Honest Review of Black Star Canyon Falls: Everything You Need to Know
Last Updated: September 19, 2023
After reading many reviews raving about Black Star Canyon Fall, we felt that we simply had to do this hike near LA. However, our actual experience did not quite line up with the reviews we read in preparation for this hike. Here we break down our honest review of Black Star Canyon Falls. And we get into everything you need to know to tackle the challenge of hiking Black Star Canyon Falls.
Our Honest Review of Hiking Black Star Canyon Falls
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Everything You Need to Know to Hike Black Star Canyon Falls: Table of Contents
- What is El Black Star Canyon Falls famous for?
- How long is the hike to Black Star Canyon Falls?
- How difficult is the hike to Black Star Canyon Falls?
- Is there parking at Black Star Canyon Falls?
- How much does parking cost at Black Star Canyon Falls?
- Is Black Star Canyon Falls free?
- Are there bathrooms at Black Star Canyon Falls?
- How crowded is Black Star Canyon Falls?
- Is there food and water at Black Star Canyon Falls?
- Is it safe to swim at Black Star Canyon Falls?
- Is Black Star Canyon Falls dog friendly?
What is Black Star Canyon Falls famous for?
Black Star Canyon Falls is known for being a somewhat mysterious hike to a hidden waterfall, along with its great mountain biking trail. It’s also known to be possibly haunted, due to stories of a massacre of the native Tongva people by the American fur trapper William Wolfskill. We didn’t see any signs of haunting while we were at Black Star Canyon Falls, but it was a sobering history to keep in mind while there.
How long is the hike to Black Star Canyon Falls?
The out-and-back hike to Black Star Canyon Falls is around 3.4 miles there, and 3.4 miles back, for a total of ~6.7 miles. (Unless of course you park at the far end of the lot, which could add up to .5 miles to your total trip). But don’t let the relatively moderate distance of this hike fool you. This hike is difficult, as we’ll explain below.
How difficult is the trail to Black Star Canyon Falls?
The trail to Black Star Canyon Falls is a difficult trail, best for experienced hikers. The trail is ranked “Hard” on AllTrails, and for good reason. Although the first two miles of the hike start off easy on a sloping gravel road, the last mile to the falls changes dramatically.
After walking for 2 miles on the gravel road (with lots of mountain bikes), you’ll see a sign for Black Star Canyon Falls, pointing you down into a heavily wooded trail. The trail takes you down to the creek bed, where you’ll spend the next mile slowly climbing around boulders and bush-whacking through brush. During the summer, the creek bed was mostly dry, but in the spring this trail gets even more difficult because of how slippery the rocks become.
When we read about this trail, we learned that it involved some scrambling, which we usually don’t mind. We are always down for an extra level of adventure! But honestly, the scrambling of this trail was slow, tedious, and buggy.
Also, the trail in the canyon is not well-marked, so it was hard to spot the actual trail at many points. We ended up having to double back several times when we lost the trail, and we heard from other hikers on the trail who experienced the same problem.
Then, as you get closer to the falls, the difficulty of the Black Star Canyon Falls trail increases again. You’ll face sharp inclines that require a rope to stabilize yourself. However, the ropes available looked somewhat flimsy and were not very reassuring to use. In fact, one of the ropes at the falls actually broke while we were there, and another hiker fell.
All that to say, do not underestimate the difficulty of the trail to Black Star Canyon Falls. This is a trail for experienced hikers, and should be approached with caution. Also, be sure to wear sturdy hiking boots when hiking Black Star Canyon Falls. (If you’re looking for good hiking boots, I recommend the Columbia Newton Ridge Boots, which I have worn for years on many hikes. They’re a great value for the money and easy to break in.)
Is there parking at Black Star Canyon Falls?
Yes, there is plenty of parking at Black Star Canyon Falls, in a spacious lot at the trailhead. We made the mistake of parking in the first spot we found, far from the trailhead. But there ended up being lots of spots closer to the trailhead, so we recommend driving all the way to the end of the parking lot to see if you can get a better spot!
