About Switzer Falls
Switzer Falls was one waterfall that kind of became an exercise in frustration when it came to satisfactory experiences.
You see, we’ve typically seen this waterfall in low flow (or nearly dry).
Yet in those times when we did see this waterfall flow fairly well, we never really got to see all of it.
In fact, Switzer Falls was really a series of at least three main waterfalls.
The first or uppermost one dropped some 10ft within a twisting and mostly hidden part of the canyon it spilled into.
The main or middle drop fell approximately 50-70ft, which easily made it the most impressive of the three.
Finally, the lower waterfall consisted of a pair of sloping drops with a total height of some 30-40ft combined.
Even though the falls may have had an impressive cumulative height, for many years, we’ve only experienced the lower waterfall as it was the most accessible.
Observant visitors to this website may have noticed that we used to score this waterfall a mere 1.5 in the scenic rating and 2.5 in the difficulty rating as a result of this partial experience.
However, it wasn’t until the year 2016 when I finally completed the Switzer Falls experience by reaching the elusive main waterfall.
Unfortunately, earning that sighting required a considerable amount of risk to life and limb, which was the main reason why it had been elusive all these years.
Nevertheless, in this write-up, I’ll get right into the complete experience insofar as we’ve been able to do it.
Options on the Switzer Falls Hike
As you can see, hiking to Switzer Falls could be pretty easy or difficult, fairly short or somewhat long.
It all depends on how much of the waterfall you want to see as well as how much water flows on the Arroyo Seco (the creek feeding Switzer Falls).
According to my GPS logs, the hike could require as little as 3.6 miles round trip to just the Lower Switzer Falls (assuming we started from the picnic area; see directions below).
However, had we started from the upper parking lot for Switzer Falls, then we’d have to add another half-mile in each direction (or a mile round trip) to the hike.
Moreover, in order to experience the tallest drop of Switzer Falls, these hiking distances would increase by about another half-mile in each direction (or another mile round trip).
Finally, in order to experience the somewhat hidden uppermost drop of Switzer Falls, we’d have to go on a little detour of another quarter-mile or so (or about a half-mile round trip).
Thus, in the worst case, the overall hiking distance could be as much as about 6.1 miles round trip.
That wouldn’t count any additional hiking if the parking situation would be bad enough to force you to walk a little longer on the Angeles Crest Highway.
To give you an idea about the time commitment, it had taken me about 3.5 hours in total the first time I was able to experience all three waterfalls.
On that particular experience, I did the hard parts by myself while I did the easier parts with my wife and daughter who didn’t pursue the middle and upper falls.
When I went in a larger group, it took us about 5 hours in total to experience the lower two drops of Switzer Falls in fairly high waterflow conditions.
On that visit, the younger girls and most of the moms stayed at the lower falls.
And it took about 4.5 hours when I hiked as a trio with my Mom and cousin-in-law who were all capable hikers (and also more efficient with our time).
That said, they also didn’t chance it by going beyond the Lower Switzer Falls to neither the main Switzer Falls nor detour to the Upper Switzer Falls.
For the purposes of this write-up, we’ll assume that we began from the well-established Switzer Falls Picnic Area and parking lot.
This picnic area was quite large, and it always seemed to be busy with weekenders so I also expected the trail to have a lot of people.
Anyways, the trail crossed a bridge over the Arroyo Seco (meaning “dry creek” in Spanish), and it would turn out that this was the only bridged stream crossing throughout the hike.
Beyond the bridge, we passed by another serene creekside picnic area as well as a last-chance pit toilet facility.
Then, the gently-descending trail followed along the east side of Arroyo Seco over a surprising amount of pavement, which made me think the trail used to be a road.
Eventually, the pavement gave way to conventional dirt trail with remnants of stone barricades or retaining walls flanking it.
Then, depending on the flow of Arroyo Seco, we would cross the creek at least three or four times (possibly even a half-dozen or more).
Over the years, we’ve managed to stay dry on these crossings with a combination of Gore-tex hiking boots and/or the optional trekking poles even in moderate flow.
However, I’ve noticed many people have had a harder time with improper shoes, which tended to slow down the hiking pace.
At around 30 minutes from the trailhead, we encountered a trail junction near some old stove relics that appeared to have belonged to the US Forest Service from a bygone era.
We weren’t sure what the full story was behind why we could see such stoves here, but they served as landmarks to remind us when we had to turn right to cross the creek.
We’ll come back to this spot later in this write-up.
That said, we’ve noticed a lot of people mistakenly missing this creek crossing and continuing straight ahead.
Eventually, that spur trail would have taken them to the top of Switzer Falls for a rather disappointing experience.
Switzer Falls Trail Description – skirting then descending into Bear Canyon
After the unbridged creek crossing by the stoves, we then ascended a couple of short switchbacks as the trail became much narrower with some dropoff exposure.
While on this climbing part of the trail, it immediately narrowed as cliff exposure became more prevalent.
As the trail skirted the very steep canyon walls of Bear Canyon, we noticed chain-linked fences on the drop-off side.
Clearly, authorities have set up these barricades to minimize the temptation of trying to scramble down these cliffs.
Such a temptation was largely due to the desire for a closer or more satisfying view of the elusive main drop of Switzer Falls.
Speaking of that main drop, we used to be able to catch a glimpse of the pool immediately above the main drop as well as the main drop itself.
However, as years passed by, the overgrowth became more severe and such a view of this main drop of Switzer Falls became less apparent.
The trail would continue skirting alongside the cliffs before reaching a trail junction at the high point of the overall hike.
This was just as the scenery opened up to reveal the pretty canyon below as well as the mountains of the San Gabriel Range rising above it.
We then kept left at the junction, which descended along exposed cliff ledges into the canyon.
In addition to the dropoff exposure, we also encountered a few patches of overgrowth (especially in the Spring), where it appeared like poison ivy contact could easily happen.
After another 10-15 minutes of this descent, we’d eventually drop into the shady confines of Bear Canyon, where we would hit yet another trail junction adjacent to the Arroyo Seco itself.
At this point, a sign pointed to the left (upstream) for the Switzer Falls, and this was the way we went for the remainder of the main trail.
Going right at this junction would have led further downstream away from Switzer Falls towards Bear Canyon, which we can’t really say more about what’s down there since we’ve never done that part of the hike.
Nevertheless, as we hiked further upstream alongside Arroyo Seco, the relatively flat trail was pretty straightforward to follow with a couple more creek crossings.
Within minutes, we’d ultimately arrive at the two-tiered drop for what I’m dubbing the Lower Switzer Falls.
As far as the official trail was concerned, this waterfall marked the end even though we knew this wasn’t the main part of the waterfall.
Switzer Falls Trail Description – the elusive main tier
In order to continue further upstream to reach the base of the main waterfall, I had to do some dicey scrambling.
The scramble started from the east side of Arroyo Seco where I could either climb up from the edge of the plunge pool or go a little further downstream to pick up a more sloping “trail”.
These informal paths ultimately led up to a narrow ledge overlooking the Lower Switzer Falls.
In the last few times that I’ve done this scramble, I’ve noticed the ledge and a fallen tree acting as a mental “fence” erode and expose more of the dropoff.
So I don’t know how much longer this informal “path” would last in the future before becoming too dangerous (if it isn’t already is by now).
Indeed, this scramble reminded me very much of the kind of danger involved in going above the first drop of say Kaaterskill Falls due to the dropoff exposure.
Beyond the ledge, I then had to traverse a slope on slippery exposed rocks, which required the use of all of my agility and experience to avoid a nasty and potentially fatal fall.
After getting past these dropoff-exposed obstacles, I handled the rest of the stream scramble and “slot-canyon”-like conditions with relative ease.
This was despite encountering more fallen tree obstacles and boulder scrambles to avoid getting wet.
I still had to remain vigilant due to the landslide and flash flood danger given the steep-walled surroundings of this rugged part of the canyon.
Nevertheless, after about 10-15 minutes of this scramble, I then encountered a log jam, where I found it easiest to keep to the right of the chaotic jumble of fallen trees to continue.
Once beyond this obstacle, the path dead-ended right at the base of the main tier of Switzer Falls.
This nearly cathedral-like dead-end had sheer vertical walls on three sides so any further progress was probably reserved for mountain goats.
Tumbling pebbles and dripping springs from above constantly reminded me of the inherent danger of just being here so I couldn’t linger for too long.
That said, although making it up to this part of Switzer Falls wasn’t as secluded as I would’ve thought, I still had some moments of solitude.
Even though the odd random people making it up here from time to time would cause me to share this place, most people don’t linger around.
On the return hike, the dicey scramble besides the Lower Switzer Falls seemed more difficult because of its somewhat downward slope.
This slopoe faced the dropoff exposure, which acted as constant reminders of the dire consequences of a fall.
Once I safely made it back to the plunge pool of the Lower Switzer Falls, then I could breathe easier as the riskiest part of the adventure was behind me.
Switzer Falls Trail Description – the detour to the top of the falls
The return hike from the Lower Switzer Falls followed the way we came in with the most strenuous part being the ascent back up to the trail junction with the Gabrielino Trail at the apex of the hike.
Upon descending back to the Arroyo Seco by trail junction at the three old stoves, we then could either keep left to head back to the trailhead, or extend the excursion by going downstream to the right to find the Upper Switzer Falls.
So turning right to follow the Arroyo Seco downstream, I initially had no trouble following the trail past a graffiti-laden sign warning that the path beyond this point lacked maintenance.
Sure enough, after a short drop back into the Arroyo Seco, I then continued a short distance further downstream.
This was where the trail then choked off as it would encounter rocks flanking what appeared to be the 10ft Upper Switzer Falls.
Initially, I carefully scrambled around this small waterfall before descending towards the stream again for a more frontal look at the falls.
However, I also scrambled higher up the rocks slightly further downstream for a top down look at the main Switzer Falls drop.
Of course knowing that the canyon walls down there were sheer vertical drops, I didn’t bother entertaining the notion of going any further on this little detour.
Authorities
Switzer Falls resides in the Angeles National Forest near Pasadena in Los Angeles County, California. It is administered by the USDA Forest Service. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website or Facebook page.
We typically drive to the Switzer Falls Trailhead from the I-210 freeway then taking the Hwy 2 exit at La Canada-Flintridge.
Turning right at the off-ramp, we then followed the Hwy 2 (Angeles Crest Highway) for about 10 miles to the signed gated turnoff as well as upper parking lot for the Switzer Picnic Area.
This turnoff and parking area was about a quarter-mile or so after the Clear Creek Station (where we could buy a forest service pass) and Big Tujunga Canyon Road.
Turning right to go down the narrow road past the gate, it descended for about a half-mile to the Switzer Falls Picnic Area itself.
The parking down there was quite limited, and we were fortunate on several occasions to have found parking down there.
However, if this lot was full or the gate blocked the narrow road down to the lower parking lot, then we’d have to park at the upper parking lot or on the shoulders along the Hwy 2.
This wound up adding another half-mile or so of walking in each direction (not to mention the sun exposure on that access road).
This drive would typically take us on the order of around 30 minutes from Pasadena, which itself is north of downtown Los Angeles.
Finally, if you didn’t purchase an Adventure Pass prior to driving up here, they do sell some at that Clear Creek Station as well as a larger station a little over 6 miles from the I-210/Hwy 2 off-ramp along the Hwy 2.
While the ranger stations only accepted cash or check, we’ve also bought such passes from more convenient spots like the REI in Monrovia as well as some neighboring gas stations.
And while enforcement of the Forest Service Pass in parked cars on Forest Service lands can be intermittent, I have observed that Switzer Falls was one place where enforcement certainly happens.
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Video with a bunch of long dwells starting from an profile angle before a direct view, then showing litter as well as the vertical cliffs before ending with long dwells at the other side
Back and forth sweep from the tricky ledge above the lower tiers of Switzer Falls
Brief video showing a direct look at the lower tiers of Switzer Falls
Exploring the area at the bottom of the upper drop of Switzer Falls
Downstream to upstream sweep of the lower falls in decent flow after an early season visit
Sweeping around the plunge pool of the middle falls.
Approaching the Lower Switzer Falls while also noticing some people who figured out how to make the scramble to get past this waterfall and explore further up the canyon
Taking the time to examine the dead-end at the very bottom of the main Switzer Falls from all sorts of different angles while I momentarily had this falls to myself
Brief sweep looking down at the main Switzer Falls before scrambling back for a closer look at the Upper Switzer Falls
Slow and very deliberate sweep from the plunge pool to the blue sky
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