Instead of Bonbons: Bonita

Hike to Bonita Falls in the San Gabriels

What’s sweeter than chocolate? How about one of the largest waterfalls in SoCal! Bonita Falls goes year round, but in winter with snowmelt the waterfall is at its grandest.

Hike to this oasis of the San Gabriels on a 2-mile (round-trip) trek. The route to the waterfall is up through Lytle Creek’s south fork, which is a rocky creek bed so there’s not much of a trail. Sadly the canyon and many of the boulders around Bonita Falls have been marred by graffiti, but the waterfall still outshines all of it.

Hike to Bonita Falls in the San Gabriels

Parking is unmarked on a spacious side of the road (it’s common for many cars to be here). From the trailhead, descend a small hill into a picnic area and thereafter encounter Lytle Creek’s rushing water. The first challenge is to find a way past the creek, which can be shin deep in spots.

A small bridge made of logs and branches within view of the picnic area gets you to the other side. Bring spare socks and watch the footing; it’s not the most stable of bridges.

Bonita Falls San Gabriels

Once you’re past the creek, you’ll head up the Lytle Creek south fork, which threads through a vast canyon. Work your way over the rough rocks to the left side of the canyon—that’s where the terrain is the smoothest and you’ll find the most semblance of a trail. Just over a half mile into the wash, turn left and head up the trail for a rapid landscape change from wide-open canyon views to dense foliage of Fremont cottonwoods.

The graffiti is undesirable, but it can be a good marker that you’re on the right track. Ascend around 300 feet over a short distance alongside running water. Eventually, through the trees, Bonita Falls will come into view. It’s difficult to miss. There’s a lot of space to find a seat and relax by the pool at the base of the waterfall. Okay, go ahead: Have some bonbons with Bonita.

From the I-15 in Fontana, take the Sierra Ave. exit and head north. Continue onto Lytle Creek Rd. for 5.8 miles. Parking will be on the left. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Camp at Goose Lake in the Lakes Basin

    Duck, Duck, Goose!

    Try to get a first-come, first-served campsite at one of the Lakes Basin’s lakeside campgrounds. We love Goose Lake Campground, where there are just 13 sites and no motorized boats.

    View
  2. This Is Paradise

    Granite mountain-scape, superb sunset views, crystal lakes, and shoreline campsites … the trip to Paradise Lake in Tahoe National Forest lives up to its idyllic name.

    View
  3. Aloha from California

    Say Aloha without leaving California with a 7-mile out-and-back hiking adventure to Lake Aloha in El Dorado National Forest. You can also camp here, a premier place for stargazing.

    View
  4. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

    View
  2. Underground Garden

    Looking to escape the summer heat? Head to Fresno and discover its cool secret: the Forestiere Underground Gardens–an enchanting garden and architecture oasis like no other.

    View
  3. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

    View
  4. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

    View