Depending on how fast you walk, the round-trip takes approximately an hour. (App was acting a bit weird, kept pausing my progress. Welcome to Devil's Punchbowl Natural Area -- one of SoCal's best-kept secrets that you must see to believe. The Devils Chair. The diversity of conifers is equally impressive. Then its Mt. Devil's Punchbowl is a basin with a small lake near the summit of Grizzly Peak in Plumas County, California, southeast of Taylorsville . Beautiful views. Experience this 11.1-km out-and-back trail near Valyermo, California. Top: Lauren looking out over the Devils Punchbowl creek from the viewing platformBottom Left: Devils Punchbowl gushing down during the months of late spring the mist from the waterfall easily reached the viewing platformBottom Right: Looking through the branches to Devils Punchbowl absolutely pumping over the edge. There were families and pups on the trail. One mile in, at the wilderness boundary between the Smith River NRA and Siskiyou Wilderness, the understory is dominated by maples and oaks. Williamson via Pacific Crest Trail, Islip Saddle, Mount Baden-Powell, and Vincent Gap, Mount Williamson and Pleasant View Ridge via Pacific Crest Trail, Mount Islip, Middle Hawkins, Mount Hawkins, and Baden Powell via PCT, Mount Williamson, Goodykoontz Peak, and Pallett Mountain via PCT. Quick easy hike. The walk soon begins to follow numerous steps up wooden staircases through the bush climbing up as you go. The Devils Punchbowl itself is accessible from a 1-mile loop trail that drops you down into the center of these massive rocks and lets you explore and climb to your hearts content. The falls are popular among tourists and travellers because of how accessible they are. Nice short trail to devils punchbowl. If you wish to experience the beauty of the Siskiyou Wilderness and avoid the crowds associated with The Devils Punchbowl, then consider a visit to Raspberry Lake. Nestled into the northern foothills of the San Gabriel mountain range, this county park is blessed with white sandstone strata, pushed skyward by the geologic activity of the San Andreas Fault and other nearby fault lines. Generally considered a challenging route. The bridge mentioned is showcased in the cover photo of this post. I just wouldn't recommend it for beginners or kids. let me know what you think in the comments! Lizards everywhere, some teeny-tiny, some can rest comfortably in the palm of your hand. Its not until you start getting pretty close to the falls that the steps kick in again. Beautiful little trail, good for the family as long as kids are supervised on cliff edge. Adventures from the South is an attempt at recreating many of the outdoor experiences that I have had, giving others the tools they may require to experience these destinations in Aotearoa (New Zealand) for themselves. Because it is geologically young, the area saw minimal glaciation during recent ice ages and as a result, the range is considered to be one of the most biodiverse temperate coniferous forests in the world. Tons on the sides of the trail and easy to forget that its as poisonous as poison oak. The falls are popular among tourists and travellers because of how accessible they are. Thank you! It's a beautiful natural area with slot canyo. The round trip is 7.4 miles and takes roughly three hours to complete for an intermediate hiker. There a plenty of available campsites and bountiful fishing opportunities. Devil's Chair Hike in Devil's Punchbowl County Park Motorcycle Classics Magazine Featuring the most brilliant, unusual and popular motorcycles ever made! When I was old enough to fit in the backpack I was taken out hiking and mountain biking with my parents. If youre that little bit more ambitious or have seen on social media there is a route that runs up to the base of the falls. It is a spectacular setting, with the high desert spreading out on one side, and the pine-covered Angeles National forest on the other. The Siskiyou Wilderness, designated in 1984, encompasses three national forests: Siskiyou, Klamath and Six Rivers for a total of 182,802 acres. Short trail with gorgeous views of the coast, including the sinkhole and a stunning view of the bridge that runs through the park. The monthly Adventures from the South mailer. Couldnt complete it myself..needed some bravery. Twitter: @climbingweather Beautiful. Awesome! Other than that its not very difficult trail. "Most of the information that is being promoted out there simply is not true . Opinions ranged from "it was very easy" to "it was very difficult." Blow hole was a little disappointing. Currently