Switzer Falls via the Gabrielino Trail

Switzer Falls is the one waterfall hike in the foothills that feels like a real escape. The trail starts at the Switzer Picnic Area off the Angeles Crest Highway, a few minutes above La Cañada Flintridge, and within ten minutes the road noise is gone.

Where: Switzer Picnic Area, Angeles Crest Hwy, La Cañada Flintridge Distance: about 4 miles round trip Effort: moderate, with a steep drop into the canyon and a climb back out

The walk

The path follows the Gabrielino Trail down into Arroyo Seco canyon. You cross the creek several times, and in a wet year you will get your boots damp. Alders and bigcone Douglas-fir shade most of the way. The remains of an old mountain resort sit along the route, mostly stone foundations now.

The falls are at the far end. Water drops over a rock lip into a pool, and the volume depends entirely on the season. After a good winter it roars. By late summer it can slow to a trickle, so go in spring if the falls are the point.

The climb back

Everything you walked down, you walk up. The return is steady and exposed in places, so start early and carry more water than feels necessary. Dogs are common on this trail, and the rocks near the pool are slick.

Parking at the picnic area fills fast on weekends. A National Forest Adventure Pass is the usual requirement for parking in the Angeles, so sort that out before you leave home.

Before you go

Check before you go: trail conditions, closures and the parking pass rules change after storms and fires, so look at the current status first. For maps and recent trip notes, see the Switzer Falls trail page on AllTrails.

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