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 Reporter |
Summary: This hike takes you to one of the gems in the Santa Monica Mountains. The hike starts out on the pavement along Winding Way. After about a mile, an obvious trail takes you down into the lovely Escondido Canyon, criss-crossing creek 4 or 5 times. As you approach the base of the lower falls, you can see the water dropping over the lip of the 150 ft upper falls in the distance. The lower falls are about 50 foot high and trickle over a moss covered wall into a lovely shallow pool. This is the turn around point for those not comfortable with a bit of rock scrambling. To get to the upper falls, take the trail to the right of the lower falls up an obvious gully. At the top of the gully, go left and follow the stream over some small cascades and boulders to the base of the upper falls. This is an amazing site, with water tumbling over 3 or 4 tiers, finally falling into a deep pool. Attempts to climb beyond the base of the upper falls could result in serious injury! Trailhead: From Kanan Road, drive south a mile or so on Pacific Coast Highway (1) to East Winding Way and turn left. The signed parking lot is on the left side of Winding Way. The trail actually follows the paved Winding Way for about a mile, after which you will see an obvious trail to the left. Follow the trail until it hits the stream, then just follow the trail upstream until you come to the lower falls. (Lat:34.0258 Lon:-118.78376) Trail Guides for Escondido Falls: California Hiking by Tom Stienstra & Ann Marie Brown (Foghorn Press) Day Hikes Around Los Angeles by Robert Stone (Day Hike Books, Inc.) Afoot & Afield In Los Angeles by Jerry Schad (Wilderness Press) Best Seasons: Spring, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Ranger Contact: Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy - (310) 589-3200 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Jim Zuber, who has posted 105 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Page 1 of 12 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by antdog on 6/16/2008 hiked this on saturday was the first one there and wasnt sure if the round paved area was parking or not but i parked there and when i came back it was full so it is parking on the left. went w/a home boy from san pedro and seen imediatley a pack of wild coyotes on the way up. not even on the trail yet. by the way my freind was extremely terrified. we walked as if we did not see them and continued . then while on the trail we got attacked by an angry mob of bees for about a 1/4 mile then when we thought we were out of harms way we seen 2 rattle snakes really close to the trail. then seen the falls wich were really nice but wreched of raw sewage. climbed up the rocks and seen a spectacular view.
Reviewed by OB1 on 6/13/2008 I love this hike, though I wish it was a little longer. Amazing waterfall- it's hard to believe such a thing can exist in the Santa Monica mountains. Looking forward to going back when the water is flowing a little more than it was when I last visited in early May.
Reviewed by vb on 6/1/2008 I loved this hike. I went with my boyfriend and it's perfectly romantic, and great for family or couples. There is a ton of wildlife and wild herbs growing along the side of the trail. Any smart man would bring a girl here!
Reviewed by LN on 5/6/2008 This is a jewel of a hike for both beginners and intermediate hikers. The steep part of the hike is really just getting up the Winding Way East which isn't bad to begin with and is actually pleasant going down afterwards with the ocean views. The dirt trail within Escondido is easy and shaded nicely. Although the waterfall may not be as spectacular as others in the country, it is beautiful as it is rare to find one like this in LA. For a more challenging hike, I definitely recommend making the trek up to the upper falls, but just take your time as the path can get narrow. It probably won't take more than 2 hours to really enjoy the hike with some time to soak in the waterfall and grab a few pictures.
Reviewed by da hui hikers on 5/5/2008 hiked on 5/4...got there about 9:30AM and there were two other cars there already. One way up to the upper falls w/out stopping took us an hour from the parking lot. Once you reach the bottom falls... there are 2 visible trails that go up the upper falls... one looks very steep and to the right of that is the right path to go up. Going up to the upper falls, you notice there are few other trails that lead off in different directions... be careful to take the right trail back down as we went down a different trail and it was VERY steep and dangerous right near the bottom falls. I would say it is a 20 foot drop... if you lose your footing. i had to CLIMB back up b/c it was so steep and meet up at the right trail down to the bottom falls. 
Reviewed by ourflyingpig on 5/5/2008 What a great hike! The lower falls were nice but the upper falls is your destination. The hike to the lower falls is pleasant with flowers everywhere! If you had to use one word for the hike, today it would be butterflies! The air was thick with several varieties. The trail to the upper falls is challenging, especially on the way down! We made it with our dog (his first hike), a ten and eleven year old. Stay left on the trail as some small trails branch off. Saw about 30 others on the trail-we were there about three hours.
Reviewed by Lars on 4/15/2008 4/14/08 A great easy escape from the city. Many hikes outlined in books or on websites don't quite live up to the hype but this one certainly does. I can't wait to go back with my girlfriend after a fresh rain the waterfalls would be amazing. Today it was just me and my 150lb Newfoundland and we managed to make it up to the upper falls. If you have a dog you can make it up there as well, as long as you can lift them up to help them boulder hop about 10 times. I promise your dog is more agile than mine. Today I saw 6 other people on the trail and 1 other dog. Wild life was 2 garden snakes, about 50 lizards, and a red-tailed hawk. Thank you all for informing me on this great hike. Have fun.
Reviewed by ~Daniel on 3/30/2008 Continuing on my review below: I don’t suggest scaling the upper falls for anyone who is afraid of heights because it is quite dangerous along some of the steep edges. The very top exposes a captivating view of the entire area, with the falls just under your feet. Plan on using your hands and feet to get to the upper falls and be prepared to get your pants very dirty since you might have to sit and slowly crawl to get back down. Overall, the trail hike is very easy, while the ascent to the upper falls is challenging, but it is all worth it. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: California Hiking, California Trails, California Hikes, Los Angeles County Hiking, Los Angeles County Trails, Los Angeles County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||