The Angeles National Forest (ANF) of the
U.S. Forest Service
The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency in ...
is located in the
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains ( es, Sierra de San Gabriel) are a mountain range located in northern Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range is part of the Tr ...
and
Sierra Pelona Mountains
The Sierra Pelona, also known as the Sierra Pelona Ridge or the Sierra Pelona Mountains, is a mountain ridge in the Transverse Ranges in Southern California. Located in northwest Los Angeles County, the ridge is bordered on the north by the San An ...
, primarily within
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of 2022. It is the ...
in southern
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. The ANF manages a majority of the
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument
The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is a United States National Monument managed by the U.S. Forest Service, which encompasses parts of the Angeles National Forest and the San Bernardino National Forest in California. On October 10, 2014 ...
.
The national forest was established in 1908, incorporating the first
San Bernardino National Forest
The San Bernardino National Forest is a United States National Forest in Southern California encompassing of which are federal. The forest is made up of two main divisions, the eastern portion of the San Gabriel Mountains and the San Bernard ...
and parts of the former
Santa Barbara and
San Gabriel National Forest
San Gabriel National Forest was established as the San Gabriel Forest Reserve (or San Gabriel Timberland Reserve) by the General Land Office in California on December 20, 1892 through a proclamation order by President Benjamin Harrison. With and ...
s. Angeles National Forest headquarters are located in
Arcadia, California
Arcadia is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, located about northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. It contains a series of adjacent parks consisting of th ...
.
Geography
The Angeles National Forest covers a total of , protecting large areas of the
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains ( es, Sierra de San Gabriel) are a mountain range located in northern Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range is part of the Tr ...
and
Sierra Pelona Mountains
The Sierra Pelona, also known as the Sierra Pelona Ridge or the Sierra Pelona Mountains, is a mountain ridge in the Transverse Ranges in Southern California. Located in northwest Los Angeles County, the ridge is bordered on the north by the San An ...
. It is located just north of the densely inhabited
metropolitan area
A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually com ...
of
Greater Los Angeles
Greater Los Angeles is the second-largest metropolitan region in the United States with a population of 18.5 million in 2021, encompassing five counties in Southern California extending from Ventura County in the west to San Bernardino Coun ...
.
While primarily within Los Angeles County, a small part extends eastward into southwestern
San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 2,181, ...
, in the
Mount San Antonio ("Mount Baldy") area, and a tiny section also extends westward into northeastern
Ventura County
Ventura County () is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 843,843. The largest city is Oxnard, and the county seat is the city of Ventura.
Ventura County comprises the Oxnar ...
, in the
Lake Piru
Lake Piru () is a reservoir located in Los Padres National Forest and Topatopa Mountains of Ventura County, California, created by the construction in 1955 of the Santa Felicia Dam on Piru Creek, which is a tributary of the Santa Clara River (C ...
area.
The
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument
The San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is a United States National Monument managed by the U.S. Forest Service, which encompasses parts of the Angeles National Forest and the San Bernardino National Forest in California. On October 10, 2014 ...
, established in 2014 and managed by the U.S. Forest Service, is largely within the Angeles National Forest.
The
of 2019 established the Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Memorial and Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Monument at and around the ruins of the
St. Francis Dam
The St. Francis Dam was a concrete gravity dam located in San Francisquito Canyon in Los Angeles County, California, United States, built from 1924 to 1926 to serve Los Angeles's growing water needs. It catastrophically failed in 1928 due to a d ...
in the Forest's
San Francisquito Canyon
San Francisquito Canyon is a canyon created through erosion of the Sierra Pelona Mountains by the San Francisquito Creek, in Los Angeles County, Southern California.
Geography
The canyon cuts through the Sierra Pelona Mountains, which are centr ...
.
Wilderness areas
The Angeles National Forest contains five
nationally designated wilderness areas. Two of these also extend into neighboring
San Bernardino National Forest
The San Bernardino National Forest is a United States National Forest in Southern California encompassing of which are federal. The forest is made up of two main divisions, the eastern portion of the San Gabriel Mountains and the San Bernard ...
:
*
Cucamonga Wilderness
The Cucamonga Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area located in the eastern San Gabriel Mountains, in San Bernardino County, Southern California.
The wilderness is managed by the United States Forest Service in Angeles National Fo ...
