• Miles: 0.86 Roundtrip
• Time: 45 minutes Roundtrip
• Difficulty: Easy
• Season: Spring
• Elevation Gain: 214 ft
• Max Elevation: 1676 ft
• Trail Type: Out & Back
• Parking Lot: Turn Out, Fits ≈ 2-3 Cars
• Restrooms? Not Available
• Dogs Allowed? Yes, on a leash

Falls Canyon Falls, a tributary of the well-known Trabuco Canyon and therefore incorrectly referred to as Trabuco Canyon Falls, is a secret waterfall located in Orange County.

This easy hike requires about 3.5 miles of off-roading just to get to the trailhead. A 4×4 vehicle is not required, but high clearance is highly suggested. The hike features an abandoned mine right from the start. Since poison oak and bugs are abundant, long sleeves and pants are recommended. At roughly 50 feet tall, Falls Canyon Falls is a sight to see. Although the waterfall rarely flows, the wet winter of 2022-2023 has kept this waterfall flowing nicely late into the year, and will probably not dry up until late August.

During my visit, I flew the drone over the falls as I usually do, and was pleasantly surprised. Not much further up the tributary was another enormous, 5-tier cascade, which I’ll be happy to share with you in this post.

Please remember to tag responsibly if you decide to share on social media. Failure to do so always leads to trash, graffiti, and the destruction of these beautiful paces. 

Falls Canyon Falls Map

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Falls Canyon Falls Directions

Click the link to be redirected to Fall Canyon Falls trailhead via Google Maps.

There is no parking lot for this trail. You’ll have to park off the side of the dirt road either further up or before the trailhead.

Are you looking for hikes in Orange County? Check out the complete list of OC hikes by clicking the link below!

Orange County Hikes

Falls Canyon Falls Trail

The trailhead is located on the left side of the trail. Look for two dirt trails that quickly merge into one.

Almost immediately after the two trails merged, I had my first obstacle, crossing Trabuco Creek.

While I was still at the mouth of the tributary, I noticed an old abandoned mine on the left canyon wall.

I didn’t have time to explore it as I was running out of daylight, but it didn’t seem to go too far in.

The very beginning of the trail was extremely overgrown, as you can see from the images below. Once again, remember to wear a long sleeve shirt and pants to avoid coming into contact with poison oak!

If you like exploring caves and mines, check out the Dripping Cave in Laguna Beach! The cave was once a hideout for bandits who lived in the 1800s.

The rest of the trail was also overgrown, but nothing too bad.

I can tell this place is becoming more popular with the recent growing popularity of Holy Jim Falls further up the dirt road.

After roughly 25 minutes of bushwhacking and creek crossings, I came to a clearing in the tributary, only to find myself face to face with a beautiful 50-foot waterfall.

Falls Canyon Falls was indeed a sight to see. I felt incredibly grateful to see so much water, mainly since it rarely flows.

The canyon smelled like mist and moss, and all we heard was the sound of leaves blowing in the wind. We had the whole place to ourselves.

Granted, we visited during the week, but even weekend visitors should experience very limited foot traffic.

Here’s a drone shot of Falls Canyon Falls, sometimes referred to as Trabuco Creek Falls. However, Falls Canyon Falls is not even located in Trabuco Creek, it simply merges into it.

The hike may be over but not the adventure!

I flew the drone further up Falls Canyon when I, to my surprise, spotted an enormous, roughly 5-tier cascade on the left side of the canyon wall.

It barely had water, but had I visited a couple of months earlier, the opposite would have been true, especially after the extremely wet winter we experienced.

Alright peeps, I hope you can get out there and hike this trail yourselves. I visited July 17, 2023, but I believe the falls will still have water at least until the second week of August.

Are you more in the mood for a hike with amazing ocean views and mild weather? Check out Top Of The World, arguably the most popular hike in Orange County.

