People visiting the southwestern United States often stop in on southern California. Los Angeles is one of the biggest cities in the world, and there’s certainly no shortage of sights to visit and to see while there. One of the more underrated activities in CA is a sightseeing venture down the Angeles Forest Highway. Locations like Trail Canyon make this trip worth the effort.

Directions to any destination on the road, including Trail Canyon, are pretty much self explanatory if you’re driving on the Angeles Forest Highway. You’ll be cutting through the Angeles National Forest and thus have immediate access to a slew of overlooks, campgrounds, trails, recreation centers and other stops along the way.

Trail Canyon is found in the Big Tujunga Creek segment of the highway/forest. The driving gets a little bit more dangerous in this segment as the road narrows and rock slides are often a hazard, and this is why trails along this section do so well. It gives visitors a chance to get up-close-and-personal with the habitat.

You can also take a direct route to the trailhead instead of going in through the forest road. By taking the 210 in Sunland, you can take the Sunland exit and head NE to Mt. Gleason Ave. From there, make a left turn and follow the road to Big Tujunga Canyon. You’ll find a parking area at the gate.

There are many great features of Trail Canyon that draw visitors in by the thousands. The entire area is a dense forest, which can be either pleasant or terrifying depending on what types of noises you hear and animals you see while hiking. The deep rocky canyon is also a wonder sight, and the waterfall is always flowing strong.

The hike up the canyon and through the forest isn’t easy for everyone. Although you won’t have to really climb up the mountain, the rocky terrain can still be tough to handle for some. The trail is maintained very nicely, but that still doesn’t mean everyone can get up without any problems. You may want to have a little bit of hiking experience before visiting Trail Canyon.

The elevation is just right for a hike of this nature. At 1,400 feet off the ground, it’s wonderful and cool as you make your way up the trail, especially once you near the waterfall. This is a perfect hike in the spring and summer months.

It’s a long trail that will take you a while to complete, even if you’re a skilled hiker. The trail is 7 miles long and it might take half the day to traverse it. You can bring pets or even ride horses through the trail, but no ATVs or bikes are allowed – and they probably wouldn’t make it anyway.

After the falls, you can continue for another 2 miles until you reach the Tom Lucas Camp if you’re planning on staying overnight.