Sapphire Falls. The worst hike in Southern California

Sapphire Falls in Rancho Cucamonga

This hike is currently closed. 

 Last week I hiked to Sapphire Falls in Rancho Cucamonga with some friends. I can say without hesitation that it was the most filthy, polluted and completely despoiled trail that I have ever hiked. There were heaps of trash several feet tall strewn along the trail. The canyon walls were so completely covered in graffiti that it looked more like a freeway underpass than a nature hike. A local hillbilly was actually burning huge piles of discarded bottles and wrappers in a very misguided attempt to clean up and the canyon was completely filled with the putrid black smoke from the burning plastic. We actually got into a verbal altercation with him when we put out his trash fire.There were hundreds of people hiking in the canyon in the 90+ degree heat and many of the groups I saw only had a single bottle of water to share between several people. With such a large number of people jammed into such a small space, I highly suspect that the water in the creek is too dangerous to swim in because of fecal bacteria. If you accidentally swallow a mouthful of creek water, you might end up in the hospital. In case you have Sapphire Falls on your 'to do' list, let me strongly suggest that you save yourself some heartache and skip it. This easily gets my vote for the worst hike in Southern California. I've read rumors online that the city is trying to block access to the canyon and discourage hikers by issuing parking tickets. I almost never agree that closing a hike is an appropriate course of action, but in the case of Sapphire Falls, it might be the only option.

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John Muir: The Yosemite

John Muir: The Yosemite

Amazon has free kindle versions of a ton of John Muir books online right now. You can download them and read them for free on any tablet, iPad, e-reader, or laptop.

John Muir. The Yosemite

John Muir: The Mountains of California

John Muir: My First Summer in the Sierra

John: Muir Steep Trails California, Utah, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, the Grand Canyon

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Bridge to Nowhere: Azusa California

Bridge to Nowhere, Azusa California

The Bridge to Nowhere is a mandatory Southern California hike that follows the east fork of the San Gabriel River to a lonely bridge that leads nowhere. The hike is relatively easy when the water levels are low, but it can quite treacherous in the spring.  When it’s running chest high, a lot of hikers give up at the first crossing.  The trail is approximately 9 miles round trip and parallels the river for the most of the distance until heading up the east bank for the last mile or so to the bridge.  To avoid getting lost, stay to the right on the river for most of the hike. My favorite time to hike to the bridge is in the late spring when the river is unruly and the crowds are thin. I usually end up dumping water out of my boots a half dozen times, but the solitude is worth it.  This hike is insanely popular in the summer.

In the summer, you can actually bungee jump from the bridge. Reservations can be made here

http://www.bungeeamerica.com/index.html

Trailhead:    From the 210 in Azusa, exit on Azusa Ave and head North towards the mountains. After about ten miles, turn right on East Fork Road and continue for 8 more miles to the East Fork Station.  East Fork Road turns into Camp Bonita Road which dead-ends at the parking lot.

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Sturtevant Falls

Sturtevant Falls, Sierra Madre California

Sturtevant Falls is located a few miles North of Sierra Madre California in Big Santa Anita Canyon. The Canyon looks like something straight out of a storybook. It’s filled with cabins, oak trees, rambling brooks, stone walls and picturesque cabins.  If you’re lucky, or unlucky depending on how you look at it, you might even run into a black bear. If magic really exists in the world, you’re most likely to find it in this canyon.

The hike to the falls is approximately 4 miles round-trip from the parking area at Chantry Flats.  The trail to the falls is wide, well maintained and usually very busy.  Chantry Flats also serves as the starting point for the Mount Wilson trail, the Mount Zion trail, the Gabrielino Trail, Hermit Falls, Hoegees Camp, the Spruce Grove Camp and the Santa Anita Canyon Loop. Sturtevant Falls is one of the few waterfall hikes in Southern California where pets are permitted, so the trails here attract everyone from families to hardcore backpackers, but most of the casual hikers confine themselves to the Sturtevant Falls trail.

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Monrovia Canyon Falls

Monrovia Canyon Falls

Monrovia Canyon Falls is definitely worth a visit. The hike to the falls is less than 2 miles round-trip and suitable for hikers of any ability. The falls are probably around 40 feet tall, but they’re fed by a spring so you can visit in the middle of summer and not be disappointed. I would definitely recommend doing Monrovia Canyon Falls during the week to avoid the large crowds and the LA “hikers”. I put "hikers" in quotation marks because I'm always a bit skeptical about anyone on the trail sporting a Raiders football Jersey, a teardrop tattoo, or a switchblade. The last time we made this hike, we had the place to ourselves and it was gloriously peaceful. Nothing ruins a hike faster than a gaggle of screaming teenagers drinking Coors Light and blasting Nickleback from a set of blown-out iPod speakers. You probably won’t be able to make a whole day of Monrovia Canyon, but you can easily see Monrovia Falls in the morning and then drive 5 miles west on the 210 and hit Hermit Falls and Sturtevant Falls in the little town of Sierra Madre. From the 210 Freeway in Monrovia, exit Myrtle Avenue, drive through Old Town Monrovia to Foothill Blvd, turn right, go two lights to Canyon Blvd, turn left, drive through residential area for about 1 mile staying to the right, turn right into Canyon Park at the 3-foot-tall sign. To avoid the $5.00 parking fee or to hike after hours, drive to the intersection of Canyon Drive and Ridgeside Drive (approximately 100 yards short of the Canyon Park three-foot tall monument sign). The park entrance is about half a mile from here. You can find parking just below this intersection along Canyon Drive. Pay careful attention to any ‘no parking signs’. Be aware that the curbside parking fills early on most weekend mornings.

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Eaton Canyon Falls

Eaton Canyon Falls is a 40 foot waterfall located just outside Pasadena California. It was one of the first hikes I did when I moved to Southern California 2 years ago and definitely one of the most beautiful. The hike to the falls is less than 4 miles round-trip on a well maintained trail, so it’s perfectly suitable for novice hikers and kids. The waterfall is one of the best in the San Gabriel Mountains, and also one of the most heavily visited. On the weekends, you can pretty much guarantee that you’re going to have a lot of company on the trail. The falls are a very popular hangout spot for the local college kids, so you may have to tolerate whatever terrible music they’re blasting. I had to endure a 90 minute medley of Katy Perry and Lady GaGa. The trailhead starts at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center. The wide trail heads down into the canyon through the chaparral and brush to the creek. A fire road follows the creek wash upstream. Veer left onto the Eaton Canyon Trail and follow it until you come to a large concrete bridge. When you reach the bridge, head left again and follow the trail under the bridge and continue upstream. From this point, the canyon narrows and you will have to do some rock hopping over the creek. The trail ends at the base of the waterfall. There is a side trail that leads to the top of Eaton Falls, but it is extremely treacherous. There is a decent sized pool at the base of the falls. It’s just deep enough for swimming, if you can tolerate the icy cold water. From the 210, take the Sierra Madre Blvd / Altadena Drive exit and head north. The park’s entrance will be on your right in 1.7 miles.

Dont attempt to hike to the top of the waterfall unless you have a deathwish.

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