San Gabriel Mountains - Cahuilla Lodge # 127, Order of the Arrow, Boy Scouts of America

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Stretching for more than sixty miles from the Ridge Route to Cajon Pass, the San Gabriel Mountains provide us with an “urban wilderness,” easily accessible by most Southern Californians. This area offers the outdoorsman a truly beautiful landscape amid one of the world’s population centers. Most of the San Gabriels is incorporated into the Angeles National Forest. With nearly 700,000 acres, you can find a lot of places to go, and a lot of things to do. Over 1,300 miles of roads crisscross the forest and nearly 500 miles of hiking and riding trails assures you of being able to get into all but the most remote areas. Public campgrounds and picnic areas abound making the San Gabriels a great place for training, nature study, wildlife observation, fishing, or just place “kicking back.” This mountain range is actually made up of two parallel ranges, with the front range having the lower peaks with most less than 6,000 feet tall. The northern range contains such peaks as Troop, Islip, and Baden-Powell, all over 8.000 feet. At 10,064, Mt. San Antonio is the tallest peak in the San Gabriels and the kike to the top is particularly interesting. Through the years the San Gabriel Mountains has seen the passing of trappers, hunters, ranchers, and timbermen. However, it was probably the gold seekers that did the most to open the canyon country. Today gold can still be found in the San Gabriel River and its feeder streams. The true richness, however, can best be found by wandering through the trails and canyons that divide this forest region. Unline many mountainous areas, the San Gabriels can offer excellent camping year-round. When the highlands are covered with snow you can still find quiet camps below snowline. You can also spend the winter months exploring the desert-facing sides of the range. It would be impossible to list all of the camping locations available in the San Gabriel Mountains, and that is not within the scope of this guide. Yet, a couple of locations must be brought to your attention. With luck you may just get a taste of the flavor of this wonderful “urban jewel.”
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Type:
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Council Camping Facility
Hiking and Backpacking
Desert Camping
Local Camping

Directions:
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Special Notes:
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Maps:
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Permits Required:
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Equipment:
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