3 splendid L.A. waterfall hikes to see before the end of spring

Waterfall hikes have long been a staple of any hiker’s Instagram feed, a stunningly gorgeous brag of where you got to hike that day.

But hiking to a waterfall is so much more than a photograph. It’s a chance to experience awe. To wonder along the way, what will it look like this time? And then to be surprised as you round the corner of a hike and see it.

Waterfalls also serve important ecological purposes, helping to aerate the water and keep riverbeds healthy. So it’s worth soaking in your surroundings next time you journey out to one of these natural wonders. They’re worth so much more than just a photograph.

Several of our local waterfalls remain closed because of damage suffered from recent fires and storms — Eaton Canyon Falls, Millard Falls, Switzer Falls and Temescal Canyon Falls, to (sadly!) name a few.

But thankfully there are plenty of others that are open. Below you’ll find three spots that, thanks to recent rainfall, are flowing nicely. Despite that recent rainfall, the majority of L.A. County remains in a severe drought after a lackluster amount of winter rain. That means these waterfalls won’t likely last long this summer. So, yes, this is your permission to chase them. (I had to!)

Please stay on the trail, though, and remember that the rocks around waterfalls are always slick. People fall often at waterfalls, so take good care and choose safety over selfie.

1. Brown Mountain Dam Waterfall

Distance: About 8.2 miles out and back
Elevation gained: About 600 feet
Difficulty: On the easier side of moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: The first mile of the Gabrielino Trail, starting here

An oldie but a goodie, I wanted to write about this hike along the Gabrielino National Recreation Trail to the Brown Mountain dam to highlight that it’s accessible to the public again. Officials at Angeles National Forest announced its reopening and others in early April.

You’ll start your trek near the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab near Pasadena and hike mostly parallel to the Arroyo Seco, a seasonal river that runs into the L.A. River. At just over four miles in, you’ll follow the trail as it jags to the west and soon find the waterfall rushing over the dam. It is a great place to have a picnic, meditate and enjoy the soothing soundscape of falling water.

Sturtevant Falls is a 55-foot waterfall in Big Santa Anita Canyon. It is accessible by a trail leaving from Chantry Flat in Angeles National Forest.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

2. Sturtevant Falls

Distance: About 3.6 miles out and back
Elevation gained: About 700 feet
Difficulty: On the easier side of moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: The Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden’s Meyberg waterfall

On the theme of “Yes, this is open,” Big Santa Anita Canyon is once again accessible after its second fire-related closure in the past year.

After getting snacks at the Adams Pack Station (and saying hello to the donkeys), you can head onto the Gabrielino Trail — yes, the same one! — as it leads you through Big Santa Anita Canyon. About 1.4 miles in, you’ll head off the Gabrielino Trail onto the Sturtevant Falls Trail, where you’ll soon witness a 55-foot waterfall gushing down the hillside.

Sycamore Canyon Falls is a multitier 55-foot waterfall near Newbury Park.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

3. Sycamore Canyon falls

Distance: 3.5 miles
Elevation gained: About 650 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Not once you enter the state park
Accessible alternative: Medea Creek Park Trail

Tucked away in Point Mugu State Park, Sycamore Canyon Falls is a multitier 55-foot waterfall near Newbury Park.

There are multiple ways to reach the falls, but one of the shorter and more direct ways is in Rancho Sierra Vista/ Satwiwa in the Santa Monica Mountains. The area features several trails, as you’ll see from the directions below, so it’s best to have either a paper map or your hiking app to lead you.

You will take the Wendy Trail a third of a mile to the Windmill Trail, which you’ll take south for a short distance before meeting up with the Satwiwa Loop Trail. About a mile in, you’ll turn on the Hidden Valley Overlook Trail before quickly turning again, this time east on the Old Cabin Trail. You’ll continue southeast until you reach the waterfall.

3 things to do

At a previous Just Trek event, hikers trek through the Santa Susana Mountains, where fight scenes from Disney’s “The Mandalorian” were filmed.

(Justin Rimon)

1. Use the Force in Simi Valley
In celebration of Star Wars Day, hiking groups Just Trek and Outdoor Adventures+ will co-host a 4.6-mile hike at 9 a.m. Sunday through the Santa Susana Mountains, an area where scenes from “The Mandalorian” were filmed. Hikers are encouraged to wear Star Wars-inspired costumes and garb. Although dogs are technically allowed on the trail, organizers ask that they be left at home because the last part of the trail will be challenging for canines. Attendees should bring water, snacks and sun protection, as the trail does not have shade. This is the way. Register at eventbrite.com.

2. Bike from Westwood to the waves
Metro Bike Share will host an intermediate ride from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, starting at the Metro Bike Share at the Broxton and Weyburn Station in Westwood. The group will take a scenic route past local businesses and along the shoreline. Attendees can either bring their own bikes or use a Metro Bike Share bike at no cost by reserving one at sign-up. Guests must be 16 or older to use a Metro bike. Register at eventbrite.com.

3. Clean the Arroyo Seco in Pasadena
The city of Pasadena and nonprofit One Arroyo will host a clean up from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at Lower Arroyo Park (415 S. Arroyo Blvd. in Pasadena). Organizers will also host a nature walk through the area. Learn more at the city’s Instagram page.

The must-read

Fed from glaciers on Mount Shasta, Mossbrae Falls cascades out of lava tubes and down mossy cliffs into the Sacramento River.

(Bronwyn Jamrok)

Just outside the small city of Dunsmuir in Northern California, there is a massive waterfall where water cascades from lava tubes down moss-covered cliffs. City officials cherish the site so much, they want to make Mossbrae Falls a major selling point to tourists visiting the region. There’s one problem: It is challenging — and not technically legal — to reach the falls, reports Times staff writer Jessica Garrison. Local officials have spent 30 years trying to develop a trail, either over private land owned by a religious foundation or by working with a railroad company. Though it originally seemed like a straightforward process, it has been anything but. The city recently started taking donations for the trail, and officials say they might be close to striking a deal with Union Pacific. “I have high hopes,” City Councilmember Matthew Bryan said.

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

Laurel Spring, a 2.4-acre open space, is set to open this summer. This ecologically important spot, at the corner of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Lookout Mountain Avenue, was saved from development by Citizens for Los Angeles Wildlife, which raised $1 million via more than 350 donors in just two months. The spring, which flows yearlong, is an important water source for bobcats, deer, rabbits, owls — and at least one known but uncollared mountain lion. The park will be operated by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority. Good job doing good things, L.A.!

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild.