Chantry Flat Recreation Area

Parking is VERY tight and in short supply. Come on an off day otherwise you will have to park on the street and hike a half mile or more. But thats why you came here anyways. To see nature
The scenery is amazing! do some of the trails. Its hidden gem! You will love it.
From the parking lot you can go in many directions.
Bring a bike with some good fat tires and you can climb some dirt roads past the helipad.
Bring some goo walking shoes and you can go anywhere.

One of my Favorite Local Hikes. Just straight up Santa Anita the road takes you to Chantry Flats. Weekend parking is hard as it get really packed up there but weekdays are way easier. Make sure you DO NOT forget you parking pass (i buy mine at REI off Santa Anita) or you can usually buy one up there as well, if they are closed they do have a box you have to put cash $ 5 with your car info on an envelope. The trail is about a Medium for Hikers, the main tough parts are at the beginning and back towards the end again. The rest of the hike is very relaxing and fun. So many spots to stop and take photos and enjoy the outdoor life. HAVE FUN!

Another weekend, another beautiful hike!
I was so excited to do an L.A.-area hike that was more forested. Chantry Flats and the trails branching off from it are top-​notch and the folks at the little refreshment stand/​parking pass payment area are friendly and laid-​back.
We arrived around 9am on Sunday and found the parking lot 99% full (yikes!) but we finally nabbed a spot after about 5 minutes of looking. You have to pay $ 5 for an «adventure pass», which implies that it could be used more than once but. nope, it’s one-​day only. If you want to skip the pass, parallel park on the stretch of road before you hit the sign for Chantry Flats.
We started out with the trail to Sturtevant Falls, which was definitely the most crowded area. Lots of dogs, big groups and a few young (toddler-​aged) kids. The hike is fairly easy, there’s a little bit of an incline on your way back and some scrambling to get to the falls itself. There’s plenty of room for photos at the falls, which is still running despite the drought.
After the falls, we headed for the Upper Falls trail. It was a lot less crowded and offered some beautiful views of the valley. Some parts of the trail are narrow, so it might not be good for folks who are less sure-​footed, and it’s also a bit steep at parts. Definitely still solidly a beginner trail, maybe intermediate.
Back at Chantry Flats, there’s bathrooms, plenty of shaded picnic tables and a little snack stand. Unfortunately, it started to rain so we didn’t linger long, but are definitely going to be coming back.

Beautiful trail! This is one of the longer trails around the San Gabriel Mountains. Hermit Falls and Sturtevant Falls trails start in the same area as the start of Chantry Flats trail. The other trails range from only .5−2miles, whereas Chantry Flats trail is about 6 miles round trip. I especially like this trail more than the others because it’s longer and makes a huge loop, so you’re not having to backtrack once you reach the end. It starts off at the bottom of the mountain along the river that is fairly dried out because of the drought. Luckily, the area is still beautiful and green! I went recently in August and it must have been bug mating season or something because there were SO. MANY. BUGS. Literally walking through swarm of bugs when we were by the moist areas. My friends and I had to use our shirts to cover our face in fear that we were going to inhale them. Halfway through the trail, you start reaching higher altitude so there were fewer bugs. Once you reach the part of the trail that wraps up around the side of the mountain, the view is breathtaking (and no more bugs!!). At this point, it’s all uphill. At the 5^th mile or so, you’ll be able to look down and see the parking area. Overall, it took us about 3 hours to complete, with multiple stops to take pictures. The trail is also very clear with signs along the way.
Another great thing about this area is that parking is very easy. When you get there, you could purchase an Adventure Pass for $ 5 from a little green shack. If they’re closed, there is a box for you to drop in $ 5 and you can write your license plate number on the list. No one’s there to make sure that you actually pay, but maintain integrity! Mother Nature is priceless! That little shack also sells water, beer, icecream, and other miscellaneous items you may want to bring with you on your hike.