Linh Nguyen
Google
This is a wonderful trail to hike on, especially during the summer! There are many river crossings (7) of the San Gabriel River, cooling you off during your hike. There is some poison ivy along the trail (leaves of three, let them be) so I would recommend pants, although they would get soaked.
My group got lost quite a few times, crossing whenever we saw a slight clearing on the other bank. Don’t do that! Make sure you see a rope or an red/blue painted arrow in that direction before you cross. Make sure you also have a map with you, to check if you’re on the right path. I would recommend AllTrails for this purpose.
Off the trail a bit, a little past the seventh crossing, there is a small trail to one of the best waterfalls I have ever experienced. There’s no one there(when I came) and there’s a pool beneath it where you can bathe in. But the trail there is not as wonderful as the waterfall. On this trail, you can get lost easily, so hiker, beware! If you want ro go here download a AllTrails map beforehand. Follow to little plastic pink things tied to plants, you’ll know when you see them. There’s a crossings, then the trail is now hidden behind a bush on the other bank, making it harder to see it. This is when most people would turn around. If you cross the river, make sure the path you’re following turns to the left once you crossed the river. From now on, it’s scrambling. There will be a ruin that looks like a fireplace to your left after a bit of scrambling. When you see this, make sure to stay to your right and go up the small right waterfall. From there, you made it! Scramble for a bit more, then you’ll be there!