Sturtevant Falls — Local services in Sierra Madre

Sturtevant Falls is one of the absolute best waterfall hikes in the Los Angeles area and deserves every bit of hype it gets. The trail is scenic, peaceful, and ends at a legit, beautiful waterfall that actually has water flowing most of the year, something you don’t always get in Southern California.

The hike is about 3.5 miles round trip and starts at Chantry Flat, which has a decent parking lot but fills up fast, get there early, especially on weekends. The trail takes you through a shaded canyon with a stream that runs alongside you most of the way. It’s not too difficult, though there is a bit of an incline on the way back, but nothing too intense for anyone with moderate fitness or older kids.

Along the way, you pass some cool old cabins and footbridges that make the trail feel like you’ve stepped back in time. The scenery is great the entire time, lush trees, mossy rocks, and flowing water. And then at the end, boom: the waterfall. It’s tall, clean, and surrounded by enough space to relax, have a snack, or dip your feet in the water. It’s the kind of spot that feels like a reward for the hike.

I give this a full 5 stars because it delivers on everything, beautiful nature, manageable trail, historical charm, and a real waterfall payoff. Just remember to bring plenty of water, wear decent shoes, and don’t forget your parking pass (you’ll need an Adventure Pass to park legally). This is one of those hikes you’ll want to do again and again, especially after a good...

Pretty easy hike to this with a short section of some rock scrambling. Just the right amount for my small dog to scramble it himself and perfect for kids who like to climb around.

Note: Google maps shows a trail that goes to the top of the falls and loops around, and the trail signs themselves mention the trail going to the top of the waterfall. These don't seem to be true anymore. If there's a trail that goes up from the waterfall, my friend and I were unable to find it. [See map screenshot] we walked the green trail to start and got to the waterfall easily. There's a sign to the left of the falls that says to stay on the trail and avoid shortcuts, but it's in the location that seems to match the Google maps location for the waterfall top trail. We didn't go investigating too deeply, but we walked around a bit and couldn't find signs of a trail. We doubled back and took the purple (this trail had sheer dropoffs, so be advised) to see if we could spot the falls from above, but twilight settled in as we got to the end of the purple/pink line. We could hear the falls and rapids most of the ascent, but each stop on the way proved too much brush for a view. The next time we go we may continue on the purple trail and loop onto the blue one and see what that yields.

Overall the area is gorgeous....

Sturtevant Falls is an amazing waterfall!!! But the whole canyon is beautiful, as well. Here is my recommendation if you have the time and energy: Go straight to the falls and take your pictures/videos/etc. Then backtrack to the junction and take the Upper Gabrielino Trail that takes you above the gorge. Then make a right at the next junction (sinage posted) to the Lower Gabrielino Trail to descend back into the canyon where you will see several smaller waterfalls and cascades. You will also encounter a viewing point overlooking Sturtevant Falls. Eventually, you will end up at the original junction, thereby completing a...