Sites like flaticon5/5/2023 ![]() This is the Saucer Branch, and although there is no established trail here you can follow a rough use trail (and do a bit of careful bushwhacking) a short distance north. Just past the check dam, keep to the left of the canyon floor for another quick climb, and at the 1.1 mile mark, you’ll notice another canyon branching off to the north. Also, keep an eye out for nice swimming holes and pools (which might have fish in them, depending on the time of the year and the amount of rain we’ve had), as well as diminutive monkeyflowers tucked away into rocky corners. ![]() There’s a quick climb at the mile mark, and look for a small check dam and another climb up in another 0.1 mile. As with most similar situations in the San Gabriels, fires, floods, and mudslides have reclaimed most of these buildings, although a few do remain. In the early 20th century, people could lease these plots from the Forest Service and many artists and outdoorsy types spent great amounts of time in the region. You’ll pass a few old cabins in this canyon, reminiscent of those you’ll find in greater numbers in Santa Anita Canyon a bit further to the east. You’ll cross an old iron bridge and dip down to the canyon floor shortly after this junction, and here the trail winds its way in and out of the creekbed - which means you’ll want to keep an eye out for poison oak and if we’ve had a wet winter, you may also encounter a bit of water flow here. From above, you’ll have a good vantage point on just how much the Millard Canyon Creek affects the vegetation here - low chaparral and the tell-tale crumbling rock found all over the San Gabriels dominates the steep slopes, while dense pockets of green hug the arroyos and creeks near the canyon floors.Īt 0.9 mile, keep to the left to hop onto the Sunset Trail, which splits from the Sunset Ridge Trail to dive a bit deeper into Millard Canyon. You’ll start to get a bit of shade - helped by the fact that you’re on the north slope in a reliably wet canyon, stocked with stately oaks and sycamores. The now single-track trail remains relatively level here, while the road will continue climbing upward. The Brown Mountain Truck Trail winds its way west Stay on the paved road heading straight (east), and at the 0.4 mile mark, take a left onto the Sunset Ridge Trail, which branches off from the Mount Lowe Road near a large toyon bush. At 0.1 mile, you’ll see a paved road branching to the south as well as the Sunset Ridge Trail coming up from the canyon floor to the north. Look for this gate and be sure you’re not parked in the striped area - this road is still active and you’re likely to get ticketed or towed if you’re blocking the gate. ![]() (Note: a use-route may exist above Millard Canyon Falls that will reach the canyon portion of this route, but at the time of writing this canyon was still being worked on by Forest Service and volunteer trailbuilding crews, repairing damage done by the 2009 Station Fire and subsequent mudslides.) Parking here can be scarce, but if the trailhead is full don’t worry - for a bit of extra elevation gain, you can park near the much larger trailhead for Millard Canyon and trek up on the start of the Sunset Ridge Trail. ![]() This hike starts at a pretty small trailhead near the intersection of the Chaney Trail and Mount Lowe Road. Not bad for a 6-ish mile day hike, right? Along the way, you’ll have lovely shade, tackle a tough climb, and (if the air is clear) soak in some tremendous views of the foothill cities from a lofty perch along one the historic Mount Lowe Railway. Here in upper Millard Canyon, above the cities of Pasadena and Altadena, hikers can trek through a rugged and rustic riparian canyon to the ruins of the Dawn Mine - an operation that, unlike most in this region, was actually mildly successful for a short time. Of course, mining is an important part the history of the West, and the San Gabriel Mountains are no exception. from a nuclear strike from those dang Commies across the Pacific. Forest Service structure in its original location, trek to the ruins of a series of sprawling mountaintop hotels connected by impossible railways, and stand where Cold Warriors manned a ring of early-response stations to (ostensibly) protect L.A. You can trek along ancient trade and communication routes near the Arroyo Seco traveled by the Gabrieleno and Tongva tribes thousands of years before European settlers arrived, visit active pack mule stations and the oldest U.S. For those who think the Los Angeles region is devoid of history, the trails in the front range of the San Gabriel Mountains offer a resounding riposte.
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