Lake Hughes

Hughes Lake

Lake Hughes, established in 1873, is a small unincorporated community in the northern section of the National Angeles Forest and is located in the foothills of the Sierra Pelona Mountains. The population is under 1,000. Lake Hughes is north of the Santa Clarita Valley. west of Lancaster, and is adjacent to Elizabeth Lake. Hughes Lake, previously known as West Elizabeth Lake, is located at the community of Lake Hughes in northern Los Angeles County. The lake is quite beautiful.

 

Indian Springs

Indian Springs is a small unincorporated community in Los Angeles County located about seven miles east and northeast of San Fernando in the western part of the Angeles National Forest.

 

Mount Waterman

Mt. Waterman Ski Area

Waterman Mountain, commonly referred to as Mt. Waterman, is an 8,030 foot mountain and popular Southern California ski area in the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County. Mount Waterman is located north of Pasadena, northeast of La Canada-Flintridge, and directly east of La Crescenta. A private ski resort has leased most of the mountain and provides services.

 

Mount Wilson

Mount Wilson is a well-known mountain peak in the San Gabriel Mountains and the Angeles National Forest in north Los Angeles County. Mount Wilson is the site of the Mount Wilson Observatory which is an astronomical center with a 100 inch telescope. On a clear day, the Pacific Ocean and Santa Catalina Island are visible from the peak.

 

Mount Burnham

Mount Burnham is a 9,001 foot peak in the Sheep Mountain Wilderness area of the Angeles National Forest which 'is within the San Gabriel Mountains. It was named after Frederick R. Burnham who was one of the founders of the Boy Scouts. The mountain was originally named North Baldy Mountain.

 

San Gabriel Peak

San Gabriel Peak is a 6,164 foot mountain peak in the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains located in northern Los Angeles County. San Gabriel Peak is northwest of La Canada - Flintridge and north of Pasadena.

 

Mount Lukens

Mount Lukens is the highest mountain in the City of Los Angeles standing at 5,074 feet. It is located at the west end of the San Gabriel Mountains providing spectacular views of La Crescenta - Montrose, most of the Crescenta Valley, the Verdugo Mountains, most of the San Fernando Valley, and a large part of the Los Angeles Basin. On a clear day, the Santa Monica Bay can be seen. Mount Lukens is located within the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County. The best access from the south is from the Deukmejian Wilderness Park which is at the far north end of Glendale. The mountain can be climbed any time of the year, but camping is not permitted.

 

Mountain High Ski Resorts

Mountain High Ski Resorts is a popular winter resort in the Angeles National Forest area of the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County. Mountain High rises to 8,200 feet and is the most visited ski resort in Southern California. The Mountain High West Ski Resort was once known as Blue Ridge while the Mountain High East Ski Resort was once  known as Holiday Hill. Mountain High is located in the unincorporated community of Big Pines and is adjacent to the unincorporated town of Wrightwood.

 

Big Pines

Big Pines is a small, beautiful unincorporated community in the Angeles National Forest area of the San Gabriel Mountains and is the location of the Mountain High Ski Resorts. The town is adjacent to Wrightwood.

 

Echo Mountain

Echo Mountain is a 3,210 foot peak in the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains. It can be reached by trail from the north end of Lake Avenue in Altadena. The name is derived from the fact that a person's voice echoes from certain locations on the mountain.

 

Mount Islip

Mount Islip is an 8,250 foot summit in the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains. There are two trails leading to the top. Views include the Los Angeles Basin, Santa Catalina Island, and San Clemente Island.

 

Kagel Canyon

Kagel Car-won is a small unincorporated community in the southwest part of the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County.

 

Eaton Canyon

Eaton Canyon is a major canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains within the Angeles National Forest. It 'drains into the Rio Hondo River and downstream into the Los Angeles River.

 

Eaton Canyon Park and Nature Center

The Eaton Canyon Park and Nature Center is a 190 acre nature preserve located at, the base of the San Gabriel Mountains just north of Pasadena and Altadena. The zoological, botanical, and geological nature preserve features hiking trails, equestrian trails with a staging area, picnic areas, and seasonal streams.

