Placerita Canyon to Waterfall Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features River/Creek · Waterfall

A nice running trail that leads from the Main Trailhead near the Nature Center in Placerita Canyon State Park to Los Pinetos Waterfall.

The Nature Center is closed on Mondays.

From the Main Trailhead near the Nature Center, head east on Canyon Trail which follows Placerita Creek up the canyon. When the trail forks at around 1 mile, stay right to continue on Canyon Trail. Around 1.9 miles, near the end of Canyon Trail, there are two trails that branch off to the right heading south. Take the second right to head south on Waterfall Trail. This trail has a little bit steeper of a grade but not so much to make it difficult. Shaded by big cone spruce and coastal live oak, the trail winds up Los Pinetos Canyon. It ends at Los Pinetos Waterfall, a 15 foot tall seasonal waterfall (it flows about 8 months out of the year). After a nice rest, head back the way you came for a 5.1 mile round-trip run.

Thanks to John McKinney, The Trailmaster, for sharing this trail description. To learn more about trails in California, check out his guides at The Trailmaster Store.

Oak, sycamore, big cone spruce, big-leaf maple, coastal live oak.
Poison ivy is prominent.

California's first gold rush was in Placerita Canyon in 1842.

The canyon has also been the set for many movies and TV shows.