Fish Canyon Falls

The popularity of Fish Canyon Falls emerged during the broader national and international hiking boom of the 1920s, driven by increased automobile accessibility, an expanding middle class, and conservation efforts promoting outdoor recreation.{{cite book |author=Shaffer, Marguerite S. |title=See America First: Tourism and National Identity, 1880-1940 |year=2001 |publisher=Smithsonian Books |pages=185–190}}{{cite book |author=Runte, Alfred |title=National Parks: The American Experience |year=2010 |publisher=Taylor Trade Publishing |pages=111–113}}{{cite book |author=Ring, Jim |title=How the English Made the Alps |year=2000 |publisher=Faber & Faber |pages=159–163}}

Directions from a 1936 article in the Los Angeles Times described access as follows: "Drive Foothill Boulevard to the first road turning north, west of the San Gabriel River, up this road to the mouth of Fish Canyon and park the auto. Hike up the canyon road to the Metropolitan Water District tunnel, one mile, find the trail starting just below the tunnel and follow up the canyon to the falls, 1.8 miles. There is a picnic ground around the pool between the lower and middle falls. Return by same route. Total hike, 5.5 miles."{{cite news |date=1936-06-07 |title=Fish Canyon Falls |pages=78 |work=The Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-fish-canyon-falls/135428876/ |access-date=2023-11-19}}

File:Fish Canyon in Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County (33896579404).jpg

Approximately 50 vacation cabins once stood along Fish Canyon Creek, built to accommodate visitors during this recreational boom, but these were destroyed by a wildfire in 1958.{{cite web |title=Duarte Trails – Fish Canyon Falls |website=City of Duarte |url=https://www.accessduarte.com/government/departments/parks-and-recreation/trails |access-date=May 4, 2025}}

From the early 1980s until 2014, public access to Fish Canyon Falls was severely restricted due to quarry operations conducted by Vulcan Materials at the canyon’s entrance.{{cite magazine |last=Smalley |first=Megan |title=Vulcan quarry transforms to natural environment |magazine=Pit & Quarry |date=September 28, 2015 |url=https://www.pitandquarry.com/vulcan-quarry-gradually-transforms-to-natural-environment/ |access-date=May 4, 2025}} This restriction echoed historical and ongoing tensions between Duarte residents and the mining industry in Azusa. In fact, the City of Duarte incorporated in 1957, largely in response to concerns about the encroachment of quarrying into residential neighborhoods and valued recreational areas such as Fish Canyon.{{cite web |title=City of Duarte History |website=City of Duarte |url=https://www.accessduarte.com/about-us/history |access-date=May 4, 2025}} Shortly before Duarte’s incorporation, the City of Azusa strategically annexed the land surrounding the Fish Canyon trailhead to protect ongoing rock quarry operations from being halted by Duarte’s anticipated municipal regulations.

After decades of public advocacy, negative publicity, and litigation aimed at restoring access to the cherished local resource, Vulcan Materials opened a more accessible trail route through the quarry property in 2014, significantly easing hikers’ access to the falls. Unfortunately, just two years after its reopening, the trail was severely damaged by the San Gabriel Complex Fire of 2016, forcing an extended closure for repairs and environmental restoration efforts that remain ongoing.{{cite news |last=Greenspon |first=Chris |title=Plans Complete for Restoring Duarte’s Fish Canyon Trail |work=Streetsblog Los Angeles |date=April 30, 2025 |url=https://la.streetsblog.org/2025/04/30/plans-complete-for-restoring-of-duartes-fish-canyon-trail |access-date=May 4, 2025}}

In 2024, Duarte received a $1 million federal grant to restore and reopen the trail.{{cite news |title=Around the San Gabriel Valley: $1,000,000 for Duarte's Fish Canyon Trail Restoration Project |work=Mountain Views News |date=March 9, 2024 |page=7}} New parking, shuttle, and restroom facilities will be built.{{cite news |last=Greenspon |first=Chris |date=April 30, 2025 |title=Plans Complete for Restoring Duarte’s Fish Canyon Trail |work=Streetsblog Los Angeles |url=https://la.streetsblog.org/2025/04/30/plans-complete-for-restoring-of-duartes-fish-canyon-trail |access-date=May 4, 2025}}

• List of waterfalls
• List of waterfalls of California

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• [http://www.world-of-waterfalls.com/california-fish-canyon-falls.html Fish Canyon Falls] at World of Waterfalls
• [http://www.modernhiker.com/2014/07/03/hike-fish-canyon-falls/ Fish Canyon Falls Hike] at Modern Hiker
• [https://la.streetsblog.org/2025/04/30/plans-complete-for-restoring-of-duartes-fish-canyon-trail Plans Complete for Restoring Duarte’s Fish Canyon Trail] at Streetsblog Los Angeles (April 30, 2025)

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Category:Waterfalls of California

Category:Geography of Los Angeles County, California

Category:Duarte, California