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As of the July 1, 2024 survey, 99.5% of Eaton Creek is flowing between the main waterfall and the New York Street Bridge. The remaining 0.5% accounts for the last 60 feet before the bridge, which have dried up in recent days. This marks the lowest flow rate since the December 1, 2023 survey, when the creek was flowing through 58.3% of the park. Eaton Creek’s course spans 2.23 miles from the main waterfall to the bridge, though this distance can vary over decades due to flash floods altering the creek’s path.

August 1 update: As of the August 1, 2024 survey, only 68.2% of Eaton Creek is flowing below the first waterfall. This loss of 31.3% of the creek length in one month is the largest 1-month loss in the data set. This is 25.5% less than on this date last year and comparable to the October 1, 2023 survey. The next survey is scheduled for Sunday, September 1, 2024 at noon.

Since January 1, 2023, a monthly survey has been conducted to examine where the creek is and isn’t flowing. Since it is indicative of the available ground water, the dates at which Eaton Creek dries up at various locations is a better indicator of current drought levels than rainfall measured by automated weather stations. Three inches of rain in 24 hours will have a much better chance of soaking into the ground than three inches of rain falling in 90 minutes. Eaton Creek provides water for many riparian ecosystem critters throughout the park as well as mammals such as deer, bears, and bobcats. A monthly survey is delayed if it is actively raining during the typical survey time (noon on the first of each month) until 48 hours after the rain ends.

Between October 2022 and April 2024, the official weather station in Pasadena recorded a whopping 72.74″ of rainfall, the highest 18-month (540 day) total in 117 years of weather record keeping. This beat the previous record of 70.95 inches held by the period ending April 2006. What sent 2022-24 numbers over the top was the extremely unusual landfall of Tropical Storm Hilary, which made a direct hit on Eaton Canyon on August 20, 2023. Over half a foot of rain fell on the canyon during the tropical storm, making it both the wettest August on record and the wettest summer on record. A similar situation is not expected this year due to La Nina, an episode of cooler-ocean temperatures in the east Pacific that inhibits hurricane formation in the area.

Percent of Eaton Creek flowing between the first waterfall and the New York Drive bridge:

Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
2023	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	93.7%	89.7%	66.8%	60.1%	58.3%
2024	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	99.5%	68.2%	51.1%	48.0%

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July 10, 2024 5:16pm update: The county has temporarily reopened Walnut Canyon with an advisory that the trail is in bad condition. Hikers are free to proceed with caution. The Los Angeles County Trails Division is expected to begin work repairing the trail on Monday, July 15th.

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On Monday, July 1, 2024, the County of Los Angeles made the decision to temporarily close the Walnut Canyon Trail within the Eaton Canyon Natural Area. The Walnut Canyon trail rises 600′ up the San Gabriel Mountains to connect the Eaton Canyon Trail to the Mount Wilson Toll Road. It is a switchback trail that is one of the least popular in the area due to its steep incline, lack of shade, and alternative route options. The county cited severe trail degradation from recent storms as the purpose of the closure.

On the morning December 14, 2021, an intense thunderstorm struck Eaton Canyon and dumped rain rates in excess of 4.00″ per hour. The Walnut Canyon Trail was severely damaged when water began flowing through a side canyon below the trail. At the time, this water flow did not damage the main Eaton Canyon trail below. However, the new watercourse was responsible for completely wiping out a section of the main trail in a subsequent storm on January 10, 2023. Recent storms have made the situation on the Walnut Canyon Trail worse.

There is no word on when the trail will reopen. Hikers are asked to use the Mount Wilson Toll Road as an alternative route to Henninger Flats for the time being.

On Saturday, June 22, the Eaton Canyon Nature Center hosted its 2024 ‘A Day In Nature’ event. Over 20 booths from various local organizations, such as Caltech, the Angeles National Forest, the Sierra Club, and the Pasadena Audubon Society, were set up to help engage locals with San Gabriel Valley area organizations. In addition to the various groups, there were several booths containing works from local artists, including pottery, painted concrete, and murals. The Michael C. Long auditorium was transformed into an art gallery to showcase works by artist Jose Ramirez who paints the Los Angeles Basin at night as viewed by those in the San Gabriel Mountains. The art gallery will remain open periodically throughout the summer.

The event also included the 4th Saturday in which the Nature Center’s “B.A.R.K. Ranger” program was active, an effort to improve dog owner responsibility within Eaton Canyon. With park temperatures ranging from 95°F to 100°F and ground temperatures exceeding 140°F, the conditions posed significant risks to canines. These ground temperatures can damage and burn the pads of dog’s feet. Dogs also do not sweat, and can only cool themselves through panting. The combination of hot air and ground temperatures means many dogs can experience heat exhaustion which can be fatal.

At about 9:45 am during the event, several people watched an owl fly through the Nature Center’s lobby and land on a perch up in the rafters. Staff were immediately notified and identified the animal to be a Western Screech Owl, a native to Eaton Canyon. For the following 5 hours, the motionless owl peacefully watched over the event as hundreds of people streamed through, buying gifts, creating arts and crafts, and observing the Nature Center’s animal ambassadors, all the while oblivious to what was above them. Owls are typically nocturnal animals who sleep during the day and hunt at night, so it’s possible this one got scared out of its normal resting spot. Due to the presence of over a dozen taxidermies within the Nature Center, the owl was not at all out of place and could have easily been missed by most patrons.

Towards 3:00 pm as the event was wrapping up, staff and volunteers were able to safely remove the owl from the Nature Center. It was last seen flying away towards a large Coast Live Oak tree just outside the patio.

The Nature Center’s next major event will be held in November 2024.