Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter | A Brief History

Discover Wrightwood Attractions

Escape to quiet beauty; the kind of peaceful uncluttered place that can comfort the soul . . . Wrightwood. There are no malls, not even a traffic light to impede your free movement among the majestic pine trees and ancient oaks, while experiencing the clean air under bright blue skies, as well as quiet beauty four seasons of the year.

In the Spring, the streams flow, the air is crisp, and the forest is busy with life. Hundreds of varieties of birds visit feeders and fill the branches of the pines. Sit back and watch as cotton-like clouds flow slowly across the skies. You can enjoy the sight of local wildlife in town, such as squirrels, raccoons, coyotes and occasionally bear, while in the secluded elevations wildlife like big horn sheep and deer abound.

Yards in the village are vibrant with the colors of blooming tulips and lilacs. As the snow melts away, Jackson Lake is filled with clean cold new water and stocked regularly with trout. Everywhere new, green budding life appears and the different calls of bird varieties can be heard.

Summer brings warm days, but seldom does the temperature climb above the 80's. The air is clean and there's plenty of time to enjoy it. There is time to camp in one of the nine campgrounds or at one of the fifteen organizational camps, time to picnic and fish at Jackson Lake, or time to hike. Wrightwood is a popular stop over the long 2500 mile Pacific Crest Trail which extends from Mexico to Canada.

Summers in Wrightwood are rich with activity. Within 16 miles of the village, you'll find everything from the tranquility of a tour through Saint Andrews Abby, or plane gliding at Crystalaire to the excitement of high speed water skiing or serious sport fishing at nearby Silverwood Lake.

Fall makes its appearance in a bold splash of colors. The once green mountains explode in reds, yellows and oranges that represent that of the eastern coast. Wrightwood is showered with gold as stately oaks and graceful poplars begin to shed their leaves and make way for the winter, making hiking an enjoyable activity in the cool fall breezes. There's a chill in the air. Acorns and perfectly shaped pinecones fall while wildlife and residents alike prepare for the winter months.

Chimneys warm as winter settles into Wrightwood. Once again, the mountains change, but this time to white. The average snowfall in this area is 53 inches per year. While there is plenty of snow, the temperatures rarely drop below the 20's. As quiet as snow will make a landscape, winter is Wrightwood's busiest season.

Mountain high and Ski Sunrise are the most convenient ski resorts for the largest concentration of skiers and snowboarders in the world. The roads are cleared quickly as ski rental shops, restaurants, a variety of lodging facilities, and residents prepare to welcome thousands of snow players, sledders, skiers and snowboarders to our cozy little village.

A Brief History of Wrightwood

Wrightwood is nestled 6,000 feet high in the east end of the San Gabriel Mountains. Its recorded history is as old as 1776 when Spanish Padres met the Serrano Indians gathering food in these mountains. A mission was formed in San Bernardino where the Serrano were taught agriculture. When the mission was given to the Lujo family in the 1830's, many of the Serrano moved back into these mountains.

In 1851, the Lujo holdings were sold to a branch of the Mormon church (after who the incredible Mormon Rocks just off the 15 freeway were named). Two of these Mormons, Nathan and Truman Swarthout, homesteaded in Lone Pine Canyon, eventually extended their holdings to include the valley that now bears their name, and in which Wrightwood is situated. When the Mormons returned to Salt Lake City in 1857, the Swarthouts abandoned their holdings.

Almon Clyde filed a patent on the Lone Pine Canyon area in 1883 where he established a cattle ranch. The orchard that he developed adjacent to his ranch is still owned and operated by the Clyde family. Some of the original buildings of Almon's holdings can be seen from Lone Pine Canyon road.

Between 1886 and 1926, the Swarthout Valley was homesteaded by many men, among them Harry Heath, Earl Schuyler and Sumner and Buford Wright. The Wrights eventually obtained two thirds of the valley, and it is, of course, from their name that Wrightwood got its. They established the 1,000 head Circle Mountain Ranch at the eastern end of the valley, and an apple orchard, the trees of which can still be found among the homes on Mountain View and Apple Streets. This period also saw mining and lumbering come to this area.

In 1923,Los Angeles county established a major recreational facility at Big Pines. Many of the buildings still stand (most notably one of the two stone towers that once supported a pedestrian overpass across Highway 2, west of Wrightwood). Now administered by the U.S. Forest Service, Big Pines continues to be a popular recreation area encompassing two ski resorts, several campgrounds and Jackson Lake.

In 1926, the Smithsonian Institute opened a facility on Table Mountain to conduct solar research. Thirty-five years later the Jet Propulsion Lab opened the facility under contract by N.A.S.A.

The National Forest Scenic Byway starts just east of Wrightwood. It winds westward through the Angeles National Forest for 52 breathtaking miles, terminating in La Canada. About a two hour trip, the Byway offers vast mountain vistas like Inspiration Point and sprawling views of the high desert.

Come and visit this peaceful wonderland, for a day, a weekend, a week, or for a lifetime of beauty four seasons of the year.