How much does parking cost at Black Star Canyon Falls?
Parking is free at Black Star Canyon Falls! Parking was honestly one of the best parts about this hike, because for many hikes near Los Angeles, parking is a nightmare. But at Black Star Canyon Falls, there is lots of parking for no cost, even on the weekends.
Is Black Star Canyon Falls free?
Yes, Black Star Canyon Falls is free and open to the public.
Are there bathrooms at Black Star Canyon Falls?
No, there are no bathrooms at Black Star Canyon Falls. There are no bathrooms at trailhead, nor anywhere along the trail. So if you’re driving here from Los Angeles for a day-hike, we recommend stopping at a bathroom on the way.
How crowded is Black Star Canyon Falls?
Black Star Canyon Falls was not very crowded when we visited on a weekend in the summer. The lack of crowds was one of the highlights of Black Star Canyon Falls, because it is almost unheard of to find a day hike near LA without crowds on a weekend.
For most of our hike to Black Star Canyon Falls, we had the trail largely to ourselves. We passed a handful of other hikers on the way, and there were a few hikers at the waterfall when we arrived. But it was not very crowded at all relative to most hikes near LA. So we would say that Black Star Canyon Falls is the best hike near LA to avoid crowds.
Is there food and water at Black Star Canyon Falls?
No, there is nowhere to fill up your water bottle at the trailhead nor along the trail to Black Star Canyon Falls. However, when we visited, there was a street vendor with a small cart selling cold fruit cups and water bottles in the parking lot of Black Star Canyon Falls. We can’t guarantee she will be there every day, so it is a good idea to bring plenty of snacks and water when hiking Black Star Canyon Falls.
Is it safe to swim at Black Star Canyon Falls?
Yes and no. You can swim in the pool at the base of the falls if there is enough water. When we were there in the summer, there was barely any water at the base. People also will try to climb part of the falls to get to the pool inside a cave halfway up the falls, but climbing up these falls is very dangerous.
We are not just saying this out of an abundance of caution. We actually saw a man fall from this climb with a thud, as we were approaching the falls. He was in a lot of pain from landing on his back, and if he had fallen at a slightly different angle, he could have hit his head and been fatally injured. He had been using a rope tied along the edge of the waterfall to climb, and the rope snapped as he was climbing, leading to his fall. Therefore, be very careful if you try to climb up Black Star Canyon Falls to swim in the pool above—it is not worth risking your life!
Is Black Star Canyon Falls dog friendly?
Yes, dogs are allowed on the trail to Black Star Canyon Falls. Dogs just must be kept on a leash. The gravel road for the first 2 miles is a great place to bring your dog.
However, the last third of the trail would be much harder for dogs, with all the boulder-climbing and scrambling. You should only bring your dog if they are comfortable climbing over big steep boulders, or if you are comfortable carrying them. We saw one hiker whose medium-sized dog got so tired on the rocky part of the trail to Black Star Canyon that the two of them had to turn back.
Conclusion: Black Star Canyon Falls is a Mixed Bag
While Black Star Canyon Falls is a great option for avoiding crowds and enjoying lots of parking, overall we found this hike to be more challenging than it was worth. The waterfall itself was a small trickle when we went in the summer, making the hours of rock scrambling feel not worth it. But if you go in the spring when the water is flowing more strongly, then the scrambling will be even more challenging.
It was also a very buggy trail through the canyon. So we felt like we couldn’t even stop much for drinks and snacks, because the bugs would descend on you as soon as you stopped, which made us even more tired.
All in all, we recommend skipping Black Star Canyon Falls and going for one of our favorite waterfall hikes near LA—Paradise Falls or Switzer Falls.
But if you are an experienced hiker looking for a challenging hike near LA without crowds, then Black Star Canyon Falls might be a great choice for you. Just be sure to bring water, snacks, and bug spray!