— ''mostly in
San Bernardino National Forest
The San Bernardino National Forest is a United States National Forest in Southern California encompassing of which are federal. The forest is made up of two main divisions, the eastern portion of the San Gabriel Mountains and the San Bernard ...
''
* Magic Mountain Wilderness
* Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness
*
San Gabriel Wilderness
The San Gabriel Wilderness is a wilderness area created in 1968 of more than 36,118 acres (150 km2) within the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.
The area lies on the southern slopes of the San Gabriel Mou ...
*
Sheep Mountain Wilderness
Sheep Mountain Wilderness is a wilderness area of within the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and managed by the Angeles National Forest. It is within Los Angeles County and San Bernardino County, southern California.
The U.S. Congress ...
— ''partially in
San Bernardino National Forest
The San Bernardino National Forest is a United States National Forest in Southern California encompassing of which are federal. The forest is made up of two main divisions, the eastern portion of the San Gabriel Mountains and the San Bernard ...
''
Climate
History
The
San Gabriel Forest Reserve
San Gabriel National Forest was established as the San Gabriel Forest Reserve (or San Gabriel Timberland Reserve) by the General Land Office in California on December 20, 1892 through a proclamation order by Benjamin Harrison, President Benjamin H ...
was established on December 20, 1892, the
San Bernardino Forest Reserve The San Bernardino Forest Reserve was established by the General Land Office in California on February 25, 1893 with in the San Bernardino Mountains. After the transfer of federal forests to the U.S. Forest Service in 1905, it became a National F ...
was established on February 25, 1893, and the
Santa Barbara Forest Reserve
Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnight ...
was established on December 22, 1903. Together, they became
National Forests on March 4, 1907, and they were combined on July 1, 1908, with all of the San Bernardino forest and portions of San Gabriel forest and Santa Barbara forest composing the new Angeles National Forest. In 1916, there was a movement to create the Sierra Madre National Park, but that never occurred.
On September 30, 1925, portions of the Angeles National Forest and the
Cleveland National Forest
Cleveland National Forest encompasses 460,000 acres (), mostly of chaparral, with a few riparian areas. A warm dry mediterranean climate prevails over the forest. It is the southernmost U.S. National Forest of California. It is administered by th ...
were detached to re-establish the
San Bernardino National Forest
The San Bernardino National Forest is a United States National Forest in Southern California encompassing of which are federal. The forest is made up of two main divisions, the eastern portion of the San Gabriel Mountains and the San Bernard ...
.
Angeles National Forest is registered as
California Historical Landmark
A California Historical Landmark (CHL) is a building, structure, site, or place in California that has been determined to have statewide historical landmark significance.
Criteria
Historical significance is determined by meeting at least one of ...
#717, for being the first National Forest in the state.
The campgrounds at Broken Blade, Twisted Arrow and Pima Loops were closed on July 26, 2013, after squirrel infected with
bubonic plague
Bubonic plague is one of three types of plague caused by the plague bacterium (''Yersinia pestis''). One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, headaches, and vomiting, as well a ...
was discovered.
Wildfires
240px, 2014, new growth emerges after the fires of 2012
Loop Fire
On 1 November 1966, a fire started at 5:19a.m. on the Los Pinetos
Nike Site (LA-94). The fire spread, threatening medical facilities and residential areas south edge of the national forest. 12 firefighters with
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...
's El Cariso "Hot Shot" crew were killed they were caught in a flare up in a canyon. 11 more firefighters were seriously burned in the incident.
The fire was brought under control on at 1:00p.m. on 2 November, having burned .
Station Fire
In the Station Fire, more than of the forest were burned by an arson fire that began on August 26, 2009, near
Angeles Crest Highway
The Angeles Crest Highway is a two-lane (one lane of travel in each direction) highway over the San Gabriel Mountains, in Los Angeles County, California. Its route is to/through the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and the Angeles Nationa ...
in
La Cañada and quickly spread, fueled by dry brush that had not burned for over 150 years. The fire burned for more than a month and was the worst in
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of 2022. It is the ...
history, charring , approximately one-fourth of the forest; displacing wildlife, and destroying 91 homes, cabins and outbuildings and the family-owned Hidden Springs Cafe.
