Driving the scenic California State Route 39 in Azusa to Crystal Lake - San Gabriel Mountains

Scenic drive to Crystal Lake in Azusa California in the Angeles National Forest‐ San Gabriel Mountains.This drive takes you out of Los Angeles and into the Alps. Highway 39 is a meandering road with a pristine surface, views for miles, and a natural lake at the top. There are few places on this globe where you can wake up at, or near, sea level and then drive up an alpine road that takes you up well above 6000 feet. Los Angeles has three such roads: Cloudburst Summit on Angeles Crest Highway, Crystal Lake on Highway 39, and the top of Mt. Baldy Road. Highway 39 separates itself from the others because of the pristine road surface, limited vehicle traffic, and a meandering route that mirrors roads in the Italian Alps.
The Crystal Lake Recreation Area is located in the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California, administered by the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument (formally the San Gabriel River Ranger District) of the United States Forest Service. The Recreation Area consists of a small lake, an open-air amphitheater, a large public campground containing approximately 120 camp sites grouped in to "loops," and a group campground area called Deer Flats which consists of approximately 25 camp sites. The Recreation Area contains a United States Forest Service visitor center and a cafe which is open to the public from dawn to dark except for Tuesdays when the cafe is closed. Within the Recreation Area are 16 hiking and nature trails which are well-maintained by volunteers who work under the direction of the Forest Service. The Recreation Area is located approximately 26 miles (42 km) north on Hwy. 39 heading out of Azusa, California at the headwaters of the north fork of the San Gabriel River at an elevation approximately 5,539 feet (1,688 m) above sea level. Crystal Lake is the only naturally occurring lake in the San Gabriel Mountains. #sangabrielmountains #angelesnationalforest #scenicdrive #roadtrip #nature #travel #scenic #scenicview #travelphotography #mountains #exploremore #scenicroute #landscape #roadtrips #beautifuldestinations

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