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Kevin Schoonhoven

This hike is stunning the whole way down from start to bottom. I went in December 2022 and the water was flowing nicely. Much larger falls than I anticipated! The parking situation was a little strange in the off-season, and the climb was a total of 1900 ft gain. Highly recommend this hike!

Definitely go when the water is flowing. Tons of creek crossings and water falls, coupled with the valley views of the San Gabriels; it's a fantastic hike.

The Luge is absolutely the one of the top downhill trails for mountain biking in all of southern California, it's just kind of a PITA to get to. I like to consider the fire road up there to be a nice little 'introspection climb', because theres not much to do other than think about what you're doing with your life. Once that part is over, it's pure DH magic for ~5 minutes, broken in half by a stop at the iconic flags. Then hold on tight and rip it down the main DH trail until you get spit back out at the road. Afterwards take in a beer and a band at Cook's Corner!

This trail is a real beauty in the simplicity of it. The hike starts out right at the beginning of the Maple Springs Truck Trail and its a pretty straightforward zig zag up the side of the mountains and through the woods. Views throughout are gorgeous. Trail can get a little rutted after big rains and watch out for the occasional mountain biker coming down, but this trail is a steady, fun route the whole way up.

The sandy dirt of this trail soaks up the water so well, and you're left with 11 miles of flow in what truly feels like an adventure ride right in the middle of Orange County. Did this during the January storms of 2023 and it did not disappoint. There's some offshoots to add some extra miles thrown in there as well to add some mileage if you so choose. I would definitely recommend shuttling, as it makes for a much more enjoyable day.

This place is my absolute favorite place for bird watching/photography. Always a unique selection of migratory birds coming through the area so its a true mixed bag here. The actual hiking isnt much more than a flat dirt path that follows the bluff for a half mile or so but theres enough ground to cover to keep you interested. As other reviewers have mentioned, getting there early is kind of important, as the parking lot is small.

Our hike of Ryan mountain began at roughly 7 and we were greeted with chilly temperatures and beautiful views of the valleys all the way up. Generally speaking, if you're in okay hiking shape this trail will leave you with no issues. If you want to push the pace, you can really get your heart pumping, but a leisurely pace up what amounts to a long semi-natural staircase makes for a lovely hike. Views at the summit are beautiful and really highlight the vast, empty desert. Definitely one of the better hikes at j-tree.