This is the trail if you're looking for a crazy non stop incline. The entire trail is a 11 mile round trip. There are some parts that are gravelly. Be very careful to avoid injury. Should wear hiking shoes with traction. There's no shade so make sure you bring a hat and wear lots of sunscreen. Insect spray and net are high recommended. You will see army of Gnats flying everywhere. You will hit 3500+ elevation and it's a great trail for if you want to build that leg muscle and burn more calories. Pretty straight forward trail just one way up you will see a split when you're near the top. Make sure you make a right and a quick left if you're going towards mount bliss. Parking: I usually park at Encanto Park and walk towards the trail, about half a mile down. read more

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Great hike since the beginning straight to business I would recommend to try this hike bring lots of water read more

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Mt. Bliss is well-named, if you understand the wily ways of sarcasm; certainly, this 10 mile round-trip trail is not without its own natural beauties through four SoCal seasons, it also offers its share of idiosyncrasies and nuisances. The Van Tassel trail just above the Fish Canyon neighborhood of Duarte is your pathway to Bliss... Mt. Bliss, that is. Enjoy the first few steps of shade under some non-native pepper trees, because there is very little shade the rest of the way, unless you're hiking at daybreak or sunset. If you like seeing chaparral plants clinging to life in the midst of an historic drought, while you climb steadily upwards, you'll love this hike. The first mile or two features the most litter, water bottles, and trash. As you continue, this garbage thins considerably, as it seems the thoughtless, the soulless, and the myopic are more or less lazy people who quit anything that is difficult. As you pass under the power lines that have been taunting you for the better part of the first four miles, it's easy to get lost, then angry, then sad... we came all this way, and we can't even find Mt. Bliss?!?!?! ... It's that one right there in front of you. When you hit the service road, bear right, and look for several single track "deer trails" that cut through the chaparral plants. Continue up to the summit, and look for the guest book... at last check, there was a new book stored inside a couple of 2 liter bottles pushed together to keep out the weather. Honestly, there are prettier hikes in the San Gabriels, but for butt and quad workout, this one gets it done. Take lots of water, especially during the hot summer months. Occasional run ins with critters are possible--especially bears in the first mile or so nearest the neighborhood below. Some Yelpers have posted pictures of gopher snakes and rattlers here, but I've never seen any on this particular trail. Don't kill snakes. Better bet: Come here in the winter months when it is cooler, and many days, a lot clearer. Great views of SoCal from the top. read more

From an experienced hiker point of view, this is not an easy hike. The hike is just over 10 miles round-trip. The first 4 miles is all upward incline. I am not trying to deter anyone from completing. For those who like a challenging hike, this is for you. Once you get up there, it is nice and quiet. The views are impressive with chaparral-cloaked land of steep ridges and sand stone canyons. It gets a bit confusing at the end with no signage to guide. Come prepared with water and most of the hike (fire road) is exposed, with plenty of sun. read more

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I don't really want to discourage people from hiking/exercise but this is not the trail for me. To get here, put in Encanto Equestrian Center into Google Maps. Cars were parked along on the sides of the road, though it says "No Stopping at Any Time" and I didn't get a ticket. There is a small parking area with 3 hour limited parking, where NO ONE was parked. Kind of strange. The entrance to the trail is closed off by a gate, but people who are horseback riding will get in and out of their cars for access. As a hiker, you just have to keep walking past the horse staging area and you'll end up at the trail head, pretty unmistakable. I don't like this type of hike because it's completely exposed, and the road is pretty dry and dusty, so you do have to watch yourself going down so you don't slip on loose gravel. It's great if you want a real workout, and it has pretty nice views of the valley. Also, during covid times, the trail is fairly wide and it's not crowded, so you could easily social distance. Everyone on the trail still wore masks though, at least when passing others, thank you all! read more

Pretty epic trails the leads straight to the top. The actual trail itself is called Van Tassel. Limited little parking lot for about 10 cars with a 3 hour limit, which is kind of whack because it takes longer than that to get to the top and down. Great views of the area. You can see DTLA from a viewpoint about a fifth of the way up. read more

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The hike to get to Mt Bliss is a little hard. It is an 8 mile hike that is basically just going UPHILL for four miles and downhill for four miles. There isn't really too much of a break in between. No flat grounds to catch your breath. There are a few but the rest is really short. Once you get to the top, you are rewarded with 360 degree views of the city and the mountains. There aren't really too many good places to sit at the top of this mountain. And it was not too inspiring for me. Mt. Bliss is not one of my favorite hikes in LA. It may be because this hike was too close to the city. It's a good hike to do because of the four miles of uphill but going down was a little hard on my knees and toes! Not that I'm complaining. Hiking uphill is a great way to work on your buns of steel! And luckily, I the poles I usually hike with came in handy for this hike. The trail was pretty easy to follow and there weren't too many hard areas to scale across. There was no one else on this trail but the group I was hiking with so it may not be one of the more popular hiking trails. There is no adventure pass needed. And, there was plenty of parking at the beginning of the trail. I am rating this hike three stars because I have been on many other hikes with better views, nicer or prettier routes, and harder inclines. I liked the hardness and distance of this hike but I would prefer to do Mt Baldy vs. Mt Bliss for example. read more

