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\~ For Over 70 Years The Zorthian Ranch Has Existed As A Haven For Artists & Intellectuals, A Community & Arts Center, And A Natural Respite From The City \~
Conveniently located 15 miles from Downtown Los Angeles and bordering the Angeles National Forest, Zorthian Ranch rests on 45 acres of mountains, valleys, forests, structures, and sculptures. It’s distinctive architecture was hand built by the great Jirayr Zorthian ([wikipedia]()), once a popular and eccentric artist in the area. Vintage vehicles, a variety of farm animals, agriculture, and a diverse landscape provides a lively setting for community happenings, art, music and permaculture. The ranch has also been used as a movie location for over 20 years, with many popular TV shows, movies, and music videos filmed here.
There are several different options for where to camp. For those seeking a quieter experience that is more deeply immersed in the wilderness, there are campsites accessible by foot trail with shaded areas as well as vast overlooks with views clear to the Santa Catalina island. For those looking to car camp, there are also campsites located within the developed portion of the ranch that are accessible by vehicle and nestled within a vibrant garden oasis.
There is extensive wilderness throughout the property with many private trails, all available to our campers. There are several scenic outlooks and open flat rest areas with tables and chairs located throughout our private wilderness trails. Campers can also access a vast network of public trails and sites throughout the San Gabriel Mountains from the Zorthian Ranch property, including Millard Canyon Falls Trail, Sunset Ridge Trail, Mt Lowe Trail, and Echo Mountain Trail.
The dominant plant communities within and adjacent to the ranch form a diverse mosaic consisting of chaparral, coastal sage scrub, coast live oak & Engelmann oak woodland, riparian habitat, and ephemeral wash habitat. The undeveloped foothill and mountainous terrain within the Angeles National Forest to the north is core habitat for large mammals and birds. Wildlife movement within and through the ranch property consists of daily as well as seasonal patterns for both large and small vertebrates. The shaded canyon bottoms with seasonal stream flow provide an important corridor for all wildlife species. There are regular sightings of bobcat, coyote, bear, deer, rabbit, squirrels, and a diversity of birds.
The developed portion of the ranch includes terrain that is steep and uneven in several locations. Several of the pathways are dirt, which means during hot summers there is a lot of dust and during the wet season there is mud! Consider this when packing if you plan to explore the property. Sunscreen, hats, sturdy footwear, and water bottles are all nice things to have handy.
Turn right into the lower parking lot at the gate with the "zorthian ranch" and "private property" signs, the coordinates for this turn are: (34.2081511, -118.1408602)
Can't really explain how eclectic cool this place is. You just have to come see it for yourself
I got to live there on the ranch, for about a month...my stay lasted til Easter, 1996 or 97....I met Zorthian...and was almost eaten alive (sure felt like it at the time!!) by a pack of 15-20 Chihuahuas , that all had little bells on their collars, and all belonged to a wonderful lady that also lived there, that looked just like Freida Kahlo!! I must have been 22 yrs old....life is beautiful, cherish your time.....
A genuine hippie commune. Definitely gotta visit this place next time I'm in Pasadena!! Everything you can imagine in the movies is at this place. Love it!!
Ignore the bad reviews, this place is magical and 100% worth a visit! The road leading to it only adds to its charm and to me was part of the great experience that was visiting this unique ranch.
If you want to get away from it all look no further than Zorthian ranch - a true gem with history!! Tucked away in the hillsides of Alta Dena whilst overlooking the vast LA basin for miles, it's easy to be lifted by this inspiring style of communal living with an open heart and mind. The hosts, residents and visitors (at least the ones I met) are some of the sweetest and down to earth people out there. It's hard not to appreciate it's true magic, laying purposely lost and hidden in the eclectic mix of art, found and abandoned objects, animals, living spaces, music and special events - the whole ranch basically 💫
