Upper Arroyo Seco is Back in Business
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I walked the upper Arroyo Seco trail from JPL to Gould Mesa Campground for the first time in three years, and it’s just as peaceful and New Hampshire-like as I remember it. The sawhorses, trucks, and KEEP OUT signs are all gone. Heavy rains washed out parts of the trail in 2008, then the Station Fire came perilously close to the trailhead in summer 2009.
There are still signs of fire damage, but also plenty of signs of growth and the creek is still surprisingly robust for mid-summer. I made it as far as Gould Mesa campground (which can also be accessed from La Canada), though it looks like you can keep going farther into the forest. This trail is a local treasure that so many Altadenans and others seek out for exercise, shade, and quiet moments.
