Location: Altadena, California
Distance: 1.2 Miles Round Trip Time: 1 Hour or Less
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: Less than 300 feet
Season: All (You may check for road closures here)
Foot Traffic: Moderate to Heavy
Date Hiked: Thursday, September 7, 2023
Overview of Millard Canyon Falls
Millard Canyon Falls is a beautiful 50 foot waterfall located in the San Gabriel Mountains above Altadena, not far from the city of Pasadena. While a lot of the attention in this area goes to the super popular Eaton Canyon, Millard Falls is a great waterfall in and of itself. While it does draw crowds, they are nothing in comparison to Eaton Canyon. Millard canyon was reopened in 2015 after the 2009 Station Fire devastated the San Gabriel wilderness.
I personally prefer hiking and exploring this canyon over Eaton Canyon. While the falls do often run dry, after a good storm or a heavy snow pack year, the falls can sometimes flow year round. The hike is short, at under 1.5 miles, but offers plenty of scenery as well as a few small pools. Another great option is to grab a spot at the first come/first served Millard Campground, where the hike begins. Sites are free but can be hard to come by especially on the weekends. Overall, this is a fantastic waterfall, albeit a short hike. With shorter trails such as Millard Canyon, getting an earlier start always offers more of a chance to experience the canyon at its quietest and finest.
Trail Description and Scout’s Story
It has been almost exactly one year now since our daughter, Scout, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Scout’s cancer was placed into remission a few months ago and we are still working on picking up the broken pieces from the last year and getting back to as much of a normal life as possible. In the last few weeks, our family has finally started getting back onto the trails more frequently and Millard Canyon Falls was another opportunity for us to get Scout out into nature and really enjoy the outdoors.
We had a reservation at the amazing Hunting Library and Botanical Gardens for the afternoon, so we decided to start our day early at Millard Canyon. After making the hour and a half drive we arrived at the Millard Canyon Falls parking lot a little after 9 AM with no other hikers having yet arrived. We took a short rest at the picnic tables to gather everything and then began what would be a short trip to the falls.
Millard Campground to Millard Canyon Falls
Knowing the trail was short, my wife and I elected to let our 2 year old daughter, Scout, walk and carry her when need be. The trail starts by passing through the gated entrance towards the Millard campground. Within a few minutes we were passing by the few campsites and had reached the official trailhead. The trail was signed here and we took a right, heading along the right bank of the stream.
With all of the snow melt and rain from this year there was an unusual amount of water still in the stream for it being September. At the very start of the trail, there is a tiny cascade and pool with a little rock wall to the right that must be climbed over to proceed further.
My wife went first and I handed Scout to her and onward we went. The trail crosses back and forth from one side of the stream to the other quite a few times. The easiest bet is to just come to the realization that your feet are going to get wet.
For the most part the trail is fairly flat. There are a couple of minor ascents but overall the grade is about as level as it comes. We passed by a few more small pools and then trails on both the right and left side of the stream opened up. My wife went one way and me and Scout the other. At this point, hiking on either side of the stream works and the falls are just around the corner.
Arriving at Millard Canyon Falls
We could now hear the sound of the falls in the distance, as Scouts eyes perked up as she tried to figure out what the noise was. One more turn and there was the 50 foot Millard Canyon Falls above us.
It was absolutely beautiful and the flow of water coming from it was just right. We sat and watched Scout splash in the pool until eventually another group arrived. We decided to head out and continue our day and let the other group, that had just arrived, enjoy the falls in peace.
September 7, 2023
Getting to Millard Canyon Falls
From highway 210, take exit 29B and head north onto Sierra Madre Bl/San Marino. Merge onto Maple Street and continue straight to stay on it. Turn right onto North Altadena Dr. (you will pass by the Eaton Canyon Falls parking lot and trailhead along the way) and follow it for 5 miles. Turn left onto W. Loma Alta Drive and follow it for less than 1/2 mile.
Turn right onto Chaney Trail Road trail (you will see a flashing yellow traffic light) and follow it uphill for a little over 1 mile. Make a sharp left onto Brown Mountain Truck Trail and follow it downhill for 1/2 mile. Turn left onto Chaney Trail Road which will be a big parking lot to the left of the gated road heading to the Millard campground. Park here and place your adventure pass or interagency pass on your windshield. Additional parking can be found along the street if the parking lot is full.
Notes, Questions and Thoughts
Is Millard Canyon Falls a fee/permit area?
- Yes. An Adventure Pass or America the Beautiful Pass must be displayed on the dash of your car when parked.
- Information on where and how to purchase an Adventure Pass may be found here.
- Passes cost $5/day or $30/year
- Information on purchasing the America the Beautiful Pass can be found here.
Are dogs allowed on the Millard Canyon Trail?
- Yes. Dogs are allowed but must be leashed and kept in control at all times. Please pick up and dispose of all animal waste.
Are there restrooms at the trailhead?
- Yes. Vault toilets are located at the Millard Campground, a short walk from the parking lot and just before the trailhead.
Nearby Campgrounds:
- Millard Campground is located 100 feet from the parking area. This is a first come-first served walk in campground. There are 6 campsites, each with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets are on site adjacent to the camp sites but there is no water available. This is a free campground although an Adventure Pass/America the Beautiful Pass must be displayed.
Be Bear Aware! Please help protect our bears and yourselves. Help keep bears wild by following these tips from the Forest Service.
Please follow all fire restrictions. While fire restrictions are usually posted at the campgrounds you may check here as well.
After heavy rainfall or storms some forest service roads may be closed or impassable. You may check road conditions and closures by following the link here.
Please help keep our trails clean by disposing of all trash and waste. Trash cans are located in the parking area.
Please recreate responsibly. Respect hikers, and all visitors and wildlife. Help make everyone’s experience better by keeping the nature experience as authentic as possible. Leave no trace and pack out everything that you pack in. Please remember that we are visitors and stewards of these special places. Help keep these places as wild as possible while not diminishing the outdoor experience of others.
