Big Santa Anita Canyon
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General Information About BSAC
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About BSAC
 The best way to explore this beautiful canyon is on foot, horseback, or bicycle.  Over forty miles of trails wind through the area...
Location: Exit 210 Freeway at Santa Anita Avenue and go North into the mountains until the road ends. View maps.  Parking space is limited, and the parking lots at Chantry Flat and the Pack Station may fill up on weekends.  Roadside parking is available, but be sure to obey the restrictions and be sure your car is parked completely behind the line.  The Forest Service sometimes tows cars that are blocking the road and illegally parked cars may be ticketed.
Operating Hours: Year round, 6 am to 10 pm every day.   The road is gated and the gate is locked at night.  Be sure to return to your car before 9:30 pm or you may not get out!  During and after heavy rains, fires, or after significant earthquakes, and during fire alerts the road may be closed.
The Sierra Madre Police Dept. is in charge of locking / unlocking the gate. If you are concerned that the road might be closed you can call them for info:
626 355-1414.
Fees: There are no fees to enter and use any area of Big Santa Anita Canyon.  Parked cars, however, are required to display an Adventure Pass.
This pass is required for parking within any National Forest and is available from the U.S. Forest Service.
Cautions: When hiking anywhere it is wise to be aware of the potential dangers, such as the obvious ones like not straying off the trail.  This is important in remote areas.   Not only are there are there steep hillsides, loose rocks, and cliffs in the canyon, but rattlesnakes and ticks are common in the underbrush and debris on the traiside and hills.  Help could be a long time in coming if you are injured or become lost.   Please use good judgement. 
Emergency:
 These are the current phone numbers to use in an emergency.  This page will open in a new window - you may want to print it out and take it with you into the canyonfor reference just in case there's a problem.