Angeles National Forest

L.A.'s Backyard

Description

Within an hour drive from the smog and noise of the city (with luck and little traffic) you'll find yourself in Angeles National Park, the proclaimed 'backyard' of Los Angeles. The nearly 656,000 acres of protected national forest was dedicated in 1892 as the San Gabriel Timberland Reserve, which would eventually be renamed as the Angeles National Forest. The landscape is extremely diverse offering dense chaparral forests and the desert areas of the high peaks reaching upwards to 10,000-feet, which is particularly impressive when snow finds its way onto the colder peaks at altitude. Check out the ski areas located here for an afternoon of powder and fresh air, or take a hike along part of the 697 miles of trails stretched out through the park. Angeles National Park is a perfect getaway from the city, and in the open beauty of nature you could easily forget that you are just an hour away from the biggest city on the west coast.