 

Santa Anita Creek

Santa Anita Canyon

Big Santa Anita Canyon

Santa Anita Canyon, also known as Big Santa Anita Canyon, is a scenic canyon in the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains. The canyon is located north of Sierra Madre and Arcadia in the San Gabriel Valley section of Los Angeles County where easy access is available. The creek within the canyon is known as Santa Anita Creek, and is part of the watershed of the Rio Hondo which flows from the San Gabriel Mountains through the Whittier Narrows to the Los Angeles River. The canyon is a popular place for hiking and viewing its streams, waterfalls, and other beautiful scenery. There are more than 40 miles of trails within Santa Anita Canyon.

 

Chantry Flat

Chantry Flat is a major recreational area in the San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest, located approximately three miles into the Santa Anita Canyon, north of Arcadia and Sierra Madre. Chantry Flat offers a large number of picnic tables, restrooms, and barbeques, and is the trailhead for several historic trails including the 28.5 mile Gabrielo Trail. The Gabrielo Trail also has a trailhead to the west in Altadena.

 

San Gabriel Wilderness

The San Gabriel Wilderness is a wilderness area established by the U.S. Forest Service in 1968. The 36,118 acre area is located within the Angeles National Forest on the southern slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains and north of the San Gabriel Valley. The closest city is Pasadena which is to the south. Bear Creek Trail, Mt. Waterman Trail, and Devil's Canyon Trail all provide access.

 

Magic Mountain Wilderness

The Magic Mountain Wilderness is a 12,282 acre preserve located in the Angeles National Forest not far from Santa Clarita, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Stevenson Ranch, and Sylmar. The preserve is located south of the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway to the northwest of Sylmar, and both south and west of Santa Clarita. The highest point in the preserve is 4,705 feet. The preserve is managed by the U.S. Forest Service and is a critically important habitat for the California condor which is an endangered species. There are no officially designated trails within the Magic Mountain Wilderness.

 

Pyramid Lake - Pyramid Dam

Pyramid Lake is a large reservoir located near Castaic in northern Los Angeles County. Pyramid Lake was formed by the construction of the 386 foot high Pyramid Dam in 1970 on Piru Creek. Pyramid Lake is part of the California State Water Project and California Aqueduct and is the deepest lake in the system. The reservoir is located on the border between the Angeles National Forest and the Los Padres National Forest. The lake offers fishing, boating, jet skiing, and beautiful picnic areas.

 

Elizabeth Lake

Elizabeth Lake is a beautiful lake located in the Angeles National Forest in northwest Los Angeles County at the far west end of the Antelope Valley and to the northwest of the Santa Clarita Valley. The lake is surrounded by the Sierra Pelon a Mountains which lie northwest of the San Gabriel Mountains.

 

Crystal Lake

Crystal Lake Recreation Area

The Crystal Lake Recreation Area is in the Angeles National Forest and the San Gabriel Mountains, 26 miles directly north of the San Gabriel Valley in the city of Azusa. Crystal Lake is a natural lake fed by snow, rain, and natural springs. The recreation area consists of the lake, numerous campgrounds, and plenty of hiking trails. There is also an amphitheater that is used by the U.S. Forest Service to give occasional lectures. The area is beautiful and worth visiting.

 

Bouquet Reservoir

Bouquet Reservoir is an artificial lake in the Angeles National Forest and Sierra Pelona Mountains. It is located in Los Angeles County approximately 15 miles west of Palmdale and northwest of the Santa Clarita Valley at an elevation of 2,993 feet. The reservoir was formed by Bouquet Canyon Dam on Bouquet Creek which is a tributary of the Santa Clara River. The dam and reservoir were built by the City of Los Angeles in 1934. Bouquet Reservoir covers about 628 acres.

 

Switzer Falls

Switzer Falls is a popular and absolutely beautiful series of waterfalls located deep in the Arroyo Seco Canyon in the Angeles National Forest located in the San Gabriel Mountains. The falls are north of Los Angeles, near Mt. Wilson.

 

Devil's Punchbowl Nature Center

Devil's Punchbowl Natural Area

The Devil's Punchbowl is a beautiful 4,750 foot tilted sandstone formation and county park within the Angeles National Forest on the northern slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County. The Devil's Punchbowl Nature Center is operated by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. It focuses on the flora, fauna, and amazing geological features of the area, and offers guided tours, school programs, and a great telescope program featuring an 11-inch telescope.

