Eaton Canyon
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The Eaton Canyon Nature Center, at the foot of Mount Wilson, is a great place to begin for some family-friendly hikes into the 190-acre Eaton Canyon Nature Area, and the San Gabriel Mountains.

The Center was rebuilt in 1998 after being burned to the ground in the 1993 Altadena fires; the new building has plenty of information about local flora and fauna, as well as live animals, educational displays, and a cozy reading corner for kids, complete with puppets. You can also find restrooms and a gift shop.

A staff member is on duty daily from 9am to 5pm, to answer any questions or to help families with younger children find easy and safe paths.

One well-marked nature trail is less than a mile and relatively flat. The slightly more adventurous might want to try the three-mile round trip trail up to Eaton Canyon Falls. John Muir, the 19th century naturalist, described the waterfall as "a charming little thing, with a low, sweet voice, singing like a bird, as it pours from a notch in a short ledge, some thirty or forty feet into a round mirror-pool."

Naturalists lead regularly scheduled groups for bird-watching, nighttime hikes, and family walks into the Canyon. It's also possible to call ahead and reserve a docent to lead a family hike.

Dogs are NOT allowed on any of the scheduled hikes.

Take the Altadena Drive exit off the 210 Freeway, and head north almost two miles to the entrance to the Park. Parking is available in a large lot by the Nature Center.