• Miles: 1.29 Roundtrip
• Time: 1.5 Hours Roundtrip
• Difficulty: Difficult
• Season: Late Spring
• Elevation Gain: 254 ft
• Max Elevation: 2082 ft
• Trail Type: Out & Back
• Parking Lot: Neighborhood Parking
• Restrooms? Not Available
• Dogs Allowed? Yes, on a leash

Rubio Canyon is very near and dear to me, as it holds long-forgotten history about the most fascinating time period in the San Gabriel Mountains, as well as a ton of waterfalls which only flow after extremely wet winters, such as the one we had in 2022-2023.

Please keep in mind this trail is difficult, as it requires treading through the creek for almost half the hike to get to the falls, and, at one point, boulder scrambling over ruins alongside precipitous 40-50 foot ledges. If you’re easily intimidated by heights or have poor balance, wait until you have more experience before tackling this hike.

Waterfalls found on this trail from first to last:

1. Maidenhair
2. Cavity Chute
3. Bay Arbor
4. Ribbon Rock & Moss Grotto (bottom & top tier)
5. Grand Chasm (Rainbow)
6. Lodged Boulder (Suspended Boulder)
7. Roaring Rift – bottom tier of Thalehaha
8. Thalehaha (Bridal Veil) 80ft and largest of all
9. Leontine – Named after professor Lowe’s wife

The first 3 falls have unfortunately, been lost to history. However, there is a dry waterfall at the beginning of the trail which may be one of the first two falls.

**Note: All waterfalls after Ribbon Rock & Moss Grotto are located deeper in the canyon and cannot be viewed unless you climb up an extremely dangerous canyon wall, which I HIGHLY discourage.

At least one couple was rescued this year while attempting to scale up to the vantage point. Play it safe and don’t risk your life or the lives of the voluntary (SAR) search and rescue teams. Lastly, wear long sleeves and pants, as I was covered in ticks during my first visit in the summer of 2017.

Rubio Canyon Trail Map

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Rubio Canyon Directions

To be redirected to the Rubio Canyon Trailhead, click the link here.

The trailhead is located in a dirt alleyway between two private homes, so please be respectful. Thank you guys! 🙂

Check out these other LA hikes!

• Mt Lowe Peak: Hike Above The Clouds
• Millard Falls Guide: 50ft Falls & Scenic Trail

Rubio Canyon Trail

I had been not so patiently waiting for a wet winter, and when we finally got one, Rubio Canyon was my first hike. Notice how low the snow line is in the image below.

The last time we got this much rain, I was a high school sophomore in 2005.

Immediately, the scenery transforms into a luscious canyon, with White Alders lining the banks of Rubio Canyon Creek. The last time I visited this place was in 2017, and I clearly remember the canyon being much drier.

Notice the bend in the image below.

That bend is where I believe the Rubio Pavilion was once located. The pavilion, shown below as part of my collection of vintage shots, was built by Professor Thaddeus Lowe, as a one-of-a-kind attraction for visitors.

Before reaching the bend, however, I passed a dry waterfall, which I believe may be one of two falls: Maidenhair Falls or Cavity Chute Falls.

Here’s a shot of Maidenhair Falls from 1998 by the awesome hiking blog, Dan’s Hiking Pages. Check it out and see what you think. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any shots of Cavity Chute Falls.

The Great Incline

The shot below shows the most dangerous part of the trail. To continue the hike, I had to scramble up stone ruins, which I believe to be the remnants of the Great Incline.

You can either head right or left (both are the same trail). The right side, which is dangerously close to the ledge, is slightly easier to climb, as it’s less steep. However, the left route adjacent to the canyon wall is a much more vertical climb and measures about 6-8 feet.

Pick your poison and watch your step.

Here’s another one of my vintage shots showing what the Great Incline used to look like.

From the pavilion, visitors had the option of taking either the gradual Mt Lowe Railway (trolley at the bottom left) or riding up the Great Incline via the White Chariots to Echo Mountain, now known as the Echo Mtn Ruins.

