Switzer Falls Hike

Switzer Falls Hike

Switzer Falls is a cascading waterfall in the Angeles National Forest of the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles. The trail is a rocky hike, mostly following an arroyo seco, or dry creek, that fills with rain and during the wet season. On my hike at the end of June, the creek had water and the falls were flowing!

Getting Started

The trail to Switzer falls is located just off of the 2 in the Angeles Forest. There is a pull off on the main road and then a narrow road that leads down into the gorge a bit that leads to a larger parking lot where the hike starts. There are some picnic tables and pit toilets near the parking area and it was a busier spot. A sign and small bridge signal the start of the hike as well as some more picnic area’s and some spots where some kids were playing in the creek. While the whole area is popular, the trail does get less crowded the further you move along.

The Trail

From the picnic area, the trail to Switzer Falls gradually heads downhill through some rocky terrain that hugs next to the creek. I was surprised by how rocky it was but it wasn’t so rocky as to be unmanageable. One of the best parts is the shade. On a super hot California day, the fact that the trail was almost completely shaded was a life save.

The trail is about a mile and a half with a fairly consistent 8% downhill grade. The grade becomes a bigger challenge on the way back up but downhill and rocky can lead to some traction problems so it is important to take your time and have proper footwear.

At the bottom of the hill is a small opening with an option to head down next to the creek bed or switchback your way up to the upper trail. The trail next to the creek will lead you to the falls, or at least to the upper portion.

Switzer Falls

The hike up to the top of Switzer Falls was pretty easy up until the end. As you get right to the edge of the falls, the trail gets really rocky and you have to traverse some really large rocks. Once you do that though, you get a great view right from the top of the falls.

The above picture is from above the falls and looking down. At the base of the water was a pool of about knee deep water and there were a lot of people and kids playing in it so I couldn’t take too many pictures. To get down to the pool, I assume was by sliding down the rocks, though I didn’t think my old ankles and knees could take that, so I just enjoyed the view from the top of the water.

This definitely felt like a waterfall that could be dry for parts of the year as it was more of a cascade down the rocks. The summer wet season had it running nicely and it was a really enjoyable spot!

The Upper Trail

Heading back towards the main trail leads to the upper trail. This trail was actually closed after only two-tenths of a mile. There was a large sign closing the area and I am not sure if it was because of fire damage or slides but it seemed like a temporary sign. While the trail was closed, there was still enough room to see some of the great hills and mountains of the Angeles National Forest from this upper level.

With the trail closed, I headed back down the hill and back to the trailhead. Reminder that all of the elevation gain is heading back from the falls on this hike. It is only about 460 feet of elevation gain to get back up to the top in about a mile and a half so not too bad. Make sure you have some energy ready though!

I thought this was a lovely shaded hike to do in the summer and enjoy a nice creek and cool waterfall. Plus, there were plenty of people around enjoying a nice picnic and the outdoors.

Video of the Switzer Falls hike

I have put this time-lapse video together of hiking to Switzer Falls so other hikers can get a feel of what the hike is like. If you enjoy this video make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. It is free to subscribe and you will get the latest outdoor content.

Distance and Elevation

If you don’t have the AllTrails app you might want to check it out, I really love mine. It records your progress and is a great way to search for hikes that are nearby and gives you difficulty measurements. According to AllTrails today’s hike was around 3.37 miles and had a total elevation gain of about 466 feet including undulations. That put the high point at around 3,250 feet. I was also moving for a total 1 hours and 19 minutes. One thing to point out is the parking lot is the high point for this trail.

I am a Pro member of AllTrails and love it. If you are interested in the platform, please consider using my affiliate link for AllTrails. It gives me a small commission with no extra cost to you.

Effort

The Switzer Falls hike is a moderately challenging hike that includes some rough terrain and a bit of elevation change. The hike is mostly downhill from the parking lot which means that the elevation is on the back half of the hike which can be a challenge. Rocks surround the falls themselves that can be tricky to traverse.

Terrain

The trail to Switzer Falls is fairly rocky and uneven. While not terribly challenging, it will be important to have good shoes and take your time while hiking on the rocks that can be wet. There are also a couple of small creek crossings that may get your feet wet so waterproof shoes can be helpful. The good news is that the trail is mostly shaded.

Access to the Switzer Falls Hike

The Switzer Falls hike is located at 701 Angeles Crest Highway (the 2). There is a small pull off right off the highway but a smaller 1 lane fire road that leads down to a larger parking lot. There are pit toilets at the lower lot and room for about 20-30 cars. Plus, there are some picnic areas around the lower lot as well and it seems like it fills up quickly.

Wrapping up the Switzer Falls Hike

On my first trip to Southern California, I wanted to make sure to get up to the mountains but also wanted to make sure that I did a hike I knew I could handle. The hike to Switzer Falls was perfect! It was challenging enough to keep me interested and had a great pay off with the waterfall. At the same time, it wasn’t so hard that I got uncomfortable on my first hike in a new mountain range.

It definitely gets hot, so make sure that you are prepared for that, but the shade on this hike is great and low incline made me able to hike at a my own pace. It is a really nice hike, just be careful driving down that narrow road to get there!

I have added this hike and all of my hikes to the interactive map page you can find here. If you have any suggestions for hikes or comments feel free to email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com or you can follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!

Gallery of the Switzer Falls Hike