A record number of people visited the Angeles National Forest recently, the onslaught fueled by 20 million Southern Californians who live within a short car ride of “L.A.’s backyard playground” itching to escape into nature during the pandemic.
New numbers released by the U.S. Forest Service in May counted 4.6 million visitors in 2021, easily surpassing the previous high from 10 years ago.
The forest drew 1 million more people than in 2011, when 3.6 million visited. And it far exceeded the 3 million visitors counted in 2006, according to the Forest Service. The 2021 count is the most recent, with the next one planned for 2026 as counts are done every five years.
Forest visits boom during pandemic
The vast, 700,000-acre untamed wilderness that stretches west-to-east from Santa Clarita to Upland had more visitors than the Grand Canyon, which amassed 4.5 million, and Yosemite National Park, with 3.3 million, both in that same year, the Forest Service reported.
“I probably didn’t expect it to be quite that high, but it is not surprising considering we are one of the closest land management agencies next to a large, metropolitan area,” said Ramon “Ray” Torres, supervisor of the Angeles National Forest. Torres replaced temporary fill-in Tom Torres last August, who replaced Jerry Perez who was supervisor for 3 1/2 years.
Other forest watchers, nonprofit conservation groups and hiking enthusiasts were pleased that “the Angeles,” which takes in most of the San Gabriel Mountains and forms almost a postcard backdrop for Los Angeles County, satisfied a need to safely get outside during a time of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and school shutdowns.
“In the height of the pandemic, it made people realize how much we need to be outdoors, just for our sanity,” said Bryan Matsumoto, program manager for Nature For All, an organization that takes underprivileged youth into the Angeles, performs service projects and advocates for forest amenities.
Outdoors trending
The boost in attendance at national forests and national parks began before the pandemic, said Casey Schreiner, founder and editor of the Modern Hiker website and author of “Day Hiking Los Angeles: City Parks / Santa Monica Mountains / San Gabriel Mountains.”
“That trend in exploring public lands has been going on for many years across the entire country,” Schreiner said on May 31. The hiking and fitness emphasis has exploded in Los Angeles County, fueled by gear shops and marketing campaigns.
“There is a big push from local tourism boards,” he said. “I was scrolling on my Instagram and I saw Murrieta advertising about nearby (wildflower) super blooms. Also, Visit California is pushing the Angeles National Forest and outdoor recreation.”
Experts say visiting the forest was once an activity popular among more affluent White households. But now the forest is attracting a much more diverse population. Outdoor Afro, a non-profit that celebrates Black connections and leadership in nature, is connecting Blacks to nature, he said.
When President Barack Obama nine years ago declared about half of the Angeles National Forest a national monument, it prompted about $6 million in corporate donations in the years that followed.
Obama’s remarks during the dedication ceremony at Frank G. Bonelli Park emphasized the goal of providing better access to Native Americans, Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI), Blacks and Latinos.
Growth brings challenges
Obama put out a challenge to increase access to the Angeles, which is currently only by car. That may be changing.
In an allocation authorized by U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Pasadena, Nature For All received a check for $995,000 on Aug. 28, 2022 to begin planning and building the Mount Wilson Express Shuttle, a van or bus service starting at the Metro L Line (Gold) Memorial Park Station in Old Pasadena and connecting to western forest locations.
Matsumoto said his group is working with other partners and community members to bring the public transit shuttle to fruition, he said.
Nonetheless, significant challenges remain for the Forest Service as the number of visitors grows. Anecdotal evidence suggests the growth trend continued in 2022 and into the first half of this year, as visitors were drawn by the snow-capped mountains this autumn and winter, after record snowfalls.
“We love people getting out and enjoying the forest,” Torres said. “It becomes a challenge figuring out how to manage all those people.”
Torres said he has to rely on cash, volunteers and in-kind donations from the National Forest Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife Federation. Groups who advocate for the forest in Southern California have pushed for more federal funding, but that usually falls on deaf ears in Washington, D.C.
After seeing the report showing higher numbers visiting the Angeles National Forest than at two popular national parks, Matsumoto’s reaction was tempered.
“I wish our forest was funded at the same level as those parks,” he said.
Likewise, Daniel Rossman, California deputy director of The Wilderness Society, said he was pleased to see more people using the forest. But that should be a wake-up call to Congress and the U.S. Department of Agriculture that funds the Forest Service and the Angeles National Forest.
“It is important (that) Congress budget our forest well, and prioritize serving visitor needs. These numbers will help illustrate what we’ve known — that ‘the Angeles’ is a special place, with unique challenges,” Rossman said.
“I wish these agencies would keep up with budgets, especially with ‘the Angeles,’” said Schreiner. “There’s no new rangers on the trails. No new visitor centers. Most of the budget for national forests in the West go to firefighting. They are not getting the resources they need.”
Visitors flock to forest
Dianne Hellrigel, who started the Community Santa Clarita Hiking Club, enjoys taking groups into the Angeles National Forest not far from her home. “It is just so convenient. And so beautiful,” she said.
Recently, the group hiked to part of the Arroyo Seco creek near La Cañada Flintridge, strapped on snorkeling gear and went face-first into the shallow waters to watch the steelhead trout.
“We bring masks and snorkels and people take turns to see these gorgeous fish,” Hellrigel said.
The snowcapped mountains make the San Gabriels look like the Rockies, Torres said. The snowmelt has filled streams and boosted waterfalls, such as Switzer Falls, a popular site and well-worn trail located off Angeles Crest Highway in Tujunga.
Some areas remain closed due to severe soil damage from the 2020 Bobcat fire. The closed areas include West Fork of the San Gabriel River, Chantry Flat trails and picnic areas north of Arcadia, Chilao Visitor Center and Buckhorn campgrounds.
Despite closures due to fire damage, there’s still a lot to see in the Angeles and San Gabriel Mountains national monument, including bighorn sheep and the California condor.
“The San Gabriels are in rare form with incredible wildflower blooms,” said Rossman, a hiker and Pasadena resident. “There are smells, aromas of native sage and the yucca, known as Our Lord’s Candle, shooting up 15- to 20-foot stalks with golden flowers.”
Hellrigel doesn’t miss an opportunity to traverse Bouquet Canyon or other parts of the vast federal land.
“We are in the forest almost every weekend. It never ceases to amaze me,” she said.