Do you like exploring ruins? Check out the Abandoned Nazi camp in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Fun fact: although the chariots were white, I found this vintage shot of a red chariot.

Before the existence of color photography, color had to be manually added to the picture. I believe the red chariot below was probably due to an error, which is why I had to add it to my collection.

Echo Mountain ruins before they were ruins.

Back to the trail! Another sketchy section included a 6-foot boulder scramble to the ground, but without the “death ledge” as my friends in the biking community call them.

Two things to keep in mind regarding the image below:

1. If you look to the left and behind you from where I was standing when I took the shot, you can see the Incline Railway trailhead. You can hike up to the Echo Mtn. ruins via this overgrown trail (I forgot to take the shot, don’t judge me).

2. After climbing down the boulder, I began venturing off the trail by trekking upstream.

Your feet will get wet. It’s virtually impossible to make it to the falls without walking inside the creek, at least when I visited.

Here is a shot showing the section of the hike where I began trekking off-trail.

Luckily, there is only one way to and from the falls.

I couldn’t believe I was finally looking at Ribbon Rock & Moss Grotto flowing. I waited 6 years for the opportunity.

The area surrounding the falls included a pretty large clearing and a plethora of rocks and debris.

In fact, the bottom tier (Ribbon Rock), had been almost completely buried for the first part of the 21st century. You can see what that looked like right here. The falls aren’t as large as they used to be over a century ago.

However, most of Ribbon Rock has been uncovered in recent years.

Want to explore another nearby waterfall? Eaton Canyon Falls is the most popular falls in LA and is only 10 minutes away from Rubio Canyon!

These shots were taken in Feb 2023. 

Aerial view of Ribbon Rock & Moss Grotto.

Near the top of the canyon is Thalehaha Falls & Roaring Rift Falls, the latter being the bottom tier. At 80 feet tall, Thalehaha is the largest of all the falls.

Looking down from Grand Chasm Falls to Ribbon Rock. Can you see the three of us standing at the very bottom?

Although I don’t have a current picture of Grand Chasm (Rainbow Falls), I have another vintage shot for you. Check it out.

Read More: Best Waterfalls in Southern California.

• Miles: No Hiking Required
• Best Season: Mid-Late Spring
• Max Elevation:  4400 ft
• Parking Lot: Fits ≈ 5 cars
• Dogs: Allowed on a leash
• Restrooms: Not Available
• Pics Taken On: Aug 21, 2023

Next time you find yourself on the way to Big Bear do yourself a favor and stop at the intersection of Hwy 38 and Valley of the Falls Rd to witness a spectacular seasonal waterfall.

Monkeyface Falls is one of the four enormous waterfalls in the area.This must-see gem is AT LEAST 400 ft tall (I honestly believe it may be bigger than the largest waterfall in SoCal), but it only flows after a decent amount of rain. Try to get out there no longer than a week after heavy rain or a couple of days after ordinary rainfall.

Did you know the largest waterfall in SoCal is literally 5 minutes down the street? It’s called Big Falls, a 500 ft beast of a cascade located in the sleepy town of Forest Falls.

Monkeyface Creek Falls Map

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Directions

Click the link here to be redirected to Google Maps. There is no parking on Valley of The Falls Rd that is close enough to view the falls, so you’ll have to park on Hwy 38.

Helpful Links

Weather Forecast

SoCal Adventure Pass (required for parking in CA mountains)

Monkeyface Falls

I flew my drone from Hwy 38 to the falls in a matter of seconds. The reason I don’t recommend hiking up to the waterfall, especially after heavy rain, is because of the two rockslides at the entrance of the tributary.

The image below is a shot of the bottom tiers.

The tiers directly above look just as nice. Since I visited shortly after Hurricane Hilary, the falls had a good amount of water.

Want to hike to another enormous waterfall which is also in San Bernardino County? Check out 495 foot Bonita Falls! It’s only a 1.4 mile hike located in the mountain town of Lytle Creek.

Here’s a shot of the bottom and mid-tiers.

