Vetter Mountain is home to one of the last fire lookout towers in the Angeles National Forest. Today, the Vetter Mountain Lookout Interpretive Site provides shelter for the fire lookout, volunteers who keep watch over the forest to spot signs of fire early to alert first responders. Starting at the Charlton Flat Picnic Area, we hiked up Vetter Mountain for beautiful 360 views of the San Gabriel Mountains. On weekends, the lookout is open to visitors.
The Cranky Camper returns to the Angeles National Forest for a fun hike in historic Millard Canyon. The Dawn Mine was the site of marginally successful gold mining operations from 1985 until its permanent closure in 1954. Today, hikers can visit the site of the Dawn Mine via the Sunset Ridge Trail, not far from Echo Mountain.
The Van Tassel Trail is a perfect trek for hikers training for more challenging hikes, as well as trail runners, cyclists, and folks who just want a strenuous hike for some good cardio. The trail follows the Van Tassel Motorway, a fire and maintenance road that climbs over 1700 feet in the first 2.7 miles of the trail.
The Cranky Camper 