One of my favorite trails of the Angeles. It's less crowded than Echo Mountain or Eton. It's longer…read morethan Millard or Monrovia. You can couple it with Millard falls to see water if you like, otherwise you are up on the ridge. It's single track and there are occasional mountain bikers to beware of. Otherwise, on a weekday it's solitude and beauty. I would say it's a moderate hike depending on how high you go up. Beware there is a lot of poison oak. In the spring and early summer there are a lot of gorgeous flowers. Enjoy!!!

Five stars for the view at the top!! So beautiful! You can see all off LA…read more The hike itself is pretty challenging. Most people would be able to do this, but it has quite a few steep uphill portions. Definitely wear hiking/trail shoes. We went in the morning, so most of the climb up was shaded, which was nice. Then we took the paved path back down to the start. You can spending 2+ hours out here, taking about an hour to get to the main peak area with a few picnic tables. Would be a great spot for have lunch or a snack! Then there is further spots you can continue on to. The trail is not heavily trafficked, but they were a number of mountain bikes. Keep you eyes open for them speeding down the mountain! I would absolutely hike here again, great workout & beautiful views. (And easy parking compared to many places in LA!)

We started the hike at 8am It was perfect weather, we got in through the bridge up to Henninger…read moreFlat is around 3 miles then is another 3 miles up to Idlehour Camp Trail. It's so worth it to the beautiful creek and the sound of the water is so relaxing. Recommended to bring mosquito repellent and cover your legs or you will end up all scratched at idlehour trail. Enjoy the trails and please leave no trace. In total we did 12.1miles in 5 hours

If you've ever seen those poor souls trapped or worse--injured-- on the Eaton a canyon waterfall,…read moretrying to comb up and over, know now and forever that there is a safer way to access upper Eaton Canyon. While the hike is approximately 13 miles round trip, the journey is worth the effort. Idlehour campground is nestled in a higher elevation section of Eaton Canyon, approximately 3 miles past Lower Henninger Flats. About 1 mile past the fire station at Henninger, look for a small wooden footbridge on the left of the trail and signs for Idlehour campground. This small trail off the toll road heads down into Eaton behind Henninger. While there is a lot of poison oak, the riparian flora and fauna are quite different than what one finds in lower Eaton near the white bridge. Bay trees, stinging nettle, willows, and abundant wildflowers in season color and perfume the landscape. There are a few primitive campsites here, with small wood burning stoves. Fire permits are required, and while you might get away with sleeping the night here, it's also best to make reservations. There are no restroom or trash facilities here, so plan on packing out what you pack in. Near the water, various insects, spiders, and other bugs like millipedes are abundant. California tree frogs, California newts (one of the most toxic creatures on earth!), and small fish can be found in the creek. Songbirds and raptors are occasionally seen. Large mammals like deer, coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, and bears are generally in the neighborhood, so store food safely away from camp... That old Bot Scout trick of hanging it from a branch at least 10 feet off the ground works! Idlehour can also be accessed from Inspiration Point via the Idlehour trail, which begins roughly where the Sam Merrill trail ends about 0.3 miles past Inspiration point via the Castle Canyon trail. All trails are marked with new wooden signs... Although finding your way back to Henninger via the Idlehour trail from Inspiration Point can be a little tricky. Head east from the Idlehour campground sign and start heading uphill. This is not a particularly difficult hike, but it's length makes it a moderate effort. Bring extra water, maybe a light snack, and plan for a few buggy spots, especially during the summer. The gnats can get thick.

Mt Wilson was an amazing hike, utterly beautiful. The observatory at the top and the picture…read moreopportunities were fun. We hiked on a perfect weather day and enjoyed ice cream at Mother Moo Creamery at the bottom. Wonderful experience. Please come and create your own adventure.

+ Fun hike! Good exercise if - it weren't for the fires…read morecausing destruction. Mt Wilson trail is now in disrepair and inaccessible. No notice of when it'll reopen. - Before driving 1 hr up there, I searched online "mt wilson forecast" to check for road/trail closures. The websites don't mention any. I drive up there, turns out Mt Wilson is closed! D:{ + But thankfully Chantry Flat just 5min drive away is open. + Decent single restroom at the Mt Wilson trailhead. + There's a restaurant at Mt Wilson summit, near the Observatory haha . Moderate amount of shade on these trails. - Lots of flies on these trails trying to fly into my mouth.

Great group of people. I knew Mikey from before and I'm glad he invited me to come along,…read moreespecially since I'm an avid photographer. I did the full moon hike at Echo Mountain and took a lot great night shots. Then I went w/ a big group of hikers from Pasadena Hiking Pacers to Escondido Falls in the Malibu mountains the week after and had a blast. There was a range of abilities, and some of us, including myself, were daring enough to go pretty high up beyond the upper falls! Luckily, there were definitely some knowledgeable (and friendly) people who knows how to handle the difficult trails. Great location, great hikers, great experience. I can't wait for the next excursion!