During the fire, two firefighters died after driving off the Mt. Gleason County Road looking for an alternate route to get the inmates out at Camp 16. The Station Fire threatened the
Mount Wilson Observatory
The Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO) is an astronomical observatory in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The MWO is located on Mount Wilson, a peak in the San Gabriel Mountains near Pasadena, northeast of Los Angeles.
The observat ...
atop
Mt. Wilson . The site includes two telescopes, two solar towers, and transmitters for 22 television stations, several FM radio stations, and police and fire department emergency channels. Although the fire scorched one side of the outhouse at amateur-owned Stony Ridge Observatory, six miles northeast of Mt. Wilson, aside from minor damage from smoke and ash infiltration, the remainder of the observatory and its historic 30-inch Carroll telescope survived.
Bobcat Fire (2020)
In September and October 2020, the Bobcat Fire burned (468 km
2) in the central San Gabriel Mountains of the Angeles National Forest. It was one of the largest wildfires in Los Angeles County history.
Natural history
The Angeles National Forest manages the
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
s,
flora
Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''.
E ...
and
fauna
Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. Zoo ...
ecosystem
An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...
s, and
watersheds. Some of the rivers with watersheds within its boundaries provide valuable non-
groundwater recharge
Groundwater recharge or deep drainage or deep percolation is a hydrologic process, where water moves downward from surface water to groundwater. Recharge is the primary method through which water enters an aquifer. This process usually occurs in ...
water for
Southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...
. The existing protected and
restored
''Restored'' is the fourth
studio album by American contemporary Christian music musician Jeremy Camp. It was released on November 16, 2004 by BEC Recordings.
Track listing
Standard release
Enhanced edition
Deluxe gold edition
Standard ...
native vegetation
In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often popularised as "with no human intervention") during history. The term is equi ...
absorb and slow
surface runoff
Surface runoff (also known as overland flow) is the flow of water occurring on the ground surface when excess rainwater, stormwater, meltwater, or other sources, can no longer sufficiently rapidly infiltrate in the soil. This can occur when th ...
of rainwater to minimize severe floods and
landslide
Landslides, also known as landslips, are several forms of mass wasting that may include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, deep-seated grade (slope), slope failures, mudflows, and debris flows. Landslides occur in a variety of ...
s in adjacent communities. The land within the forest is diverse, both in appearance and terrain. Elevations range from . The
Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), officially designated as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, is a long-distance hiking and equestrian trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, which lie ...
crosses the forest.
Flora
Much of this National Forest is covered with dense
chaparral
Chaparral ( ) is a shrubland plant community and geographical feature found primarily in the U.S. state of California, in southern Oregon, and in the northern portion of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. It is shaped by a Mediterranean c ...
shrub forests with
oak woodland
An oak woodland is a plant community with a tree canopy dominated by oaks (''Quercus spp.''). In terms of canopy closure, oak woodlands are intermediate between oak savanna, which is more open, and oak forest, which is more closed. Although the ...
s, which changes to pine and fir-covered slopes in the higher elevations. Subsequent to the fire there was a heavy growth of
poodle-dog bush, apparently triggered by the fire's effect on dormant seeds, that lasted for several years. The plant produces prolific lavender flowers. Unfortunately, as visitors to the Forest discovered, contact with it may cause a poison-oak-like rash.
Tree species for which the forest is important include bigcone Douglas-fir (''
Pseudotsuga macrocarpa
''Pseudotsuga macrocarpa'', commonly called the bigcone spruce or bigcone Douglas-fir, is an evergreen conifer native to the mountains of southern California. It is notable for having the largest (by far) cones in the genus ''Pseudotsuga'', henc ...
''),
Coulter pine
The Coulter pine or big-cone pine, ''Pinus coulteri'', is a native of the coastal mountains of Southern California in the United States and northern Baja California in Mexico. Isolated groves are found as far north as Clearlake, California on the ...
(''Pinus coulteri''), and
California walnut (''Juglans californica''). The National Forest also contains some of
old growth
An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance (ecology), disturbance, and thereby exhibits un ...
, with
Jeffrey pine
''Pinus jeffreyi'', also known as Jeffrey pine, Jeffrey's pine, yellow pine and black pine, is a North American pine tree. It is mainly found in California, but also in the westernmost part of Nevada, southwestern Oregon, and northern Baja Califo ...
