Escondido Falls Trailhead (Julianne Spencer)

Escondido Falls is a fairly popular hike and has the reputation of being very crowded on the weekend, but as with almost every trail, if you arrive early, then it’s not as busy. To avoid the crowds on any trail as well as traffic and parking issues, I recommend waking up early to get there. 

This is an easier hike and/or run that reaches about four miles and takes about two hours from the parking lot and back.  

From Downtown L.A., take the I-10 West to Highway 1 (PCH) for another 18 miles until you see Winding Way on your right. It’s easy to miss so don’t go too fast on PCH to avoiding missing it. 

The parking lot is immediately to your left as you pull into Winding Way. It’s free in that location so try and get a spot in there. Again, the earlier you arrive, the more likely you are to get a spot.  

Once you park, make sure you have everything you need, and then walk up the trail that’s to the right of the parking lot if your back is to the ocean. As you walk, you’ll see a paved road and a trail that goes along it. Follow this road. The trek winds though a residential area at first, but has a great view of the ocean. Eventually, you’ll see a trail that marks the trailhead.

You follow this and along the way you’ll hit a few forks. Turn left again and you’ll soon get to a spot with a blue mark on the trail. Both sides lead to the same location so you can take either path. 

Finally, you’ll get to the bottom of a little waterfall, but this isn’t the main attraction. To your right there will be a steep climb up to get to the larger waterfall.  There is also a section with a rope to assist you the climb. Make sure you have all your belongings securely attached to you i.e. sunglasses, hats, water bottles etc. This part was very fun and unlike other hikes I’ve done here in L.A. After some scrambling, you soon reach the finale. 

Climbing to the waterfall (Julianne Spencer)

The limestone waterfall is pretty magnificent, but again, with the crowds, less so.  Go back the way you came once you’re done. This was very fun as well, but with crowds of people, a lot of waiting is involved because it’s a one-way path. Keep in mind there will be some scrambling both up and down so keep your hands free. 

I cannot emphasize enough that to truly enjoy this trail in particular and to have the privilege of going at your own speed, arrive early.

TIPS:

Get there before 9. When I went, we arrived around 8:15 a.m. This trail is one of the most popular in LA with locals and tourists because of its waterfalls. By the time we started walking back, the trail became very crowded and no longer serene. 

For more info on this hike, visit this website: http://www.lamountains.com/parks.asp?parkid=12

Standard list of items to bring on each hike:

• Water: at least a liter depending on how long you plan to hike.
• Good walking shoes: running shoes are fine, but if you do it often, consider investing in some trail shoes.
• Sunscreen:  weather or not you’re prone to getting sunburn, bring it just in case.
• Hat.
• Sunglasses.
• Good outer layer. Even though it can be hot, bring some type of layer to put over your shirt just in case. A sweatshirt isn’t always the best option – so maybe take a thinner one, like a wicking layer to fit in your backpack or around your waist more easily. 
• Snack.

*Please note that if your hikes are day hikes, consider bringing more water than you think is necessary. This list of necessities is only for hikes that are a day or less than a day. 

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