I would give the Pasadena Hiking Pacers 10 STARS if I could…read more The Pasadena Hiking Pacers is a hiking group that hikes all over the place. Pasadena, Altadena, Azusa, even MALIBU! What I like about these guys is that they are consistent. There is a hike EVERY Sunday at 7AM. The hike leaders are pretty knowledgeable. And, the locations are usually nice. You're either getting wet, going to a place with a nice view, or hiking up high elevations ... working out your legs! I also like that the group is pretty relaxed. There are no fees. And, everyone is welcoming! Sometimes at the beginning of our hikes, Kevin will have us all introduce ourselves. Usually after the hikes, we'll all go out to have brunch! Definitely check them out! http://www.facebook.com/PasadenaHikingPacers

Such a unique and beautiful hike!!!! We even got to see some very hard snow that was almost gone,…read moredue to the rain and winds. I would highly recommend that at least 50% of the group have the trail downloaded, and you carry extra phone chargers. A few people who were with us almost got lost. It is very easy to do so if you are not paying attention. There is also one portion that becomes very steep. Take your time and bring a stick or poles if you need to. Other than that, the views are breathtaking, so enjoy! I would 1000% do this trail again, but only in a larger group with more experienced hikers. Hoping they are able to locate Monica Reza!! Please, please, please, do not leave anyone behind on their own. This is not an easy trail to guide yourself. There was a lovely man we met on the trail who hikes this consistently, and he cautioned us against losing people.

I bagged a peak this summer!! And the Waterman Mountain loop trail has become my number one fave…read morelocal trail here in SoCal. Getting up to Waterman peak isn't terribly technical - more of a straightforward moderate hike on well marked trails with tons of biodiversity and beautiful views. I hiked it towards the end of June and there were beautiful native SoCal blooms scattered along the trail - with so many native bees! The hike is through a burn scar (from the Peak Fire in 2021 I think) - so it can be a bit barren and burned up in places but it's heartening to see how well the area is recovering. I also ran into countless Pygmy Nuthatches (a lifer for me!!), White-headed Woodpeckers, squirrels, chipmunks, and even some cute tiny spiders! But this is Black Bear and Mountain Lion country so be vigilant and carry bear spray. All in all, I hiked around 6.4 miles with around 1380+ feet elevation gain. The trails are narrow in a lot of spots and mostly consists of rocks, loose dirt, and fine gravel. The first half of the trail is through forest and burn scar. The last half after the peak and old ski resort (long closed) is very exposed fire road with no shade and minimal views. On subsequent hikes I tend to skip that part and just turn around after the peak bc I like that part of the trail better lol. The peak of Waterman Mtn sits at 8030 feet. There's a great sign at the peak made by @peakart125 (on instagram) - it's lovely and makes for a fun way to celebrate making it all the way up! There's a sort of false peak right before the actual peak so I highly recommend making sure you've downloaded the trail map on AllTrails before heading out since cell signal is minimal to nonexistent on the trail. The views from the peak are a tad obstructed by rocks and trees - but you still get nice pocket views of Twin Peaks, the valley, and Mt Wilson observatory. It's also interesting to explore the old ski resort near the peak. There's tons of equipment and a chair lift but it doesn't look like it's been opened for years probably. AllTrails also shows a bathroom up there but I didn't find one so come prepared. There's a bathroom next to the paved parking area in a campground entrance at the trailhead. There's plenty of parking - almost all paved. You'll need an adventure pass to park bc it's in the Angeles National Forest - but they accept America the Beautiful passes too! I pretty much had the trail to myself on the weekday early morning. I only ran into two people - turned out it was search and rescue looking for missing hiker Monica Reza who went missing the weekend before my hike (I think she was last seen June 22nd, 2025). I helped a bit in the search on my way out but no luck. My understanding is she's still missing (I included a photo - they're still looking for volunteers to help search if you're interested!) - be aware and keep a lookout if you do the trail! They also have Instagram and FB pages for updates.

We started the hike around 9am on 12/3. The first 2 miles are very easy, then it's all uphill. We…read moreused the All Trails Map and we got to the peak with no problem. On our way back gets very slippery it's all downhill, be cautious and wear proper shoes. We saw two ladies falling multiple times and we ended up helping them. Take your time and go slow. We did it in almost 4hrs. It was 7.44 miles complete. Enjoy the trails and please leave no trace.

Red box gap picnic area parking lot on Hwy 2 is right across from the start of Strawberry trail. A…read morefew things to note, around 1.2 miles into the trail there will be a split without a sign indicating where the trails lead. Continue heading north (or to the right) to stay on Strawberry. Again around 2.5 miles there will be another split, closer to the left side going up you'll see the marker indicating Strawberry. The trail is relatively "easy" the first 2 .5 miles. The last mile to the peak is where the climbs start to kick it. There will be a few parts where you're climbing over rocks, and for a few moments it might seem like you may be off trail, but you'll be able to glance around and see if you're still on path. The closer you get to the peak you'll hit about 2 false peaks, but don't be discouraged the actual summit is close in distance, you just have a little more climbing to do. My picture don't to the peak much justice. While the views aren't as amazing as Cucamonga peak, you'll still have some nice views of the mountain range to the north and Downtown LA to the south west. So far out of the So Cal six peak challenge alternate peaks this one might be my favorite since the hike is a combination of a relaxed walk & some intense climbs. One last thing to note, the trail is on the outside of the mountain so there isn't too much shade from trees so make sure your properly prepared during the summer time.