(''Pinus jeffreyi'') forests, as well as
mixed conifer forests (with
Coast Douglas-fir
''Pseudotsuga menziesii'' var. ''menziesii'', commonly known as Coast Douglas-fir, Pacific Douglas-fir, Oregon pine, or Douglas spruce, is an evergreen conifer native to western North America from west-central British Columbia, Canada southward t ...
(''Pseudotsuga menziesii'' var. ''menziesii''),
ponderosa pine
''Pinus ponderosa'', commonly known as the ponderosa pine, bull pine, blackjack pine, western yellow-pine, or filipinus pine is a very large pine tree species of variable habitat native to mountainous regions of western North America. It is the ...
(''Pinus ponderosa''),
white fir
''Abies concolor'', the white fir, is a coniferous tree in the pine family Pinaceae. This tree is native to the mountains of western North America, including the Cascade Range and southern Rocky Mountains, and into the isolated mountain range ...
(''Abies concolor''), and
lodgepole pine
''Pinus contorta'', with the common names lodgepole pine and shore pine, and also known as twisted pine, and contorta pine, is a common tree in western North America. It is common near the ocean shore and in dry montane forests to the subalpine, ...
(''Pinus contorta'') being the most abundant trees).
Fauna
This forest is home to
black bear
Black bear or Blackbear may refer to:
Animals
* American black bear (''Ursus americanus''), a North American bear species
* Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), an Asian bear species
Music
* Black Bear (band), a Canadian First Nations group ...
s,
gray fox
The gray fox (''Urocyon cinereoargenteus''), or grey fox, is an omnivorous mammal of the family Canidae, widespread throughout North America and Central America. This species and its only congener, the diminutive island fox (''Urocyon littora ...
es,
bobcat
The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUC ...
s,
cougar
The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large Felidae, cat native to the Americas. Its Species distribution, range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mamm ...
s,
mule deer
The mule deer (''Odocoileus hemionus'') is a deer indigenous to western North America; it is named for its ears, which are large like those of the mule. Two subspecies of mule deer are grouped into the black-tailed deer.
Unlike the related whit ...
,
bighorn sheep
The bighorn sheep (''Ovis canadensis'') is a species of sheep native to North America. It is named for its large horns. A pair of horns might weigh up to ; the sheep typically weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates three distinct subspec ...
,
rattlesnake
Rattlesnakes are venomous snakes that form the genera ''Crotalus'' and ''Sistrurus'' of the subfamily Crotalinae (the pit vipers). All rattlesnakes are vipers. Rattlesnakes are predators that live in a wide array of habitats, hunting small anim ...
s and
coyote
The coyote (''Canis latrans'') is a species of canis, canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the wolf, and slightly smaller than the closely related eastern wolf and red wolf. It fills much of the same ecologica ...
s.
Access
A
National Forest Adventure Pass
The National Forest Adventure Pass is a recreation fee pass issued by the United States Forest Service that permits bearers in designated regions of four National Forests in Southern California to park their cars for the purpose of recreation. T ...
is required for parking at many locations in the Angeles National Forest and other
National Forests in
Southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...
, and this can be obtained online or from visitor centers and local merchants.
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, with 9,861,224 residents estimated as of 2022. It is the ...
has declared that passes are not required on county-maintained roads. There are also many other areas that do not require the pass.
General information
* Acres of land: 700,176 (2652 km
2)
* Wilderness areas acres: 80,284 (324.9 km
2)
* Miles of roads: 1,032 (1661 km)
* Visitor centers: 4
* Information centers: 4
* Fire lookout towers: 2
* Recreational residences: 505
* Picnic areas: 36
* Campgrounds: 66
* Ski areas: 2
* Entrance stations: 2
Ranger Districts
* Los Angeles Gateway Ranger District
** Station:
San Fernando, California
San Fernando (Spanish language, Spanish for "Ferdinand III of Castile, St. Ferdinand") is a General-law municipality, general-law city in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It ...
* San Gabriel Mountains National Monument
** Station:
Glendora, California
Glendora is a city in the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County, California, east of Los Angeles. As of the 2020 census, the population of Glendora was 52,558.
Known as the "Pride of the Foothills", Glendora is nestled in the foothills o ...
