If you hike from the Heights, the trails connected to your neighborhood now close on three different schedules. Powder Canyon closes when the sun goes down. Hacienda Hills, Turnbull, and Hellman have closed at a fixed 5 p.m. since October 1. Schabarum Regional Park, which the Powder Canyon network connects to, follows its own weekday rule. A late-afternoon walk that worked in August can now end at a locked gate, depending on where you parked.
The Sun Sets Powder Canyon's Schedule
The Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority's trail hours table gives Powder Canyon a short rule: open sunrise to sunset, and "trails close when the sun sets below the horizon." Arroyo Pescadero in Whittier uses the same rule. No date on the calendar changes Powder Canyon's hours. Its day gets a little shorter every evening until the winter solstice.
The Powder Canyon area sits at the easternmost edge of the Preserve. Its main trailhead on Fullerton Road in La Habra Heights is gated and has parking, ADA access, an equestrian warm-up ring and staging area, a restroom, and drinking fountains. The second way in is the Black Walnut Trailhead, also on Fullerton Road, which has curbside parking and an information kiosk. The routes are different too. Powder Canyon Trail runs under mature oaks and black walnuts, while Purple Sage Trail and Black Walnut Trail climb more steeply for hikers, cyclists, and riders.
The Gated Trailheads Changed on October 1
The Habitat Authority's other trailheads to the west run on fixed hours that change twice a year. From June 1 to September 30, Hacienda Hills, Hellman Park, Sycamore Canyon, and Turnbull Canyon are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. From October 1 through May 31, they close at 5 p.m.
Here is how the three schedules compare this fall:
| Where you start | What sets closing time | Fall hours | Days open |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powder Canyon and Black Walnut trailheads, Fullerton Road | Sunset | Sunrise to sunset | Every day, unless closed for weather |
| Hacienda Hills, Turnbull, Hellman, Sycamore Canyon | Calendar date | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 1 to May 31 | Every day, unless closed for weather |
| Peter F. Schabarum Regional County Park | County regional park rules | 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. | Wednesday through Sunday |
Hacienda Hills has the most to keep track of. Its gated trailhead at 7th Street and Orange Grove Avenue leads to Puma, Toyon, and Coyote Canyons and to the Ahwingna Trail. Through May it opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m., so the gate's hours decide how long your hike can be, whatever the daylight is doing.
Schabarum Runs on the Weekday
Schabarum is the third schedule, and it differs from both of the others. The Habitat Authority's Powder Canyon page says the trail network connects to the Los Angeles County-managed Schabarum Trail and Schabarum Regional Park. According to the county's Schabarum page, the park at 17250 E. Colima Road is open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. County regional parks are closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The page posts no seasonal change and shows no update date, so a quick check before a midweek trip is a good idea.
There is also a fee. Under the county's fee schedule effective August 1, 2025, entry at Schabarum costs $10 per vehicle, or $8 if the owner or driver is 65 or older or the vehicle has a disability placard. A transferable annual vehicle permit costs $160, or $90 at the senior and disabled rate. Vehicles with California Veteran's Special Plates are exempt on weekdays and on Veterans Day. The 575-acre park has 75 developed acres. The rest is natural land with hiking, biking, and horseback trails that connect to the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail.
From the Heights, the cheapest and most flexible fall option is still the Fullerton Road side. The Habitat Authority's pages list no entry fee for Powder Canyon, and its closing time moves with the light instead of a posted hour.
The Docent Hike Moves an Hour Earlier When the Clocks Change
The 10,000 Steps Hikes show sunset rules in practice. Docents Bruce and Ric lead the hike, which the Authority describes as vigorous and about five miles. It starts at the Fullerton Road entrance to the Black Walnut Trail, and hikers are asked to park on Fullerton Road. The hike meets every Thursday and Sunday. The organizers say it "can't wait for late-comers" because the route already runs close to sunset closing, and they suggest arriving at least 15 minutes early.
The Authority adjusts the start time for daylight saving time instead of keeping one year-round. While daylight saving time is in effect, hikes start at 4 p.m. Once it ends, they start at 3 p.m. The Authority's homepage lists October hikes on the 8th, 11th, 15th, 18th, 22nd, and 25th. The event page header for October 8 shows 5 to 7 p.m., while the description says 4 p.m. Check with the Authority before your first hike.
Rain Can Keep the Preserve Closed After the Storm Passes
The Habitat Authority has one closure rule that applies across the whole Preserve, Powder Canyon included. Its trail hours page puts it this way:
The Preserve will close following continuous rain conditions which may include 48 hours after a heavy rain. High clay content in the soil may cause "greased" trails and roads.
The Authority says using wet trails makes hiking, biking, and riding less safe and can cause severe rutting of trail surfaces. That means the first real storm of the season can affect a weekend for longer than the rain itself lasts. The Preserve also closes on National Weather Service red flag days when high winds are expected, and during emergencies. When in doubt, the Authority says to check its website or call the office at (562) 945-9003, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 10,000 Steps hike page gives the same advice for bad weather.
Why the Walnuts Make the Shorter Days Worth It
Even with shorter days, fall is a good season for Powder Canyon. The Habitat Authority describes the area as having a regionally significant population of southern California black walnut, a large deciduous tree whose nuts feed wildlife. The USDA Forest Service's species account for the tree says the nuts ripen by late summer and start falling in October and November, and some stay on the trees through winter. Calscape lists the species as winter deciduous. The trail named after these trees is at its most seasonal right now, as the Fullerton Road closing time gets earlier.
The Authority also notes several habitat restoration projects in the area, totaling almost 90 acres of native vegetation along the trails.
More Rangers on the Trails This Year
The people looking after these trails have more resources this year. On February 2, 2026, the Habitat Authority announced it had received its first installment of Measure PH funds. The money is planned for ranger patrols and for maintaining trailheads including Powder Canyon and Hacienda Hills. The Authority's August 2026 newsletter said ranger patrols had been expanded across the Preserve. It also recruited Trail Docents and Trail Watch volunteers for a five- to six-week training that began September 19.
The Authority's year-end report for fiscal 2025–26 shows the size of that work. Between July 2025 and June 2026, crews cleared 23 miles of trail, repaired one trail, and the Authority hosted 89 public hikes. Those 89 hikes, including the Thursday and Sunday 10,000 Steps Hikes, are why a set start time like 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. matters so much.
Fall Dates Around the Heights
Here are the La Habra Heights dates for the rest of the fall, in order:
- October 8 through 25: 10,000 Steps Hikes from the Black Walnut Trailhead on Thursdays and Sundays, starting at 4 p.m. while daylight saving time lasts.
- October 17, 6:45 to 9 a.m.: A volunteer trash clean-up on Hacienda Road, listed on the city calendar.
- October 31, 6 to 8 p.m.: The La Habra Heights Improvement Association's Halloween Haunt at the gym at the Park, with games, photo backdrops, and trick-or-treat houses. The city listing shows the wrong weekday, so confirm details with the LHHIA.
- When daylight saving time ends: The 10,000 Steps start time moves to 3 p.m.
The city's November and December calendar pages currently show government meetings and holidays but no community events. For the rest of the year, the most dependable plan from the Heights is still a Thursday or Sunday walk under the black walnuts, back on Fullerton Road before sunset.
At Christine Kennedy, we keep track of the small local details, down to which trailhead stays open later as the days get shorter. If an afternoon on Fullerton Road has you wondering what your own place in the Heights is worth this fall, we're glad to put together a free home valuation whenever you'd like one.
