Burkhart Trail to Cooper Canyon Falls is a 4.6 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Mount Wilson, California that features a waterfall and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until November. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
FIRE CLOSURE: As of February 2021 there are closures in this park or area due to wildfire. For more information, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/angeles/alerts-notices. The Burkhart trailhead starts near a small parking lot that is located in the back of the Buckhorn Campground. One option is to park on the road and walk 1 mile through the campground to the trailhead. Follow the trail downhill for about 2.7 miles. Take a left at the fork where you could otherwise continue to the right toward the falls. Camp is about 1.3 miles further with some steady uphill. There are 2 stream crossings total. The campground is spread out with a large group campsite at the front. Other smaller sites can be found further in. Bear boxes (thank you Boy Scouts) and designated fire rings can be found in the sites. The creek that runs through camp was flowing very steadily with clear, cold water in mid-May after a wet winter. Start early -- trail gets hot and busy after 10am.
California Travel and Tourism Commision, P.O. Box 1499 , Sacramento, CA, 95812-1499, Phone: 800-862-2543
Filter water at camp. Keep dogs on leash. Start early as the trail gets hot and busy after 10am.
Directions from La Canada, CA: Drive 34 miles up Angeles Crest Highway from Interstate 210. Turn left into Buckhorn Campground and continue to the Burkhart Trail parking lot on the far side.
April 13, 2021Hi just giving everyone an update in regards to this trail, according to the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, this area is still closed and not advisable to trek. One of the factors discussed was because of the Bob cat fires. I was just about to plan a trip out there but had to do the research. There is also a map that shows where this area is in part of the closure. Wish I could go and check this place out but got to abide. https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd893845.pdf
April 11, 2021One of the most beautiful hikes I’ve been on in SoCal! Huge pine trees (many charred from the recent fires), flowing water, and not crowded at all. Somehow I missed the fall at the end and just ended up at the end of the creekbed... oh well
April 10, 2021One of my new favorite trails! Has a bit of everything. Felt like big bear because of the kinda of trees, and snow. Most of the trail was next to flowing water and shaded, it was not crowded at all, and plenty of wildlife! Don't miss the waterfall, its to the right and you have to climb down a bit but worth the climb for sure.
April 8, 2021easy hike to the falls brutal on the way back
April 4, 2021Beautiful hike
March 28, 2021March 28, 2021Nice hike down first then up, waterfall is off to the side at about 1.6 miles. Beautiful waterfall with green moss. All to myself, I did go early but surprisingly didn’t see anyone. I bet it gets busy soon. Snow was mostly melted.
March 21, 2021Me and my overweight dog did this hike around 1pm after hiking strawberry peak earlier. With the hike starting at the campground it’s an easy gradual downhill hike. Once you hit the fork to go down copper canyon just continue on burkhart trail for about 100 feet and look down. That’s the waterfall! You are at the top of the fall. There is no trail to get to the bottom of the waterfall, you just have to climb down and you will get wet so be aware of that. Totally worth it! I passed over 20 people who didn’t see the waterfall and some were calling it a myth! I could believe they didn’t see this huge waterfall, it’s so easy to find. There’s snow on the pavement near the campground but the entire trail only has a couple patches of melting ice. Nothing major, but there’s quite a bit of mud in some spots.
March 17, 2021March 7, 2021Beautiful trail beautiful waterfall.
January 3, 2021September 5, 2020The trail was really pretty. It’s all down hill so when you come back it’s all up hill. There were a lot of little nats in your face kind of annoying. The trail is in the campground. Was super confusing if you don’t go to the campground. When you’re on the trail about 30 minutes in there will be a fork in the trail. If you want to see the waterfall you take the burkhart trail. Good time. Lots of shade!!
September 4, 2020Awesome hike, kicked my butt coming back up the canyon. It was hard to find the little waterfall but kept to the map and read the reviews so I had some direction. Very beautiful, I loved it!
September 4, 2020Such a pretty trail!
September 2, 2020Nice trail. Signage could improve but when I recorded our way back to the car exactly from the falls, it came up as 2.7 miles. So total, it should be at 5.4-ish. There is a parking lot at the actual start of trail but you need a day pass. Otherwise, park somewhere on highway 2. Saw a red/white/black snake, a lot of flies/mosquitos... Spray some bug repellant before your hike, might help.
August 30, 2020August 30, 2020Great trail! Shady most of the way, elevation gain is minimal which makes the hike back great too! The views are incredible. Even at the peak of summer there was water at the falls and through the stream leading up to it. If you want to take waterfall photos for the gram, I suggest taking some water shoes with you. Also, if you want to make it a shorter hike you can trail head from the buckhorn campground and shave about a mile off.
August 28, 2020( Angeles national parks require a day pass purchase in advance) I really enjoyed the hike because we got lost haha . I didn’t see the waterfall sign so We spent 2 hours walking up and down the creek that’s on the bottom . The hike is literally after the 2 mile sign that says Cooper Canyon, on the bottom someone wrote “waterfalls ==> “ it’s in marker . You walk some steps and there’s a rock/Ravine path to Your left and you go down using a rope. If you reach the creek you went too far. We went really early to beat the sun and missed it because no one was down there yet so we didn’t hear people down there . https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/r5/passes-permits/recreation/?cid=STELPRDB5181410&width=full
August 27, 2020yay
August 27, 2020Beautiful trail. You can almost see everything here - greens, water with fishes, some rock formations, and interesting trees.Steep when going back. Bring lots of water. It can get hot past by 10am.