Trails
* Trailheads: 53
* Trail miles: 697 (1122 km)
* Off highway vehicle areas: 3
* Off highway vehicle route miles: 261 (420 km)
Natural features
* Wilderness areas: 5
* Lakes and reservoirs: 10
* Rivers and stream miles: 240
Sensitive species
* Sensitive plants: 22
* Sensitive wildlife: 23
* Threatened & endangered species: 16
Mountain peaks
Mountains within the Angeles National Forest include:
*
Mount San Antonio
Mount San Antonio, commonly referred to as Mount Baldy or Old Baldy, is a summit in the San Gabriel Mountains on the border of Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties of California. Lying within the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and An ...
— also known as "Mt. Baldy"
* Pine Mountain
* Dawson Peak
*
Mount Harwood
Mount Harwood is the first summit east of Mount San Antonio. The United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States governm ...
*
Mount Baden-Powell
Mount Baden-Powell () is a peak in the San Gabriel Mountains of California named for the founder of the World Scouting Movement, Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell. It was officially recognized by the USGS at a dedication ceremony in 1 ...
*
Throop Peak
Throop Peak ( ) is a peak of the San Gabriel Mountains, in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and Angeles National Forest, in Los Angeles County, California.
The high peak provides views of both the Mojave Desert and the Los Angeles Ba ...
*
Mount Burnham
Mount Burnham is one of the highest peaks in the San Gabriel Mountains. It is in the Sheep Mountain Wilderness. It is named for Frederick Russell Burnham the famous American military scout who taught Scoutcraft (then known as ''woodcraft'') to R ...
*
Telegraph Peak (California)
Telegraph Peak, is a peak of the San Gabriel Mountains, in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and San Bernardino County, California.
With an elevation of , it is highest point in the Cucamonga Wilderness of the San Bernardino National F ...
*
Mount Islip
Mount Islip ( ) is a peak in the Angeles National Forest in California, United States. On a clear day the sharp, high peak provides impressive views of the Mojave Desert, the Los Angeles Basin, Santa Catalina Island, and San Clemente Island.
...
— site of historic Mt. Islip fire lookout tower
*
Waterman Mountain
Waterman Mountain, at , is a prominent peak in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, California, within the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.
The summit of Waterman Mountain marks the northern bounda ...
*
Iron Mountain (Los Angeles County)
Iron Mountain is a mountain in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, California. It is within the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, in the section managed by the Angeles National Forest.
Names
The peak is sometimes referenced a ...
*
South Mount Hawkins
South Mount Hawkins is located in the San Gabriel Mountains, and contained within the Angeles National Forest. The mountain was named after Nellie Hawkins, a popular waitress of the Squirrel Inn located on the North Fork of the San Gabriel River ...
Lookout destroyed in Curve Fire 2002
* Mount Gleason 6,502 ft
*
San Gabriel Peak
San Gabriel Peak is a summit in the San Gabriel Mountains in the U.S. state of California. It was named by the United States Geological Survey in 1894 and is located in the Angeles National Forest. This peak was first named ''The Commodore'' for C ...
*
Mount Disappointment (California)
*
Vetter Mountain
Vetter Mountain is located in the San Gabriel Mountains and within the Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles County, California. Elevation feet.
Named by USFS surveyor Don McLain (c. 1933) for Victor P. Vetter (nd.), a dedicated forest ranger a ...
) — site of historic Vetter Mountain
fire lookout tower
A fire lookout tower, fire tower or lookout tower, provides housing and protection for a person known as a "fire lookout" whose duty it is to search for wildfires in the wilderness. It is a small building, usually on the summit of a mountain or ...
*
Burnt Peak
*
Mount Wilson — location of the
Mount Wilson Observatory
The Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO) is an astronomical observatory in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The MWO is located on Mount Wilson, a peak in the San Gabriel Mountains near Pasadena, northeast of Los Angeles.
The observat ...
*
Mount Lowe (California)
Mount Lowe is a mountain on the southern fold of the San Gabriel Mountains. Originally named Oak Mountain, it was renamed for Professor Thaddeus S.C. Lowe, who is credited for being the first person to set foot on and plant the American flag at i ...
*
Mount Lukens
Mount Lukens is a mountain peak of the San Gabriel Mountains, in Los Angeles County, Southern California.
Geography
It is in the Sunland-Tujunga community within the northeast corner of the city of Los Angeles, above the Crescenta Valley. The ...