 

Angeles National Forest Vistor Centers

The Angeles National Forest has three visitor centers and two information centers in different areas of the forest. These centers provide services and information for visitors including environmental education activities, general forest information, and forest related materials.

 

Wildlife Waystation - Angeles National Forest

The Wildlife Waystation is a private, non-profit animal sanctuary in the Angeles National Forest, north of the San Fernando Valley, dedicated to holding and rehabilitating native, wild, and exotic animals. The Wilalife Waystation is home to lions, tigers, bobcats, leopards, mountain lions, chimpanzees, bears, opossums, foxes, llamas, wolves, and many types of birds and reptiles. The organization is supported solely through donations, bequests, fund raising events, memberships, and animal sponsorship programs.

 

Whitney Canyon Park

Whitney Canyon Creek

Whitney Canyon Park is a beautiful 442 acre park and wildlife corridor in the Santa Clarita Valley. Whitney Canyon Park is an entry point into the Angeles National Forest and serves as a critical wildlife corridor between the San Gabriel Mountains and the Santa Susana Mountains. The park has several year-round springs and creeks, and offers many trails for hikers, bikers, and equestrians. The views from Whitney Canyon Park are stunning. The entry to the park is at 20303 Newhall Avenue in Santa Clarita.

 

Big Tujunga Dam and Reservoir

Big Tujunga Creek

The Big Tujunga Dam, constructed in 1931, spans the Big Tujunga Creek, just northeast of Sunland, forming the Big Tujunga Reservoir. The Big Tujunga Creek is a major stream in Los Angeles County with its headwaters deep in the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains. The stream flows for nearly 29 miles joining Little Tujunga Creek to form the Tujunga Wash near Pacoima in the San Fernando Valley.

 

Strawberry Peak

Strawberry Peak Trail

Strawberry Peak and the Strawberry Peak Trail leading to it are in the Angeles National Forest 14 miles northeast of La Canada-Flintridge in the San Gabriel Mountains. On a clear day, Strawberry Peak is visible from the Los Angeles Basin, appearing as a round bump behind San Gabriel Peak and Mt. Wilson. The elevation of Strawberry Peak is 6,164 feet.

 

Silver Moccasin Trail

Silver Moccasin Trail is a 53 mile trail that starts at Chantry Flat Recreation Area north of Arcadia in the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains. The trail connects Mount Baden-Powell, Mount Burnham, Throop Peak, and Mount Hawkins. The trail Reaches to 9,399 feet on Mount Baden-Powell, just below the peak which is at 9,407 feet. The trail ends at Vincent Gap which is on the Angeles Crest Highway near Wrightwood.

 

Pacific Crest Trail

The Pacific Crest Trail is a long distance hiking and equestrian trail that starts in San Diego County, California at the Mexican Border, and ends in Washington State at the United States - Canada border. The trail runs through the northern part of the San Bernardino National Forest, south of Hesperia, through the northern part of the Angeles National Forest, south of Palmdale and Lancaster, and through the eastern end of the Los Padres National Forest before it heads north into Central California.

 

Mt. Lawlor

Mt. Lawlor shares a saddle with Strawberry Peak and rises to 5,957 feet. Both are located in the Angeles National Forest and the San Gabriel Mountains. San Francisquito Canyon. The San Francisquito Canyon is a canyon, in northern Los Angeles County, created by the erosion of the Sierra Pelon a Mountains by San Francisquito Creek. The canyon starts in the north, deep in the Angeles National Forest with its southern end in the Santa Clara Valley. Until 1848 the Francisquito Creek was the site of extensive gold mining. The former St. Francis Dam was located within the canyon.

 

San Francisquito Canyon

The San Francisquito Canyon is a canyon, in northern Los Angeles County, created by the erosion of the Sierra Pelona Mountains by San Francisquito Creek. The canyon starts in the north, deep in the Angeles National Forest with its southern end in the Santa Clara Valley. Until 1848 the Francisquito Creek was the site of extensive gold mining. The former St. Francis Dam was located within the canyon.