Soldier Creek Falls (Angeles National Forest, California, USA)

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Soldier Creek Falls (Lewis Falls)

Soldier Creek Falls

Soldier Creek Falls pleasantly surprised us with its satisfying flow and 50ft height.

Getting to the falls required a little bit of searching however as there are no signs indicating the falls are here. The falls sits inside a shady canyon and you'll have to take an informal trail to see the falls.

That informal trail started off past a few cabins as it follows the creek upstream. Finding the trail past the cabins was a little tricky, but we eventually found a rock ledge that over the creek's bank before wrapping around a rock obstruction, and the fairly thin footpath is revealed beyond this obstacle.

Further along the trail, I recalled there were a few more stream crossings. I also remembered that you really had to pay attention to the trail near some of these crossings because the trail remains faint until you reach its end right in front of the waterfall, which spills into a three-sided enclosure.

Directions: You can drive to the unmarked trailhead by going north on Hwy 39 (off the 210 Freeway). You take this highway all the way into the mountains a short distance past the Coldbrook Camp (near the Crystal Lake Recreation Area). From there, you'll be walking before some cabins in the shaded canyon passing by a few water pipes before finally getting to the falls.

An Important Update About This Waterfall! (4/12/09)
We tried to revisit this waterfall when we discovered that Hwy 39 leading up to the Crystal Lake area had been closed due to severe road erosion since 2002. The road is supposed to re-open in the Summer of 2010, but California's budget problems may further delay that date. So until then, you can't safely access this waterfall.

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TRIP REPORTS

For more information about our experiences with this waterfall, check out the following travel stories.

April 12, 2009

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Highway 39 is reopened
Caltrans has reopened the highway after being closed for nearly 10 years due to extensive fire damage (Curve Fire) and then the 2005 flooding.

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