This video shows the Eaton Canyon hike in California which ends with a magnificent waterfall.
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Eaton Canyon Reservations: parks.lacounty.gov/eaton-cany...
Eaton Canyon is a canyon beginning at the Eaton Saddle near Mount Markham and San Gabriel Peak in the San Gabriel Mountains in the Angeles National Forest.
This hike trail is names after Judge Benjamin S. Eaton, who lived in the Fair Oaks Ranch House in 1865 not far from Eaton Creek.
The most well-known portion of the canyon is the Eaton Canyon Nature Center in Pasadena, California.
The Eaton Canyon Falls trail is the major highlight of this trail. The actual length of the Canyon Trail is 3.5 miles and is a heavily trafficked out and back trail. With the pandemic and reservation requirements, there are many fewer people than during regular times. This trail is actually very simple and doesn’t require a high skill level to do. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
Fires in California have been a problem forever and while wildfires are a natural part of California’s landscape, the fires season in California and across the West is starting earlier and ending later each year. Climate change is considered a key driver of this trend. Warmer spring and summer temperatures create longer and more intense dry seasons that increase moisture stress on vegetation making forest more susceptible to sever wildfire.
Eaton Canyon is administered by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreations which is an agency of the County of Los Angeles which oversees its parks and recreation facilities. As mentioned, usually you can access the trails during the day time, but temporarily until the pandemic subsides, reservations need to be made in order to access the trail. I will add a link in the description of the video. Reservations can be made up to 10 days in advance, but I recommend to reserve as early as possible as hiking slots are extremely limited and fill up fast.
On the subject of droughts in California, rainfall in Los Angeles is quite scarce, amounting to about 375 millimeters (15 inches) per year, and has a similar pattern to that of the Mediterranean climate, but with a drier autumn. Since most of the rain falls from December to March, while in summer, it almost never rains. The wettest month is February.
As most hiking trails in California there are often forks that can lead to different areas. The Coyote trail is one of these forks.
Since my main goal was to go see the waterfalls, I didn’t really explore the Coyote trail too much. Once back on the main trail, I did notice that having to reserve a spot in order to hike the trail does have its advantages because there were actually very few people on the trail.
much except for the beginning of it because there was a big tree that was protruding in the distance and seemed pretty interesting.
Continue our journey.
Even though the hike is pretty simple as you get closer to the actual waterfall, there’s no way around having to cross a bunch of creeks. This means having to walk over rocks that are sitting in water. So, definitely having good shoes and maybe carrying an extra pair of shoes or socks could be helpful in case you get your socks or shoes wet.
Like all trails it’s important to remember to bring water and maybe even a few snacks. We may be in a well-kept park but it’s still the middle of nature, so dehydration is always a possibility, even though unlikely.
The falls are where the Eaton Creek has a fifty-foot drop and are located north of the bridge in the part of the canyon administered by the US Forest Service.
On a fun note, Several waterfalls exist above Eaton Fall, which are more secluded. Originally there was a tunnel which allowed access to other waterfalls, but in 1979 it was dynamited and filled in. Since these trails are no longer maintained trying to access them is actually dangerous and not recommended.
Definitely as I got closer to the waterfall all the nature just felt much more fresh and in some ways humid, with a couple of mini waterfalls on the way, and rocks along the streams which made the hike super cinematic.
One highlight on this trail is the mountains which have many different layers of rocks. Many of these mountains are young and have been uplifted form their surrounding by faulting, or earthquake movements. Some of the rock types in Eaton canyon have been dated as well over two billions years old.
If it were a little bit warmer I would have definitely swam in the water and probably stuck my hand under the water. Maybe it’s the film geek in me but every time I see water like this I picture a martial arts movie where someone is meditating while the water from the waterfall is pouring on their head. Either way imagination or not it’s such a pleasant place to go to and a perfect prize to mark the end of the trail.
#eatoncanyon #lahikingtrail #waterfall