*
Echo Mountain
Echo Mountain is a mountain promontory of the San Gabriel Mountains, in the Angeles National Forest above Altadena, in Los Angeles County, California.
Geography
Echo Mountain was shaped from an alluvial fan between Rubio and Las Flores canyo ...
All the above mountains are part of the
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains ( es, Sierra de San Gabriel) are a mountain range located in northern Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range is part of the Tr ...
, except for Burnt Peak, which is in the
Sierra Pelona Mountains
The Sierra Pelona, also known as the Sierra Pelona Ridge or the Sierra Pelona Mountains, is a mountain ridge in the Transverse Ranges in Southern California. Located in northwest Los Angeles County, the ridge is bordered on the north by the San An ...
.
Water recreation
*
Pyramid Lake is located next to Interstate 5 (take Smokey Bear exit), north of Magic Mountain Amusement Park in Valencia, California.
*
Castaic Lake
Castaic Lake (Chumash: ''Kaštiq'') is a reservoir formed by Castaic Dam on Castaic Creek, in the Sierra Pelona Mountains of northwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States, near the town of Castaic.
The California Office of Environ ...
is located north of Magic Mountain Amusement Park in Valencia, California, just off Interstate 5 (take Lake Hughes exit.) The lake is managed by the L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation
*
Elizabeth Lake is located approximately west of Palmdale, California, on Elizabeth Lake Rd. It can completely dry up in drought years.
*
Crystal Lake Crystal Lake or Crystal Lakes may refer to:
Lakes
Canada
* Crystal Lake (Saskatchewan)
* Crystal Lake (Ontario), drain into the Lynn River, which drains into Lake Erie
United States
* Crystal Lake, California, a mountain lake in Nevad ...
is a small natural lake located near the northern end of
Highway 39.
*Jackson Lake is another natural lake located on the San Andreas Fault about west of the community of Big Pines and roughly west of the town of Phelan, California.
Volunteer organizations
*
Angeles National Forest Fire Lookout Association
The Angeles National Forest Fire Lookout Association (" ANFFLA") is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization of citizen volunteers dedicated to the preservation, restoration and operation of the fire lookout towers in the Angeles National Forest, ...
: Restoration and operation of fire lookout towers in the ANF
*
Altadena Mountain Rescue Team: Saving lives through mountain rescue and safety education
* Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Association: Restoration and maintenance of multi-use trails in the ANF
* Sierra Madre Search & Rescue: A group of dedicated volunteers committed to saving lives in the wilderness
*
San Gabriel Mountains Trailbuilders
The San Gabriel Mountains Trailbuilders (SGMTBs) is a 501(c)3 non-profit volunteer organization which performs hiking and nature trail building and maintenance within the Los Angeles Gateway District of the United States Forest Service which mainta ...
: California's hiking and nature trail repair group
*
West Fork Conservancy: Maintains the West Fork of the San Gabriel River and Beer Creek
*
Angeles Volunteer Association: Organizes Visitor Center information, trail repair, and a broad spectrum of forestry efforts
* Fisheries Resource Volunteer Corps: works with the Forest Service, helping with various projects during the year
* San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team: Highly trained mountain rescue team http://www.savetheeastfork.org/
*
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Air Rescue 5
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD), officially the County of Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, is a law enforcement agency serving Los Angeles County, California. LASD is the largest sheriff's department in the United States a ...
: Volunteer Reserve Deputy Sheriffs are paid $1 a year for their work
* Save The East Fork Association: Works along the East Fork of the San Gabriel River
* Helping Our Mountain Environment: HOME—Glendora Mountain Road (GMR) trash and spray paint cleaning
*Lowelifes Trail Crew: Lowelifes focuses on trail work in Southern California's Angeles National Forest, fostering conservation, sustainability, & community in Los Angeles County.
Gallery
Image:Viewangelesnf.jpg, San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains ( es, Sierra de San Gabriel) are a mountain range located in northern Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range is part of the Tr ...
Image:Sangabrielcanyon.jpg, San Gabriel Canyon
The San Gabriel River is a mostly urban waterway flowing southward through Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California in the United States. It is the central of three major rivers draining the Greater Los Angeles Area, the others being the L ...
