Eaton Canyon is closed for the rest of the month because it was so crowded this weekend

Hiking trails across L.A. reopened in early May, with the exception of Runyon Canyon. But arguably the region’s next most popular trail, Eaton Canyon, once again welcomed visitors. Well, at least it did until now.

The Pasadena waterfall hike proved so popular over Memorial Day weekend that the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks & Recreation decided to close off access late in the afternoon on Sunday and through Monday. That closure has now been extended through May 31.

The parks department cites “overwhelming crowds” for the closure, and notes that natural areas, trails, the nature center, the parking lot and all gates will be off limits (so don’t think you can sneak in at the Pinecrest Gate).

It’s no surprise that an easy-to-access trail that ends in a waterfall would see higher than usual crowds on a warm holiday weekend. But if you scoured social media over the weekend, you might’ve been taken aback at just how tightly packed the trail and waterfall pool were, particularly with maskless hikers.

The parks department suggests using its site to find alternative trails (our advice: if you think a trail might be crowded, it’s probably best to avoid that one for now) and to brush up on its social distancing guidelines (the short of it: stay at least six feet from other people and wear a face covering, particularly in trailhead parking lots and on crowded stretches).

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