After a busy weekend, and one where life in Los Angeles County seemed to be going every which way, there was one thing certain: the mountains. For this adventure, we headed east to the San Bernardino National Forest, which boasts over 300 miles of hiking trails. Our destination was Bonita Falls Day Use Area in Lytle Creek.
Bonita Falls is a set of waterfalls formed from a tributary of the south fork of Lytle Creek. Lytle Creek itself is an approximately 18-mile stream flowing through the east San Gabriel Mountains. The hike to Bonita Falls was a nice, easy mile or so hike from the parking area through the dry stream bed. While considered moderately challenging for the rocky terrain, the trail is relatively flat for most of the hike.
After we parked just east of the parking lot and applying plenty of sunscreen, we hit the trail, following the sign just past the vault toilets. Intuitively, we headed toward the stream, and ran into a very nice family with their dogs. Unfortunately, we found out that we were actually headed in the opposite direction from where we needed to go. The path we had been following would take us to private property. So after a quick check of the map- no easy task since by now we had a very weak cell signal- we crossed the creek and backtracked to where the trail actually started.
I think our issue was that the trail was really more of a dry stream bed. It was very rocky and would have been easy to lose, save for the spray painted rocks. While AllTrails reviews noted a large amount of graffiti, the rocks that were spray painted with hearts and arrows were helpful in keeping us going in the right direction.
We trekked over the rocky terrain, heading left whenever there was a fork. The trail offered little by way of shade. But soon enough, the trees grew more profuse, and the rocky steps took us higher. We also ran into more people on the popular trail, which indicated that we were indeed on the right track. But perhaps the better indicator was that there was water. We hiked up the last tenth of a mile or so, and we came to the base of the falls.
According to the internet, Bonita Falls is about a 400-foot, three-tiered waterfall. The lower falls, in the canyon has an over 100-foot cascade, with a shallow pool. There was indeed quite a bit of graffiti, and many people enjoying the cool water on a warm day. Nevertheless, the falls were pretty, and the view was worth the short hike.
We enjoyed our trail snacks on a spray-painted rock and hung out for a few minutes. We then headed down to the pool to wade and take photos. After cooling off, we packed up and hiked back the way we came. It was a nice, quiet excursion on an otherwise crazy Sunday afternoon.
Some things to consider:
Bonita Falls is located within the San Bernardino National Forest. An adventure pass is required to park anywhere within the national forest. These are $5 per day, or $30 for an annual pass. If you plan on visiting other national lands over the course of the year, I recommend purchasing an America the Beautiful National Parks pass. At just $80, it is a great value for many adventures.
Please follow leave no trace principles. There wasn’t too much litter along the trail, though there was a bit at the falls. The most obvious sign of human activity was the graffiti on the rocks as well as the walls of the canyon. The hearts and arrows were helpful in staying on the trail; the other vandalism was more of a nuisance.
This was a lovely hike, and one that I would do again. The creek was cool and refreshing in the June heat. It was a good chance to relax before heading into a busy week. And with 300 miles of trail in 680000 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest, there are many opportunities for recreation. Just pick a happy trail and go!
References:
“Your Gateway to Adventure!” San Bernardino National Forest, http://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/sanbernardino.
Emery, Chris. “Bonita Falls Trail.” Outdoor SoCal, http://www.outdoorsocal.com/posts/bonita-falls-trail/#:~:text=Bonita%20Falls%20Trail%20is%20a,a%20refreshing%20escape%20 into%20nature.
“Bonita Falls Trail Hiking Trail, Mount Baldy, California.” Hiking Project, http://www.hikingproject.com/trail/7105043/bonita-falls-trail.
The Cranky Camper 