Hike Brown Mountain Dam (Arroyo Seco)

[@christinelikeschrysanthemums]

Hi Cris The Hiking Guy :) ! I went on his hike with Meetup friends back in 2010. I’m hopefully taking a group October 2024. I linked your video to my hike. It is so well done. I truly appreciate that you provide so much detail. I have asked my hikers to please give you a thumbs up and I have as well. Thank you and happy trails 🇺🇸🙏🏻💕

[@markvincent522]

This is a trip! I had a misguided youth and ended up staying at the Bishop Gooden Home for a while in 2005. Walnut and El Molino, baby! We hiked this trail a few times, and it made me fall back in love with being outside. My vacations in treatment didn't end with Bishop Gooden and Arroyo Seco, but wild places, climbing, and skiing sustained me through more dark times. As a Wyoming kid I'm not ashamed to say that one of my most significant spots is outside Pasadena😂 Thank you for making this.

[@DM-eo6zw]

Thank you for making this video. It’s so nice to see that area again. I’ve spent countless hours hiking and mountain biking this area. Having acquired fibromyalgia, I haven’t been there in about 20 years.

[@concerned1313]

Hi Cris, again you are in my backyard on this one. I do this twice or more times a year, but my route is different. I start at Oak Grove Park and come up the horse trail and then I stop at Gould Mesa. I have done your route too, just not as often and I have only gone over the dam from below a couple of times in my life. I have come down it much more often because I backpacked into Bear Canyon or Oakwilde from Switzers or just came down on a hike from Switzers. I am aware of the Arroyo Seco Foundation and if it was up to them, they would remove Brown Mountain Dam (which I agree with, but would be almost impossible), Devils Gate Dam and all the cement-concrete channels below. I was here in the 1969 Flood and we need that dam. It protects all the down river communities (Los Angeles, Southgate, and Long Beach) and the cement makes the water exit to the ocean quicker which prevents more flooding. I don't think it would be feasible to bring back salmon (I am not sure they ever existed in the Los Angeles River). This is an excellent hike Cris, and is family friendly. It is usually crowed on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Thank you for doing this one, it was enjoyable to watch!

[@toddmedina9163]

Thanks, Cris, for this wonderful and detailed guide. I hiked this "JPL Trail" earlier this week, and it was fantastic. Not only did I reach the dam, but I also took the side trail that led to that area upward that overlooked the dam. It was a bit warm when I started around 3:30 pm, but thankful that much of the trail was in the shade. Highly recommend to anyone. Thanks, again.

[@orangelion03]

Is it possible to hike or rock hop to the top of the dam? Thanks!

[@YeetieMonk]

Never been hiking before, went today and loved it!

[@kingt.hawkings32]

✋️😎✅️

[@villanuevafamily4]

Awesome! I’ll try this one at my next trip. Can’t wait till they open up the area from the bobcat fire. I miss Chantry flat and the waterfalls out there.

[@blondie1695]

Awesome guide! Very easy to follow!

[@verasilva]

Just did this yesterday. The arroyo barely has any water left, but surprisingly, the waterfall is still flowing very well. It was beautiful. Much larger in real life than I expected, impressive.

[@bakin9896]

The arroyo is full and raging today because of the storm ⛈ was having trouble crossing

[@alanwong2684]

You can add the Gabrielino Trail to El Prieto Trail Loop on top of this for a 13 mile hike. Cool to hike through the valley along the creek

[@Tedroy]

I caught a 14" rainbow in that hole. They do stock the stream.

[@Viewfiend2]

how long ago was this? what section did you hit?

[@kermit1]

Did this today loved it and my dog loves trying to figure out how to cross the many streams

[@HuskyMike]

With all the different hikes he posts and writes guides for, Cris has to be the hardest working vlogger in the hiking world.

[@Hikingguy]

Ah thanks so much... &&& stay tuned for more 👍

[@ervinslens]

Well that was absolutely wonderful bud, stunning shots as well as composition.

[@darkdante2k4]

Love the videos Cris. Thank you for the many hours of enjoyable content.

[@kingt.hawkings32]

Very well done... do you have one that comes down towards the dam from the Swizter picnic area? Thanks

[@Hikingguy]

Yup check my guide of the Gabrielino Trail

[@user-ck3qk2mt9h]

Tried this hike last week, but the "stream" crossings were not possible. Thanks to the historic rain and snowmelt we've had in SoCal this year the Arroyo is a raging torrent. Put it on the to do list until summer. H.G., I enjoy the historical information of the area you include with your hikes. Since the hike to the dam was impossible, I backtracked and hiked up to the Owen Brown gravesite, which has great historical significance, you may wish to feature in a future episode. Keep up the great work!

[@Hikingguy]

Yea everything is a mess right now and probably will be as the snow melts. Smart move turning around. And yes, the Owen Brown gravesite is a great spot - I plan on doing a guide / hike that includes it in the future - thanks for the suggestion!

[@angelesbro4857]

how many minutes of walk one way?

[@christinerolle3876]

🥰😍🤩...Thanks Cris for all your hard work. I would like to do this.since Im here in socal.

[@Hikingguy]

Thank you!!! 👍

[@adrielmedrano8175]

This is one of my favorite hikes. I was wondering if you knew anything about the cabin on the water at around 34.231963,-118.176233. I stumbled across it a few years ago and there was a chicken walking around so someone obviously is living there. It's surprisingly well built. I hiked up to the dam a few weeks ago and checked in the cabin to see if it survived the storms we've been getting and it's still there. I'm fascinated by it, but have never seen anyone there.

[@Hikingguy]

Not sure of that cabin exactly but many of the ruins along the Gab can date back to the Great Hiking Era when this was the main route up to Switzers. I know that some were residences, and there were even cafes / stores along the way.

[@ralphy199]

He didn't mention it but it's also a popular mountain bike trail. Super crowded on the weekends.

[@dragonlo6514]

Nice and shady on this hike.

[@naterosas1466]

Is there a reason why I can't save this video? Thanks for the guide!

[@zubnasty]

if anyone finds those Friendly little Turtles i nicknamed them "ArroyoTorcos"

[@XJarhead360]

Nike presentation as always. I noticed on Google Maps that the Gould Mesa camp and the Paul LIttle Picnic area are closed. Does that mean we can't take a breather there? Q#2: You posted the video 5/29/2002. Was this a video from this weekend? I ask because you said the stream is dry when there is a severe drought like at present. So is there water there now to take nature pics?

[@Hikingguy]

Yea Google Maps is wrong, they're open and you can go enjoy them. The video was shot last week, and there's still water. I remember it being dry several years ago in places. But now you're good, lots of water.

[@XJarhead360]

@@Hikingguy Thanks for the reply. I'm trying to make a wilderness buff out of my brother and this is close to his home.

[@tango165]

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@Jimmyxsx]

Any chance of running into a bear or mountain lion?

[@cathynewyork7918]

I have seen a mountain lion on this same trail about four years ago, when I lived in California and hiked the Arroyo Seco, Garbrielino, and Brown Mountain trails every weekend when I was off work. [I now hike the "wilds" of New York City's Central Park!]

[@zubnasty]

because of this dam we lost alot of two white striped highlighter orangish pentagons on shell turtles with claws and tails. i nicknamed them ArroyoTorcos! idk if they were completely wiped out because of the dams that would only fill the river if farmers paid to. which is sad.. we lost those Rarest little guys.. but i Pray theyre still ALIVE! IN JESUS NAME AMEN!