Taking you to Orange County’s most beautiful gem, Black Star Canyon Trail is local’s favorite and for the right reason. The trail is located near Silverado, California, and features a rather hidden waterfall that everyone must see.
The trail is out and back with a total distance of, 10.8 kilometers and an elevation gain of 282 m. The trail is rated as difficult and some of the hikers who hiked this trail described their experience as quite tough. But, they also said that it’s worth the effort, as all along, you get great views and when you reach the destination, the feeling is more amazing. Hiking on the trail is pretty challenging, especially, if it’s wet, so wear the right shoes and clothes.
The hike begins from the Black Star Canyon trailhead, which is quite easy to find. The parking area is quite huge, so that shouldn’t be a problem for you. The trail can be divided into two parts. The first part is mostly on the dirt roads and is quite easy to follow as well as hike. Even if you are wearing sneakers, you can hike it easily. The second part however is quite difficult as it follows the Black Star Creek bed.
There will be some parts where you have to go through water and mud. The last part of the hike required to make your way up boulders through Black Star Creek. It’s not very difficult to do, but it takes a good amount of time.
You will get to the waterfall when you have passed through that part. Make sure to go early, as it’s very difficult to hike back in dark. If you are not hiking in summer, wear some warm clothes.
As you can assume, the second part of the trail is different from the traditional trails, so you need special gear. If it’s raining, you would have to go through some water when you hike up along the stream bed. And because, the falls look more beautiful when it’s raining or when it has just rained, so expect to get wet and plan accordingly.