Rubio Canyon
Altadena / San Gabriel Mtns · near Altadena / Pasadena · Los Angeles / SoCal
Canyoneering
At a glance
- Grade
- intermediate
- Best season
- When reopened: late spring–fall, dry weather only
What is here
- Setting
- foothill
- Amenities
- Chain of named granite waterfalls · Historic Rubio Pavilion & Mount Lowe ruins · Shortest approach of the San Gabriel canyons · Intermediate rappels close to LA
- Best for
- A historic front-range descent (when reopened)
- Features
- Storied San Gabriel classic · String of sculpted falls · Rich Mount Lowe Railway history · Intermediate, short-approach descent
Worth knowing
- Hazards
- CLOSED — Eaton Fire area (through at least Dec 31, 2027) — verify status · Severe post-fire debris-flow & rockfall danger · Flash-flood risk — never enter with rain · Loose rock; old anchors — inspect everything
- Beginner friendly
- No
Canyoneering detail
- Character
- rappels · waterfalls
- Water
- pools
- Commitment
- 2
- Descent notes
- CURRENTLY CLOSED (Eaton Fire). A historic front-range classic above Altadena — a chain of named granite waterfalls (Thalehaha, Moss Grotto, Ribbon Rock) descended by a short-approach series of intermediate rappels, steeped in Mount Lowe Railway history
- Stats note
- ~5–8 rappels, Thalehaha ~100 ft; shortest San Gabriel approach; half-day
- Wetsuit
- No
- Intl tip
- A storied, intermediate Los Angeles canyoneering classic hidden above Altadena — a chain of named granite waterfalls (Thalehaha ~100 ft, Moss Grotto, Ribbon Rock) with the shortest approach of any San Gabriel canyon and Mount Lowe Railway ruins. Note: it lies in the January 2025 Eaton Fire burn area, and the Angeles NF closure runs through at least Dec 31, 2027, so it's currently closed, with severe post-fire debris-flow and rockfall danger and likely canyon changes. Verify current status before any plans; when open, inspect anchors and never enter with rain.
- Directions note
- Street parking near the Rubio Canyon trailhead off Rubio Vista Dr, Altadena
The guide
Rubio Canyon, hidden in the front range directly above Altadena, is one of the storied classics of Los Angeles canyoneering — a…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Rubio Canyon — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 34.204, -118.118