On Saturday, Leo, Sparky, and I headed to our second hike featured in the March/April 2013 issue of Westways Magazine by AAA. The article describes five Southern California hikes with waterfalls, just in case you need an incentive to be one with nature. This one is located in Arcadia and it's called Sturtevant Falls. Off the Santa Anita exit from the 210 freeway, the trail begins at the end of the most windy and narrow road I've ever driven through. Even though we got there at almost noon, parking was difficult to find but that didn't stop other lazies like us from arriving--the breezy climate made for perfect hiking conditions at any hour of the day. If you decide to take on this moderate 3-mile loop, make sure the weather is right and don't forget your National Forest Adventure Pass.
After emptying out my bladder (bring your own toilet paper, by the way), we started on the downhill paved pathway. I was thinking, This is not what I signed up for, when our hiking shoes started making love with the dirt. We were quickly transferred into a world whose walls were made of oak and alder trees as we walked under a light show of sun rays peering through the branches of a ceiling of leaves.
I could hear the faint sound of the stream and exotic birds chirping, singing, calling; I told Leo that I felt like I was in a jungle even though I've never been in one. And butterflies, oh my goodness, there was a plethora of butterflies! Big colorful ones, tiny blue ones, all flying in circles around people. I also caught sight of the brightest blue bird I had ever seen, on a tree, but it flew higher up the mountain before I could capture it on camera.
Leo and I were entranced by the effect of this hike on our senses. We walked in silence, listening to the rustle of leaves in the wind, water falling over rocks and dams, and scoping out tiny cabins on the trail.
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| Resort cabins with outhouses. I saw clothes on a line and a man cleaning a grill. I'm not sure if the people live there or are just vacationing. |
After about an hour of an enchanting walk, we reached the 50-foot waterfall. It was cold. The wind blew droplets of water in my direction and I had goosebumps even though I sat on a rock in the sun.
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| Sturtevant Falls |
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| My hiking buddies |
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| "Do you want me to take of picture of your family," asked a nice hiker with a bright pink sleeveless shirt that attracted a large butterfly unbeknownst to her. |
There were many more trails to take but Sparky is a novice hiker. We headed back to the start and took in the scenery one last time.
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| Water falling at the dam. |
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| Animals are used to transfer goods in bulk to the cabins since there are no roads. |
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| Check out those asses. |
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| A view of Arcadia from the San Gabriel Mountains. |
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| Love this! |
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| My baby, right at home. |
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| Rubi taking in the view, too. |
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| Until next time... |
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