1368 Mission Rock Road successful Santa Paula). The sphere spans almost 2 miles and is astir 1,000 acres. All ages and accomplishment sets welcome. The tract is ADA-friendly, and restrooms are on-site. Register astatine cirweb.networkforgood.com.

2. Eradicate invasive plants successful Irwindale
The California Native Plant Society San Gabriel Mountains Chapter needs volunteers from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday to yank weeds from nan Santa Fe Dam earthy area. Volunteers will besides study from works nine members astir nan section plants and fauna. Learn much astatine chapters.cnps.org.

3. Investigate nan invertebrates successful Rowland Heights
The Invertebrate Club of Southern California will big a 1.5- to 3-mile hike from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 26 done Big Dalton Canyon. Participants will study astir scorpions, beetles and different absorbing creatures. Learn much astatine nan group’s Instagram page.

The must-read

The Malibu coastline conscionable southbound of Point Dume.

(Jackie Snow)

Freelance writer Jackie Snow was emotion inspired to get outdoors. After reference my 2024 piece astir stepping nan full 27.4 miles of Washington Boulevard, she came up with an idea: Walking nan full L.A. County shoreline. Snow took 10 trips from November done mid-January to execute her goal, stepping 70(ish) miles successful total. She maps retired successful her portion really you tin do that too! “I person seen whale-watch perches, burned-out Malibu lots, crowded boardwalks and magnificent waves. The coastline is some vulnerable and welcoming — and walkable — if you’re consenting to pursuit nan tides,” Snow wrote successful her article for The Times.

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

It’s ladybug play successful Los Padres National Forest. Volunteers pinch nan Los Padres Forest Assn. precocious discovered thousands of nan insects while they were moving connected nan Piedra Blanca Trail. “If you cognize wherever to look, you tin find them hibernating connected rocks, leafage litter, and trees successful masses called ‘lovelinesses,’” nan relation wrote on Instagram. “But, person you ever seen nan adjacent procreation hatch and alert distant successful nan springtime?” No, but I dream to someday.

For much insider tips connected Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, cheque retired past editions of The Wild. And to position this newsletter successful your browser, click here.