All Locations > California > Los Angeles Basin > Santa Ana Mountains

Black Star Canyon Sport Climbing Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Black Star Canyon Sport Climbing

Animal Wall 3

Cavity Wall 4

Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Elevation:	1,769 ft	539 m
GPS:	33.79801, -117.65587 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	10 total · 10/month
Shared By:	Jason Vanzant on Apr 15, 2025
Admins:	jt512, Nicole Wiesenthal, Mike Morley, Adam Stackhouse, Salamanizer Ski, Justin Johnsen, Vicki Schwantes Page Updates (admin only)

See Weather Forecast

Description

Nestled deep in the Santa Ana Mountains, Black Star Canyon is a strikingly beautiful slice of Southern California sport climbing. It currently boast two apposing walls split by a seasonal stream. The walls are primarily sandstone with a little extra added in. What makes this area so unique are the xenolith embedded all throughout the walls. In some areas stretching the entire length of the wall. It creates unique holds and movement not commonly seen in sandstone. Portions of the Animal wall are capped with limestone providing interesting features seldomly found in so-cal. A unique climbing experience and one not to be missed.

Getting There

Park at the typical black star canyon parking lot. Pack light and bring lots of water as you start your hike into the canyon. Follow the well developed hiking trail that weaves deep into the Santa Ana mountains. It's a relatively easy hike but long. Around the five mile mark start looking down and to the right. You'll notice some large sandstone towers rising from the canyon floor. Take the well established climbers trails down. Keep left and scramble down into the canyon. Boulder hop for a little bit. You have two option to enter the climbing area. If the water level is low (typically is) you can scramble down the center of the canyon (squeeze in-between some boulders) or you can use the rap anchors placed on canyon right. You'll notice the via ferrata chain that leads to the anchors.

GPS coordinates to the climbers trail leading down to the crag

33.79979 N, 117.65766 W