an engineering student with a heart for discovering and sharing with the world hidden adventures in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Please pick up after your pet. As I grew older my parents would organize an annual tramp each year with my grandparents usually ticking one of the Great Walks off each year. U.S. Geological Survey, National Geospatial Technical Operations Center, 20220511, USGS Topo Map Vector Data (Vector) 12114 Devils Punchbowl, California 20220511 for 7.5 x 7.5 minute Shapefile: U.S. Geological Survey. Looks like a nice place for lunch. Check with ranger station as to status of the road, one road is washed out/closed at the moment. The San Gabriels run east to west, with the western edge starting 20 miles north of Los Angeles and running 70 miles east to the Cajon Pass, separating the Mojave Desert from the San Gabriel and Pomona valleys. Cutting through the rocks is a spectacular canyon formed by Devil's Punchbowl Creek. Take care throughout this section use two hands to keep yourself from falling and avoiding tripping. The trail is very easy to follow but its going up and down very often because to reach to the Devils Chair you have to go over few mountains. I cannot stress how awesome this park is to experience and would recommend it if you are looking for an exciting outdoor adventure for the whole family. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. The Devil's Punchbowl Nature Area In Southern California The walk is well maintained by the Department of Conservation and follow a number of flights of stairs that you must climb to reach a viewing platform . I would recommend wearing a light rain jacket up to the falls, especially after heavy rainfall. Some areas loose can get hot half the hike has burn damage from fire back in 2020. Drying off in the warm sun next to the lake is as welcoming as the swim itself. Beautiful day. But the truth is far more complicated. Hiking the Devil's Punchbowl Trail in Southern CaliforniaCheck out one of southern California's most epic hikes to the Devil's Chair at the Devil's Punchbowl. Although the Devil's Punchbowl is a pretty amazing feature, It is not as spectacular as the ancient blow hole behind the Little River Cemetery. Nestled in the northern slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains, the Devils Punchbowl is a quick 1 hour and 15 minutes drive north of Los Angeles if you take the express route, but that would be missing the point entirely. Devil's Punchbowl Trail - California | AllTrails Beautiful rock formations. For visitors arriving in early summer, sweet smelling native western azaleas bloom right along the trail. From there, follow the directions outlined above.Best Kept Secret: The Devils Punchbowl itself. Provisional: Either: 1) member of exotic population that is breeding in the wild, self-propagating, and has persisted for multiple years, but not yet Naturalized; 2) rarity of uncertain provenance, with natural vagrancy or captive provenance both considered plausible.When applicable, eBird generally defers to bird records committees for records formally considered to be of "uncertain provenance". From 199, take South Fork Road, continue on 16N02. So many rock formations and coastal flowers. Overnight visitors arriving on the shoulder seasons can expect some quiet seclusion, but expect company during the busy summer months. Check out a video I took below. Is this hike doable in the winter? Note that facing the nature center, the Burkhart trailhead is on the right side of the parking lot. The Punchbowl Fault is to the south of the rock formation while the Pinyon and San Andreas Faults are to the north.. Highly recommend hiking this in April to get some views of the super bloom, see a horned toad, and avoid the heat of summertime. Beautiful views and good exercise. Devil's Punchbowl Natural Area and Nature Center - Parks & Recreation Beginning in the Smith River National Recreation Area at the Doe Flat Trailhead (Coordinates: 41.814244, -123.707899), the trail climbs from 3,400 elevation to a height of 4,700 feet, where trees give way to subalpine scrub and breezes cool the air. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 5 h 10 min to complete. Absolutely gorgeous little walk. Nathan James is the blogger behind Adventures from the South. Check out videos on hundreds of California adventures. Devil's Punchbowl Natural Area is open Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun. However. USGS Topo Map Vector Data (Vector) 12114 Devils Punchbowl, California The peculiar uptilted rock formations to be seen in the entire area are layers of sedimentary rocks that were formed long ago by the depositing of loose material in horizontal layers by water. The Devils Punchbowl Natural Area is a Los Angeles County park, also within the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and Angeles National Forest. There are some slippery parts, so watch out while the tide is in! Absolutely stunning views. I soon realised that I would never have the opportunity to take each mate on every single trip that I went on, so I settled for writing up the trips and sharing photos that I captured along the way. Heres a look at one of SoCals most awesome regional parks where you can hike, fish, swim, and camp. We connected it with the Punchbowl Loop making it about 8.6 miles. The Punchbowl had a lot of wildflowers, and there are some on the way to Devils Chair. Within the first half mile from the trailhead you will encounter Douglas-fir, sugar pine, noble fir and Pacific yew, to name just a few species. The Devil's Punchbowl Los Angeles County Park - Digital-Desert Devil's Punchbowl is a sinkhole formed by a collapsed sea cave over 70 feet (21 m) deep and 100 feet (30 m) in diameter in Russian Gulch State Park, about 8 miles (13 km) south of Fort Bragg and 1.6 miles (2.6 km) north-northwest of Mendocino, California. Good hike to the streams for kids, the Devils Chair is not that kid friendly. When the falls are really pumping you can end up blanketed in mist right the way back here on the platform. Because of the abundance of peaks and absence of light pollution, the lake makes an excellent location in which to observe or photograph the Milky Way. Absolutely gorgeous windy, so be careful. You can still access the Doe Flat Trailhead if you drive through Ship Mountain from Big Flat. The mountain serves as a reminder to all travelers about the necessity of proper food storage, as black bears are plentiful, but elusive. As the most awesome glacial cirque lake in the Klamath Mountains, the crystal clear Devils Punchbowl is easily among the most popular destination for hikers and backpackers seeking to experience the Siskiyou Wilderness. I enjoy walking the ridge and the view from the Devils Chair! Hikers wishing to visit the lake in spring need to be especially cautious, as this section of trail has a tendency to retain snowpack well into early summer. The track is very well maintained and youre feet will be more than comfortable in a pair of sneakers. T Walker Road is one of the places where parts of Star Wars IV:ANew Hope were filmed! Devils Punchbowl Park, Los Angeles County, CA, US - eBird Exploring the Devil's Punchbowl Slot Canyon Waterfall - YouTube I was super happy to see the end since it has been closures due to the pandemic, snow, etc. Nice short hike with great views. As long as you are continuing to find your way along a smooth path with wooden staircases right the way along to the falls youll eventually find yourself at the viewing platform of Devils Punchbowl. Plenty of creeks to filter water on the hike and good camp spots once you get up towards the lakes. We took off to Pearblossom on the Northern slopes of Angeles National Forest to hike around Devil's Punchbowl. Proper hiking shoes are a must due to the loose rocks. Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use. Not much shade due to the fire but the rock formations are incredible. The Devils Punchbowl track takes you to a viewing platform with an information board of Devils Punchbowl. The Klamath Mountains contains one of the largest collections of unique conifers in the world. What: Devil's Punchbowl Natural Area, 28000 Devil's Punchbowl Rd., Pearblossom, CA, 93553, (661) 944-2743, and a circumnavigation of the San Gabriel Mountains. Dogs must be on a leash at all times. Expected weather for Devils Chair Trail for the next 5 days is: Islip Saddle to Mt Islip via Little Jimmy Campground, Islip Saddle to Mt. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Saw a deer within the first 5 min! The Punchbowl is a deep canyon cut by the runoff of large quantities of water from the higher San Gabriel Mountains occurring over a long period of time. Located within Redwood National and State Parks, this pristine trail feels wonderfully remote. Somedays you dont have to stay long before youre a lot damper than before. Beautiful trail! An achievable day hike in the summer and autumn months. SoCal freeways (the 210 and the 15) provided the route through the regions southern suburbs; the Nirvana-like northern segment through the San Gabriels scenic twisties is far more interesting.