Whenever I slip into my hiking boots, do you want to know what I think about the most? What is hiding in the shadows of Turnbull Ravine?
Turnbull Ravine is a beautiful hidden gem in the lovely Puente Slants Save. This obviously tranquil climbing trail isn't just a point of convergence for outside fans; it's where the cutoff points meet between the living and the dead.
Turnbull Ravine isn't just a walk around the recreation area — it's an outing through stories so chilling, they could occupy an entire season of American Horror story. In any case, are these legends just stories, or do they imply something different? Might they anytime be the resonation of life past death, mumbling through the trees?
The legends of Turnbull Ravine go back hundreds of years. It was said to begin when a local native American clan lived there centuries ago. Legend has it that the tribe called the ravine, Hutukngna, or "The Faint Spot, believing it to be a reviled land where malicious spirits lived.
If this doesn’t scare you, then the story goes on to tell the story of when the Spanish moved into the ravine and meet the native Americans; it wasn’t a love afraid at first sight. In fact, what really happened was that when the Spanish moved into the surrounding area, they pushed the native Americans out and forced them into the canyon, where most were either converted to Christianity or killed. This adds to the legend and horror of the ravine, because many hikers after hiking through the ravine have reported a deep feeling of being watched but noting that they saw no one. Eerie right?
Then there is the story that goes back to the Great Depression. During this time, Turnbull Canyon was said to have an overpopulation of cultists who donned black robes and supposedly kidnapped children from local Whittier orphanages to use during rituals.
Local people and guests, to the ravine have shared creepy stories of spooky ghost encounters, secretive cliques, and unexplainable misfortunes that have happened in the ravine. Many believe the occurrences they encounter could be from the Cultists people and what they are said to have done to children.
There is another legend of the insane asylum being once built in or near the ravine. It is rumored to have burned down in the early 40's, though no evidence to prove so exists.
Some hikers have told of climbing up the ravine in the early morning hours and hearing faint distance chanting recited over and over again carried on the breeze. Sounds chilling, huh?
There are many other legends of the ravine, but few events that actually do have historical backing.
While a significant number of Turnbull Gulch's legends can be excused as metropolitan fantasies, a few occasions have real verifiable sponsorship, adding a layer of validity to the extraordinary cases. In 1952, a sad plane accident in the ravine killed every one of the 29 travelers ready, large numbers of whom were youngsters.
Even more lately, in 2009, a woman was found near and dear, her throat cut and shirt joined around her neck in a wild eyed try to stop the perishing. She had been left for dead in the gorge at this point and sorted out some way to move away and search for help. This stunning episode, close by the confusing murder of another woman in 2011, simply adds to the gorge's horrible standing.
These events do make you wonder, could the spirits of Turnbull Ravine be real? Are they attempting to speak with the living when hikers and walkers hear children’s voices, or chanting? Or maybe the gulch’s past history is just a thin veil between the seen world and the unseen world.
The stories of ghosts, cultists, and horrendous incidents have endured for quite a while, each one adding to the loathsome appeal of this by and large exquisite scene. As you walk the ways, you can't fight the temptation to mull over whether the legends are legitimate — in the event that the spirits of individuals who kicked the container here are at this point present, watching and stopping.
So, if you are looking for your next Fall adventure and you loved to see Southern California. Then take a drive over to Turnbull Canyon. Walk its many trails and pathways, take in the fresh air, and take in the stunning points of view. And after you’re done breathe in some fresh air. Get quiet and listen. You might not be standing too far from a ghost, or spirit and if you start hearing chanting and then start to feel a old chill run down your spine. Smile, because you would have just experienced a touch of Turnbull Canyon’s paranormal charm.
Happy Spirit Hiking!