Hermit Falls

Hermit Falls is that other waterfall in the Big Santa Anita Canyon area near Arcadia. While most of the attention and traffic are for the impressive

• Quieter single-track trail
• More-difficult-to-reach and even harder-to-see waterfall
• Seems to have more graffiti
• Fewer cabins
• Smaller and less popular waterfall

Like the Sturtevant Falls trail, you have to start at the Chantry Flat fire road, which is actually paved as it descends from the Chantry Flat Pack Station area. Chances are that if you didn't get an early start, you're going to do what we did and find parking (after buying a Forest Service Pass at the Pack Station) over a half-mile from the trailhead along Santa Anita Canyon Road. Then, get back that distance on foot before even starting the hike.

Then, you descend the paved road (I think this is Chantry Flat Fire Road) for a couple of switchbacks before reaching a signed trail junction right at the second switchback. This junction is just a few paces after a sign that says, "May Your Search Through Nature Lead You To Yourself."

From this point forward, you proceed on a narrow footpath as it descends partially exposed to the sun as it eventually flattens out somewhat at the creek level amidst the presence of a few cabins and flood-control dams over which fake waterfalls flow. It's actually these man-modified waterfalls that may trick you into thinking that Hermit Falls is close to the starting point because these falls make such a loud noise and the sound carries upwards very well in the canyon. But after crossing the stream (can be a little tricky if the waterflow is high like in Spring), you continue downstream past the First Water Junction sign, which lets you know that you still have 3/4-mile to go from here.

Eventually, you'll get to a spur trail leading to the top of Hermit Falls. The First Water Trail continues beyond this spur towards Cabin 1, which is further downstream from the falls (i.e. it's too far).

The uppermost tier of the falls and a little rock pool are all that you can easily see from up here. There's more of the waterfall further downstream right below you, but getting a view of the main falls and accessing its plunge pool are very difficult due to the real steep and tricky scramble that's required. Personally, I wouldn't recommend it trying it. You already have to be careful just to try not to get too close to the slippery edge just to get a glimpse of the very top of the main falls.

Even with that said, I did make it to the bottom (not easy to get down, and even trickier to get back up; better have good rock climbing skills [and some upper body stretch to pull yourself up] to even think about this). But that was only because I followed a family that made the scramble before me. If they weren't there, I definitely wouldn't have even tried. I even discouraged Julie from joining me given the difficulty of the rock scramble. And if you're curious to see what kind of view you get from the bottom, see the photo at the top of this page.

All told, it's probably about a 3-mile return upside-down hike (not counting the extra hiking you probably have to do due to the difficult parking situation). If you want to combine this waterfall with Sturtevant Falls, realize that it would be a difficult "W" hike where you descend to reach Hermit Falls, ascend in the hot and unforgiving sun to get back up to the paved road, then descend to reach Sturtevant Falls, before ascending (in the sun) all the way back up to the car park. Total round trip distance could easily be around 8 miles.

Once here, you can buy a Forest Service Pass (if you didn't possess one already) and then try your luck at finding parking. If this lot is full, you'll have to drive back down Santa Anita Canyon Road and look for a pullout somewhere. You'll definitely want to have that Forest Service Pass because we consistently saw employees issuing citations for parked vehicles not displaying the pass.

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Better display your Forest Pass

Walking on Santa Anita Canyon Road from near our parking spot. See that guy in the vest in the distance? That's a Forest Service employee issuing tickets to parked vehicles not displaying a pass!

Look for the trail junction not far from this wise sign

The signed trail junction deviating from the paved road

Looking into Big Santa Anita Canyon

A trail junction; the left spur leads to the top of Hermit Falls while the right path leads to Cabin 1.

Looking up at part of the difficult scramble as Julie walked away from it

Graffiti by the lowermost falls at the bottom of the difficult scramble

Julie precariously taking photos from the top of the falls

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Top down sweep from the uppermost waterfall to the plunge pool way down below from our precarious vantage point at the top of the main falls


Top down sweep from the base of the main falls towards the graffiti-laced lower falls

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TRIP REPORTS

• April 25, 2010

GUIDEBOOKS / OTHER RESOURCES

NEARBY WATERFALLS

• Sturtevant Falls
• Monrovia Canyon Falls
• Eaton Canyon Falls
• Millard Falls

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