Hiked up Strawberry Peak on April 14 and had a great experience. What I really liked about the…read moretrail were the two separate rock climbs near the peak of the mountain. Both rock climbs are located at an elevation between about 5000 to 6000 feet, so if you're planning to do the hike during the winter season, it's probably a good idea to check the snow level before heading out. No equipment is needed for the rock climbs, and there are markings on the rocks (arrows in a variety of colors) that point out the best route to take. It can be a little difficult at times to find the arrows or the correct route to take, but if you take your time you shouldn't have any problems. I have to admit though that there was a moment or two when I was hanging onto a rock (on the side of a mountain and without any equipment) where I thought to myself - uh, what am I doing? The trail is pretty steep, about a 2700 feet elevation gain during the 3 mile ascent up to the peak, so with the two rock climbs it provides a pretty good workout. Definitely a much better workout than a 5-6 mile run on relatively flat ground. Even though the hike is only 6 miles round trip, I would budget at least 4 to 5 hours to complete the hike. The two rock climbs take some time to navigate.

Definitely not for the faint of heart!…read more PARKING 2 dirt lots off of Highway 2 just past the Switzer Falls turnoff. Must display Adventure Pass. There is no trail sign or marker but take the obvious dirt path and stay on it (don't go up the rocks) COLBY TRAIL Clearly defined winding trail. It's certainly steep, but I didn't have any issues with it. After 2.2 miles (maybe 40 minutes-1 hour of hiking) you'll come to a water tower where the trail splits and is unmarked. Take the trail on the right and after a couple hundred feet is a small rock pile designating a smaller trail to the right. Take this if you're intent on the mountaineer route up to Strawberry. STRAWBERRY MOUNTAINEER TRAIL The steepness definitely increases as you continue up the ridge line. You'll come to the first rocky cragg where you'll need to use your hands and feet to climb. Be very careful as some of the rocks are loose and will crumble as you grab them. There is no defined trail just get to the top of the crag however you like. After that you'll continue on the ridge to the summit. The trail is very overgrown with Spanish Bayonets and Poodle Bush. Avoid touching the plants as much as possible but you WILL touch them. Although the trail is overgrown it's pretty obvious where you should be going. I unfortunately had to turn around before the last bouldering part because I started the hike too late in the day. Will have to come back! Happy hiking!

Worked on this trail recently with Bear Canyon Trail Crew and had a blast…read more The trail isn't that difficult with a few stream crossings with shallow water lines in February 2026. The trail has some decent shade in some areas, but a lot of exposed areas as well. This trail is secluded from the outside world compared to Chantry Flats and is a perfect day hike to get away from people. Highly recommend coming early to beat the heat and find parking. A day pass or an adventure pass is needed for parking. Beware of poison oak. There's a lot in this area. Would come back!

During a recent weekend backpacking trip with my son and his Boy Scout troop, I enjoyed our first…read morenight of camping at Hoegee's Camp on the Loop Trail. As posted in my other Chantry-esque reviews, I've hiked this area hundreds of times, but always with young kids or inexperienced hikers... thus, we end up at Sturtevant Falls instead of venturing into connected trails. This time, we arrived at the Chantry lot around 6 P.M., hung our Forest Adventure Passes on the rearview mirrors, and backpacked with headlamps into the local hills. At the bottom of the asphalt-paved trail from the parking lot-- just as soon as you cross the footbridge, the trail to Hoegee's branches off to your left. A slow but steady uphill climb saw us arrive at Hoegee's camp in the dark of night. Just a few other folks were availing themselves of campsites, so our group of about 15 made camp, and enjoyed a sack dinner. All trash and food was secured in bear cans (which we brought) and a bear box that was found in the middle of camp near the trail. Plenty of bears in the area at all times, so be bear aware. No, actually, you probably aren't very good at creating a bear hang, and you're doing it wrong. Use the bear box! Plenty of water rushing over the nearby spillway for late winter/early spring was a delightful sound as I fell asleep on my not-entirely flat camp spot selected in the dark. In the morning, we awoke with the morning light to a beautiful canopy of oak trees. After breakfast, we tore down camp quickly, and continued up the loop for Spruce Grove. This hike can be completed in a single day, to be sure... but if you want to stretch it into an overnighter, camping here is free for first-come, first-served folks. Do note that there are no restroom facilities at Hoegee's camp-- so you're going nature potty and/or digging a latrine. Please be sure to move far away from Winter Creek before digging your little hole... everyone downstream thanks you :) If you're doing the day loop, there is a restroom at Spruce Grove, but no running water.