Hands down, the most challenging hike I have ever done in my life! Believe me when I tell you I was not expecting this hike to be difficult or for it to take six hours long. I admit, I was not prepared and dumb on my part not to check this hike out, which is why I am here to tell you more about this hike if you are interested in checking it out in the future.
I am going to share with you my experience hiking Southern California's haunted hiking trail! And also give you some tips to be prepared to hike this challenging trail.
HISTORY
This popular hiking trail is located in the Santa Ana mountains in California. It is a popular hike due to its history and paranormal activity visitors have encountered. It has a history of being the bloodiest battle in the Santa Ana mountains between native Americans called the Tongva and American fur trappers that was led by a man named William Woldskill. This hiking trail is also known to be haunted. Many people have reported feeling and hearing strange sounds in the woods. A few videos are posted on Youtube about this hike and people's personal experiences walking down the trail.
REVIEW
With the history and hunted trail, this hiking trail has definitely caught the attention of many people. People who have reviewed this trial have mentioned that it is very crowded, and I can testify and agree to it. I was nervous about catching COVID with the narrow trail and how there was no 6 feet distance or people wearing their masks. When I went, it was crowded, and there were lines at times during some parts of the trail. Besides the haunted history of Black Star Canyon Falls, this hike is very strenuous and challenging to complete depending on your hiking experience. I enjoy challenging hikes, but this trail almost made me want to quit. When I did this hike, it was cloudy and sprinkling hard. In this trial, I walked into a river path with rocks, walked on the wet and muddy surface, and pushed myself up on giant boulders. At the end of the trail, you hit a dead-end where a waterfall is located with a few caves.
I was not prepared to do a six-hour hike and was not expecting to finish around midafternoon, so I was definitely very unprepared! So I will give you some tips to help you and prepare you before you take on this hike.
PARKING
Unlike other hiking trails, this trail has plenty of parking, so I wouldn't worry about arriving too early to get a spot because there is more than enough parking. But if you don't want to walk far afterward completing the hike, I recommend parking closer to the entrance. I definitely regretted parking far because my feet were killing me!
OUTFIT
Outfits depend on the weather for the day, so I would check in advance the weather for the day you are hiking. When I went, it was cloudy and wet, so I took a long-layer gym shirt and a windbreaker to keep me warm. Along the hike, I took off the windbreaker because your body gets extremely warm from performing this trail. I would assume during the summer, it gets really hot because I was sweating during that cold day.
FOOD
Please take some snacks or food and take water too! I guarantee you will most likely get hungry along the way. At the end of the trail, people would have their own mini picnic sitting on the rocks. I would carry a water bottle that will last you the whole 6-mile hike. If you are curious about bathrooms, I can't recall any portable ones, but they do not have a public restroom in case you use bathrooms frequently.
HIKING EQUIPMENT
The main items to go on this trail are having good sturdy shoes or water shoes if the river is flowing. I would also recommend using a hiking stick to help you walk around challenging areas, and the stick could be helpful during your hike. I would recommend not carrying anything too heavy or taking too much with you.
Overall, be prepared for this hike because it is definitely a long trail to endure. Although it is challenging, it was an amazing experience to hike through the river and in the muddy dirt. It was a unique experience than other hikes I have done in California.
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