| Santa Anita Creek | |
| Name Other: | Big Santa Anita Creek, Santa Anita Wash |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | California |
| Subdivision Type3: | Region |
| Subdivision Name3: | Los Angeles County |
| Subdivision Type5: | Cities |
| Subdivision Name5: | Sierra Madre, Arcadia, Monrovia, Azusa, Irwindale |
| Length: | 10.4miles, North-south |
| Discharge1 Min: | 0cuft/s |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 9cuft/s |
| Discharge1 Max: | 7000cuft/s |
| Source1: | Eastern flank of Mount Wilson |
| Source1 Location: | Angeles National Forest, San Gabriel Mountains |
| Source1 Elevation: | 4600feet |
| Mouth: | Rio Hondo |
| Mouth Location: | Irwindale, San Gabriel Valley |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 34.1033°N -118.0156°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 320feet |
| River System: | Rio Hondo |
| Basin Size: | 15sqmi |
| Tributaries Left: | North Fork Santa Anita Creek, East Fork Santa Anita Creek |
| Tributaries Right: | Winter Creek |
Santa Anita Creek (Santa Anita Wash on federal maps) is a 10.4miles long stream in Los Angeles County, California. It flows southwards from its headwaters in the south ridge of the San Gabriel Mountains, to form the beginnings of the Rio Hondo near Irwindale.
The creek begins on the east slope of Mount Wilson, inside the Angeles National Forest. It flows in a curve southeast through Santa Anita Canyon, then drops over the 60feet Sturtevant Falls. The North Fork comes in from the left about a quarter-mile above the falls, and the East Fork also from the left about a quarter-mile downstream. The creek then flows south through a group of about 80 historic cabins on the canyon floor, before receiving Winter Creek from the right near Chantry Flat. Shortly downstream of there, it drops over Hermit Falls and flows into Santa Anita Reservoir, which is impounded by the 225feet Santa Anita Dam.
Leaving the foothills the creek continues southwards through Sierra Madre, Monrovia and Arcadia as the Santa Anita Wash, flowing in a concrete channel. It turns southeast towards Azusa, then south again at Irwindale, where it empties into a small flood control basin.
The water continues out of the basin as the Rio Hondo, which flows southwards to junctions with the San Gabriel River and the Los Angeles River.[1]