Chantry Flat to Sturtevant Falls

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Chantry Flat to Sturtevant Falls

Photo: USDAgov · CC BY 2.0 · Flickr

🥾 Hike · Arcadia

3 hours · $ · No reservation needed

age fit
0–1 yr
★ 1.0
1–3 yrs
★ 2.0
3–5 yrs
★ 2.0
5–10 yrs
★ 5.0
  • 🚗
    About 15 min drive
    From Arcadia · Parking: Chantry Flat lot requires an Adventure Pass ($5/day), full by 7:30am on weekends, after that only the roadside
  • 🎒
    Carrier recommended
    Terrain isn't stroller-friendly; a carrier is easier
  • 🌳
    Lots of shade
    Good on cool days · Handles heat
  • ⏱️
    Typical visit: 3 hours
    Best seasons: Winter · Spring · Fall

Twenty minutes from Arcadia and you are in real mountains: a paved downhill stretch first, then a creekside trail past a cluster of little cabins and alder groves, about 3.4 miles round trip to the 50-foot Sturtevant Falls, the shadiest waterfall hike in the San Gabriels.

💡 Tips
The whole way back is uphill, so kids under 3 need a carrier; Adams' Pack Station at the trailhead has snacks and the pack-train donkeys on weekends. Closures in the mountains have shifted since the 2025 fires, so check the Angeles National Forest website before you go.

What this place offers

✓waterfall
✓shade
✓creek
✓cabins
✓carrier
✓basic restrooms
✓Adventure Pass

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This weekend's weather in Arcadia

Forecast at the destination itself (coast and hills often differ from home)

☁️
Sat 10/17
Overcast · 69–84°F · 1% rain
☀️
Sun 10/18
Sunny · 69–79°F · 0% rain

Location

Arcadia, California

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