Image:Sangabrielwater.jpg, San Gabriel River
Image:Jackson Lake, Angeles National Forest.jpg, Jackson Lake
File:IcehouseCanyon.jpg, Along the Icehouse Canyon Trail
File:Sierra Pelona Mountains.JPG, Sierra Pelona Mountains
The Sierra Pelona, also known as the Sierra Pelona Ridge or the Sierra Pelona Mountains, is a mountain ridge in the Transverse Ranges in Southern California. Located in northwest Los Angeles County, the ridge is bordered on the north by the San An ...
File:San Francisquito Canyon2015.jpg, San Francisquito Canyon
San Francisquito Canyon is a canyon created through erosion of the Sierra Pelona Mountains by the San Francisquito Creek, in Los Angeles County, Southern California.
Geography
The canyon cuts through the Sierra Pelona Mountains, which are centr ...
File:Ridge Road1 2014.jpg, View west from Angeles Crest Highway
The Angeles Crest Highway is a two-lane (one lane of travel in each direction) highway over the San Gabriel Mountains, in Los Angeles County, California. Its route is to/through the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and the Angeles Nationa ...
Image:Sgranf.jpg, Riparian zone
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the terrestrial biomes of the Earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks ar ...
habitat.
File:LA Natl Forrest1.JPG, Montane chaparral ecotone
An ecotone is a transition area between two biological communities, where two communities meet and integrate. It may be narrow or wide, and it may be local (the zone between a field and forest) or regional (the transition between forest and gras ...
with the Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily in ...
. Yellow sulphurflower buckwheat flowers in foreground.
California Historical Landmark
The
California Historical Landmark
A California Historical Landmark (CHL) is a building, structure, site, or place in California that has been determined to have statewide historical landmark significance.
Criteria
Historical significance is determined by meeting at least one of ...
Marker NO. 717 at San Gabriel Mountain, Clear Creek vista point, State Hwy 2, 8.3 mi N of I-210, La Canada reads:
*''NO. 717 THE ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST - The first national forest in the State of California and second in the United States, Angeles National Forest was created by proclamation of President Benjamin Harrison on December 20, 1892. The first name given to the forest, "'San Gabriel Timberland Reserve," was changed to "San Gabriel National Forest" March 4, 1907 and then to "Angeles National Forest" on July 1, 1908.. ''
See also
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Henninger Flats
Henninger Flats is a small hanging basin above sea level in the San Gabriel Mountains in the Angeles National Forest. It was part of the Mount Wilson Toll Road. The trailhead to reach the flats is at the top end of Eaton Canyon in Pasadena, Cali ...
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Los Padres National Forest
Los Padres National Forest is a United States national forest in Southern California, southern and central California. Administered by the United States Forest Service, Los Padres includes most of the mountainous land along the California coast ...
— ''adjacent northwest''
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San Bernardino National Forest
The San Bernardino National Forest is a United States National Forest in Southern California encompassing of which are federal. The forest is made up of two main divisions, the eastern portion of the San Gabriel Mountains and the San Bernard ...
— ''adjacent on east''
References
Further reading
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External links
Official Angeles National Forest website€”at
National Forest Service
The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency in ...
(Accessed 05 Dec 2014)
Crystal Lake Recreation Area€”Largest campground in the Angeles National Forest (Accessed 05 Dec 2014)
Southern California Trailsat Local Hikes (Accessed 05 Dec 2014)
Hiking Trails around Wrightwood, in the Angeles National Forest€”Wrightwood Hiking Trails (Accessed 05 Dec 2014)
Mountains around Wrightwood, in the Angeles National Forest€”San Gabriel Mountains (Accessed 05 Dec 2014)
Canyons and Valleys around Wrightwood, in the Angeles National Forest€”Canyons and Valleys in the Angeles National Forest (Accessed 05 Dec 2014)
Photograph of Angeles National Forest fire bulldozer transport December 2017- saved at archive.org
Image of vacationers at Crystal Lake, Angeles National Forest, 1935.Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
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National Forests of California
Parks in Los Angeles County, California
Protected areas of Los Angeles County, California
Protected areas of the Mojave Desert
*Angeles
Sierra Pelona Ridge
California Historical Landmarks
Parks in Southern California
Protected areas established in 1908
1908 establishments in California
Protected areas of Southern California
Tourist attractions in Los Angeles County, California