Hike Brown Mountain Dam (Arroyo Seco)

Hiking to the Brown Mountain Dam waterfall hike quickly transports you from suburban LA to a natural wonderland. You’ll start in suburban Altadena, then follow the Arroyo Seco, a lifeline watershed, into Angeles National Forest, to the hidden waterfall at the abandoned Brown Mountain Dam. The shaded trail passes ruins, secluded picnic areas, and beautiful willows, oaks, and sycamores. Today it’s a flat and relatively easy hike that’s fun for all levels of hiker.
This hike is also known as the “JPL Hiking Trail,” the “JPL Trail,” and the “Arroyo Seco Trail.”

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Escape to the tranquil beauty of Southern California's wilderness with a hike to the Brown Mountain Dam in the Arroyo Seco region. Perfectly nestled in the captivating Angeles National Forest, this trail offers a unique blend of abundant nature, serene landscapes, and rich history. Whether you're a seasoned hiker or a beginner, the undulating terrains leading to the Brown Mountain Dam will captivate your spirit of adventure. Delight in the soothing sounds of the flowing Arroyo Seco river, while the historic dam, constructed in the early 20th century, presents a captivating spectacle of human engineering set amidst nature. This hidden gem in Southern California is not only a hiker's paradise but also a hotspot for birdwatchers and nature photographers. Explore the Brown Mountain Dam trail for an unforgettable outdoors experience and a refreshing break from the city's hustle and bustle.

[christinelikeschrysanthemums]

Hi Cris The Hiking Guy :) !
I went on his hike with Meetup friends back in 2010. I’m hopefully taking a group October 2024. I linked your video to my hike. It is so well done. I truly appreciate that you provide so much detail. I have asked my hikers to please give you a thumbs up and I have as well.
Thank you and happy trails 🇺🇸🙏🏻💕

[markvincent]

This is a trip! I had a misguided youth and ended up staying at the Bishop Gooden Home for a while in 2005. Walnut and El Molino, baby! We hiked this trail a few times, and it made me fall back in love with being outside. My vacations in treatment didn't end with Bishop Gooden and Arroyo Seco, but wild places, climbing, and skiing sustained me through more dark times. As a Wyoming kid I'm not ashamed to say that one of my most significant spots is outside Pasadena😂 Thank you for making this.

[concerned]

Hi Cris, again you are in my backyard on this one. I do this twice or more times a year, but my route is different. I start at Oak Grove Park and come up the horse trail and then I stop at Gould Mesa. I have done your route too, just not as often and I have only gone over the dam from below a couple of times in my life. I have come down it much more often because I backpacked into Bear Canyon or Oakwilde from Switzers or just came down on a hike from Switzers.
I am aware of the Arroyo Seco Foundation and if it was up to them, they would remove Brown Mountain Dam (which I agree with, but would be almost impossible), Devils Gate Dam and all the cement-concrete channels below. I was here in the 1969 Flood and we need that dam. It protects all the down river communities (Los Angeles, Southgate, and Long Beach) and the cement makes the water exit to the ocean quicker which prevents more flooding. I don't think it would be feasible to bring back salmon (I am not sure they ever existed in the Los Angeles River).
This is an excellent hike Cris, and is family friendly. It is usually crowed on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Thank you for doing this one, it was enjoyable to watch!

[DM-eozw]

Thank you for making this video. It’s so nice to see that area again. I’ve spent countless hours hiking and mountain biking this area. Having acquired fibromyalgia, I haven’t been there in about 20 years.

[alanwong]

You can add the Gabrielino Trail to El Prieto Trail Loop on top of this for a 13 mile hike. Cool to hike through the valley along the creek

[villanuevafamily]

Awesome! I’ll try this one at my next trip. Can’t wait till they open up the area from the bobcat fire. I miss Chantry flat and the waterfalls out there.

[YeetieMonk]

Never been hiking before, went today and loved it!

[kermit]

Did this today loved it and my dog loves trying to figure out how to cross the many streams

[toddmedina]

Thanks, Cris, for this wonderful and detailed guide. I hiked this "JPL Trail" earlier this week, and it was fantastic. Not only did I reach the dam, but I also took the side trail that led to that area upward that overlooked the dam. It was a bit warm when I started around 3:30 pm, but thankful that much of the trail was in the shade. Highly recommend to anyone. Thanks, again.

[verasilva]

Just did this yesterday. The arroyo barely has any water left, but surprisingly, the waterfall is still flowing very well. It was beautiful. Much larger in real life than I expected, impressive.

[Tedroy]

I caught a 14" rainbow in that hole. They do stock the stream.

[kingt.hawkings]

Very well done... do you have one that comes down towards the dam from the Swizter picnic area? Thanks

[ervinslens]

Well that was absolutely wonderful bud, stunning shots as well as composition.

[ckqkmth]

Tried this hike last week, but the "stream" crossings were not possible. Thanks to the historic rain and snowmelt we've had in SoCal this year the Arroyo is a raging torrent. Put it on the to do list until summer. H.G., I enjoy the historical information of the area you include with your hikes. Since the hike to the dam was impossible, I backtracked and hiked up to the Owen Brown gravesite, which has great historical significance, you may wish to feature in a future episode. Keep up the great work!

[adrielmedrano]

This is one of my favorite hikes. I was wondering if you knew anything about the cabin on the water at around 34.231963, -118.176233. I stumbled across it a few years ago and there was a chicken walking around so someone obviously is living there. It's surprisingly well built. I hiked up to the dam a few weeks ago and checked in the cabin to see if it survived the storms we've been getting and it's still there. I'm fascinated by it, but have never seen anyone there.

[darkdantek]

Love the videos Cris. Thank you for the many hours of enjoyable content.

[mybelovedaltadena]

I feel so foolish. For some time now, I've gotten Brown Mountain Dam confused with Millard Falls. Well, now I know.

[christinerolle]

🥰😍🤩...Thanks Cris for all your hard work. I would like to do this.since Im here in socal.

[ralphy]

He didn't mention it but it's also a popular mountain bike trail. Super crowded on the weekends.

[HuskyMike]

With all the different hikes he posts and writes guides for, Cris has to be the hardest working vlogger in the hiking world.