The hook
A hundred-foot waterfall hides up a side canyon in Lytle Creek, unsigned and easy to miss, the second-tallest fall in the whole San Bernardino forest and far less known than the first.
01Why it's worth it
Bonita Falls doesn't announce itself. From an unmarked pullout on Lytle Creek Road you walk up an open, rocky wash for half a mile, then cut into a side canyon under the trees, and the falls appear all at once, a tall multi-tier cascade dropping something like 370 feet, possibly much more counting the hidden drops in the canyon above. Only Big Falls up the range is taller. The route is a boulder scramble rather than a groomed trail, with no signs and a couple of creek crossings, which is exactly why it stays quieter than a fall this size should. Go in spring when the water is full and loud; by late summer it thins but usually still runs.
02How to experience it
The trailhead is an unsigned turnout on Lytle Creek Road, a mile past the Front Country Ranger Station, about seven hours from the Bay. A National Forest Adventure Pass is required and sold at the ranger station. There are no trail markings, so follow the worn paths up the wash toward the obvious side canyon, and wear shoes with grip for the rock. Parking is limited and fills early on summer weekends.