The waterfall was so enormous that I had to fly back hundreds of feet from the cascade in order to capture all of its tiers. The falls is easily 400-500 ft tall.

I’m not sure why they call it Monkeyface Creek Falls, as I don’t see the resemblance of any type of primate. Maybe you can spot something I don’t.

The truck below which looks like an ant is my Tacoma. I actually flew higher than what you see in the shot below in order to capture all of the waterfall’s tiers.

After visiting Big Falls and Monkeyface Falls, drive literally only two minutes up the road to check out Frustration Creek Falls, another one of the four enormous cascades in the area. You won’t regret it!

• Miles: .9
• Time: 30 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Best Season: Mid-Late Spring
• Elevation Gain: 256 ft
• Max Elevation: 1437 ft
• Type of Trail: Out & Back
• Parking Lot: Fits ≈ 20 cars
• Dogs: Allowed On A Leash
• Restrooms: Available
• Trail Popularity: Very Low
• Pics Taken On: Sept 2, 2023

Bailey Canyon Nature Trail takes you to a rarely flowing waterfall which has been kept a secret by the locals for a very long time. However, if you pick the right day to visit, you might just see it flowing.

PLEASE READ: This waterfall is a gem to all the people who live nearby. There is no trash or graffiti, and there are many signs of little people playing in the area (children), such as the swing and branch teepees. Please, for their sake, keep the place between yourself and those who you know will respect the area. Thank you 🙂

How to See Bailey Canyon Falls When It’s Flowing

Bailey Canyon Falls is rarely flowing, even during spring. The only time there is water at the falls is the day it rains and the day immediately after.

However, I HIGHLY advice against visiting the area while it’s raining, as my buddy and I were nearly hit by rockslides during our visit, and two people have drowned during flash floods. Instead, I recommend visiting a day or two after it rains.

Bailey Canyon Nature Trail Map

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Bailey Canyon Nature Trail Directions

Click the link HERE to be redirected to the Bailey Canyon Nature Trail parking lot via Google Maps.

Bailey Canyon Nature Trail

The nature trail begins in a little parking lot tucked into the foothills of the lovely town known as Sierra Madre.

Since we visited while it was raining, the water was flowing directly into the parking lot, and the crystal clear droplets poured all around us from the tall pine trees.

Surprisingly, one of the houses which borders the road had a waterfall raging down about 15-20ft (if only Bailey Falls had the same flow).

Although it wasn’t raining too hard, you can see from the picture below why flash floods can be a huge danger.

Detour

Right before entering the canyon, you’ll notice a bridge traversing the debris reservoir.

I didn’t add it on the the map as it’s a detour, but I highly recommend checking it out.

It leads to a little flats covered by the forest canopy, as well as a couple of shelters and a swing.

Notice the area (and all of Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park for that matter) is extremely well preserved. I didn’t see a single piece of trash anywhere on the ground.

Head back the way you came to return to the main route.

Detour Ends. Back on The Main Trail

As I ventured into the canyon, the creek will be located to your right and below you. I spotted some ruins on the opposite side of the creek, but have yet to find any information on them.

I kept moving forward, wondering how flash floods could be so dangerous on this trail when the creek was a few feet below me.

My questions were answered within a few minutes when the trail descended to the same elevation as the creek.

By the way, the image below is the fork where you can head up to Jones Peak from Baily Canyon.

During my second visit, I noticed the beginning of the hike didn’t have running water in the creek, but about halfway, that quickly changed. There was a lot of creek crossing over slippery rocks involved.

There are some sections of the trail which are very overgrown, especially during the spring. Make sure not to accidentally make contact with poison oak.

I made a sharp right turn and came face to face with a beautiful 25 foot falls. While most waterfalls are roaring due to the wet winter we just had, Bailey Cn Falls was still barely more than a trickle.

Seeing it flow really is a especially occasion.

A second cascade is located to the left and resembles a curved playground slide. Unfortunately, it had even less water.

Bailey Canyon Falls measures roughly 25ft.