Hermit Falls Trail

Drive to the top of Chantry Flat Road and find a place to park. Make sure to pay the access fee--there's a pay station at the top of the parking lot near a residence. Head back down the way you drove up and take the first left which descends on Santa Anita Canyon Ave/Forest Route 2N40. This is a paved access road and follow the sign that points to Sturtevant Falls. Continue for about a quarter mile and look for a sign that points to Hermit Falls (1.2 miles). Go right towards the Hermit Falls Trail. Continue descending towards the creek. You'll pass several cabins and flood control dams. The trail crosses the creek several times--hop on the boulders or hike in the creek. The trail ends right above the waterfall, but there is a moderate climb to the bottom. Some ropes are in place to assist the 20-30 foot climb down. The climb has several resting places about every 4-6 feet. The waterfall created a small pool which some people jump into. Unfortunately, a lot of graffiti is present at the falls. Nice views of the mountains at the beginning of the trail. The majority of the trail is in the forest. I think the trail rating is intermediate. The only difficult part is the climb down at the end.