Fish Canyon Falls facts for kids

Fish Canyon Falls is a beautiful waterfall located in Los Angeles County, California. You can find it inside the Angeles National Forest, which is part of the San Gabriel Mountains. The falls are about 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of a town called Azusa, along Fish Canyon Creek.

This waterfall drops a total of 80 feet (24 m) in four different sections, like steps. Unlike many waterfalls in Southern California that only flow when it rains a lot, Fish Canyon Falls usually has water all year round. This is because of natural springs higher up in the canyon. However, during very dry summers, it can sometimes dry up.

You can reach the falls by hiking a trail that is about 4.8 miles (7.7 km) long, round trip. For a long time, it was hard to get to the falls because a company called Vulcan Materials had a quarry (a place where they dig up rocks) at the start of Fish Canyon. Hikers had to take a long, difficult path around it. But in 2014, a new trail opened right through the quarry area, making it much easier and safer for people to visit the falls.

What Happened to the Trail After the 2016 Fire?

In 2016, a big wildfire called the Complex Fire burned through the area. About 95% of the Fish Canyon Trail was affected by this fire.

After the fire, different groups, including the City of Duarte, the U.S. Forest Service, and the San Gabriel Mountains Trailbuilders, looked at the damage. They found that the trail was very badly damaged. Because of this, the hiking trail was closed, and it was decided that it would not be repaired. As of September 2018, the trail remains closed and is not expected to reopen.