This collection contains photographs, negatives, and some ephemera chiefly collected by California conservationist and editor William H. Thrall (1873-1963) for use in Trails magazine. The photographs primarily date from the 1930s, but also include copy prints (and some originals) of late 19th and early 20th photographs. The images depict mountain and forested landscapes and outdoor recreational activities including hiking, skiing, and camping, chiefly in the San Gabriel Mountains and surrounding mountains of Southern California, as well images of historical mountain pioneers.

William Henry Thrall (1873-1963), conservationist and editor, was born in Connecticut on September 26, 1873, and came to California in 1888. Thrall became an authority on the trails and history of the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California. From 1933 to 1938 he served as head of the Division of Mountain Education of the Los Angeles County Department of Recreation. He wrote many articles about the San Gabriel Mountains and was editor of Trails magazine from 1934 to 1939. Thrall married Olive J. Fryer (1880-1952) in December 1898. Thrall died on February 20, 1963.

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