Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park and its trail remain closed following the Eaton Fire and the debris flows that came after it.
Expected reopening: No announced date — closed until further notice
Confirm current status with the City of Sierra Madre before visiting.
Open alternatives: Monrovia Canyon Falls · Sturtevant Falls · Hermit Falls
City of Sierra Madre trail status; the Bailey Canyon Trail is also identified as still closed in 2026 reporting on Eaton Fire trail recovery.
Bailey Canyon Hiking Guide
Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park is Sierra Madre's quiet answer to the crowded front-range trailheads a few miles east. A free city lot, a picnic area under old oaks, and a trail that gives you options: an easy amble to a seasonal waterfall, or a lung-burning grind up the ridge toward Jones Peak. The full climb to Jones Peak is a hard six-mile day with well over two thousand feet of gain; plenty of people turn around earlier and still get a solid morning workout.
Trailhead, Gate Hours, and Parking
The trailhead sits at the top of Grove Street in Sierra Madre, and unlike the Forest Service lots nearby, parking is free and no Adventure Pass is needed. The catch is that this is a city park with a gated lot and posted hours that shift seasonally — get locked in and you are walking. Check the sign at the entrance when you arrive and note the closing time. Street parking on the residential blocks below is limited and signed in places, so read the curbs carefully. There is a restroom and a shaded picnic area near the lot, which makes this an easy trailhead to bring a group to.
The Waterfall Spur
A short, mostly flat spur branches left from the main trail and runs up the canyon bottom to a seasonal waterfall backed by a debris dam. In winter and early spring after rain it is a genuinely pretty spot, tucked in shade with the sound of water bouncing off the canyon walls. In summer and in dry years it is dry rock. The spur is well under a mile each way and is the right objective if you have young kids or only forty-five minutes. Do not expect the volume of the bigger front-range falls — this one is modest even at its best.
Climbing Toward Jones Peak
The main trail turns uphill and starts switchbacking in earnest, climbing through chaparral onto an increasingly exposed ridge. The grade is consistently steep and the footing is loose in places, and it keeps going well past where most people turn around. The full route to Jones Peak runs about six miles round trip with well over two thousand feet of gain, which puts it firmly in hard territory rather than moderate. The overlook partway up, where the canyon opens and the San Gabriel Valley spreads out below, is a satisfying turnaround if you want a shorter day.
Shade, Heat, and Season
The canyon bottom holds shade well, but the ridge climb has almost none. That split means Bailey Canyon works year-round if you match the route to the weather: canyon spur in summer heat, ridge climb in the cool months. Fall through spring is the prime window for the full climb, with clear winter days after rain offering the best combination of firm footing, green hillsides, and long views out over the basin. Summer afternoons on the ridge are genuinely punishing and not worth it.
Dogs and Trail Etiquette
Leashed dogs are allowed and this is a popular local dog-walking spot, especially on the lower trail and the waterfall spur. The upper ridge gets hot and offers no water, so most people leave dogs below on warm days. Because this is a neighborhood trailhead reached through residential streets, the local community is sensitive about noise, parking, and early-morning car doors — keeping it low-key here directly protects continued access. Pack out everything, including dog waste bags, which have become a visible problem on the lower trail.
Hiking tips for Bailey Canyon
- Read the posted gate hours when you park — this is a city lot that closes on a schedule, and getting locked in is a genuinely common mistake here.
- Match your route to the temperature: the shaded canyon spur in summer, the exposed ridge climb toward Jones Peak only in the cool months.
- Treat the full Jones Peak push as a hard day with well over two thousand feet of gain, and carry water accordingly.
- Visit the waterfall spur within a few days of winter rain; outside that window it is dry rock and not worth routing your hike around.
- Keep noise down at the trailhead and park legally on the residential streets — access here depends on staying on good terms with the neighborhood.
Nearby trails to explore
- Monrovia Canyon Falls
- Hermit Falls
- Sturtevant Falls
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Bailey Canyon is one of the best early-morning workouts in the San Gabriel Valley. Use TrailMates to find Sierra Madre and Arcadia hikers who meet at the gate before work, so you have company on the ridge and someone who knows the closing time. Download the TrailMates app to join a weekday group.