I've heard a lot about Chantry Flat since moving back down to Southern California. This is one of the most popular trailheads in the Angeles National Forest and the parking fills up fast nearly every morning. There is a large network of trails here, some that lead down into the canyon, and some that climb the flanks of Mt. Wilson. My friend Sonya invited me to go on a hike here Saturday and I decided it was about time I saw what the fuss was all about.
To get to Chantry Flat, exit the 210 freeway at Santa Anita Blvd and head north. The road goes through a very pretty neighborhood but soon enough civilization drops away and the road becomes very narrow and winding ascending into the San Gabriel Mountains. After a few minutes you'll arrive at the end of the road and Chantry Flat. There is limited parking here so come on a weekday or early in the morning on weekends. The trail into the canyon starts off on a side road that steeply descends 425 feet in 1/2 mile. That means we'd have to climb back out at the end of our hike, oh joy. But if you can get over that then you are in luck because the canyon is extremely beautiful.
When you look down into a chaparral canyon from above it may not look like much. Dense green vegetation hides the beauty underneath the canopy. This canyon is one of the prettiest I've seen in this area... A fact not undiscovered by any stretch of the imagination. Back in the 1920's this was a very popular area to build summer cabins, a recreation activity sponsored by the Forest Service back then. Many of these cabins still remain and all are very cute and quaint. The whole cabin tract is now designated as a historical landmark.
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