Once you reach the top of the mountain please take a deep breath for me. One for the beauty and one for the exhausted legs after all that uphill battle. Such a challenge in my opinion constant inclines and very tough on the legs. I encourage everyone to dominate this place and don't be discouraged. One step after another. read more

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If you're thinking of hiking up to Mt Bliss this time of year, be prepared for rain and wind! My friend and I attempted the trail via Van Tassel Fire Road last weekend, and while the first hour of the hike was uneventful weather-wise, the fog and heavy grey clouds came rolling in pretty quickly. Unless you like being soaked, it's a good idea to bring gloves and a warm, waterproof jacket with a hood (which neither my friend nor I had the foresight to do). While this isn't the most scenic of trails (you are on a fire road, after all), it's definitely a workout for your thighs, calves, butt....everywhere, really. The trail is a constant steep incline on the way up, which makes it tough on your knees on the way down. (Take caution especially during the rainy season, since it's easy to slip on mud and loose rocks here.) We aimed to complete the full 8.6 miles round trip (2880 ft elevation gain), but when we were nearing the end of the fourth mile up, the rain started coming down and the fog was so thick we couldn't see more than 10 feet ahead of us. There was a fork in the road and we weren't exactly sure which one to take. Obviously, trying to spot landmarks was a no-go at this point, so we ended up turning back. The only upside was that I was able to take a few neat photos of the dark, fog-encased hills -- they make Mt Bliss look a little more like Sleepy Hollow! Note on parking: you can park on the side of the road or in one of the empty dirt lots right off of Encanto Parkway. You then start the hike at the side road that leads to the Encanto Equestrian Center. After you walk past the stables, the road ends and you'll see the start of the trail leading up into the hills. For more details of the hike, this page is pretty helpful: http://www.simpsoncity.com/hiking/bliss.html read more

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We went on a Sunday for this 8+ mile hike. It's starting point is at the Encanto Equestrian Center. Wow - what a climb!! This hike is basically up, up, and up the whole way on a dirt fire road. And very steep at times. You really appreciate how steep it is on your way down, down, and down...... The views are ok, but if you want a good leg workout, it's well worth the drive. read more

Easy free parking lot but not very safe. Great hike for a date, a group of friends or families. Dog and horse friendly. There are two paths after you leave the ranches. Both out 'n back, one about 7 miles up to a peak, the other about 2-3 miles before it gets really into the endless wilderness. Both are great for a cloudy or overall cool day. The "Van Tassel fire road" one that goes very uphill, rarely there are mountain bikers. It has has great views of LA skyline. You gotta start very early in the morning, bring lots of water and pack lightly with food and must-haves such as a flash light. Wear great hiking shoes but need no special gear. It can get really hot and tough on a sunny day. Stop and meditate at points of interests. I live just a few blocks and been here many many times but never managed to go path the 5-6 miles due to bad timing. The other trail continuing on the same trail that left ranches is mysterious! It gets really rocky and rough terrain and is beautiful all year but spectacular Feb-Late April every year with the creek, plants and animals. Be careful about rattle snakes, coyotes, bears and god knows what if you dare to pass the two water falls. I've never have and doubt that anyone else ever has. I might take some mountain climbing next time and see what's up. read more

Just found this hike , amazing Super great workout My dog loves it I do it twice a week and get a good 20 miles in . Very hard , but worth it read more

I've got mixed feelings on the hike to Mt. Bliss....some good stuff and some not great stuff. It's just a simple fire road through the hills above Duarte. I saying hills lightly, as Mt. Bliss, at just under 4,000 ft, is still higher than the highest point in 22 states. The first two miles are like taking off at John Wayne Airport, straight up. After that, the fire road mellows out a bit with a steady incline which is pretty manageable. The last scramble up to the top gets a little rocky, but it's not much of distance to cover. There's little shade, but the trail is a great workout whether hiking or running it. read more

A fun, satisfying and absolutely brutal hike. The hike itself is Mt. Bliss, which you can get to via Van Tassel Fire Road, or the Encanto Equestrian Center, which is what we did here. I took 8 guys, and we started out by parking one car at Chantry flats in Arcadia, then driving East to the Equestrian Center. Go to the north end, and the hike starts there. (Don't need a forest pass, not technically forest boundaries). Very quickly the hike became very, very steep. We hiked almost 4.5 miles straight up hill to an elevation of 2880 feet. At the top of Mount Bliss, the trail narrows down and you have to half bushwhack it to the center. Be careful of ticks, they're usually on the ends of bushes and like to cling to clothing, etc. Just help each other out and you'll be fine. When we reached the center of Mount Bliss, we got to a pile of rocks, underneath which is an old, red coffee can, inside with a plastic bag that contains a notebook and a pencil. It's a log book where you can write your name down that's been there for decades. Afterwards, instead of going back the way we came. We hiked 3 miles northwest via another trail, and then 4 miles straight down to Chantry flats, where we hiked a few miles to Sturtevant Falls and then back to the cars we had originally parked. The entire hike was over 13 miles and was brutal on our knees, but was a lot of fun and definitely gave a sense of accomplishment. read more

Did the hike today... wasn't really expecting this hard of a hike but we did it! Got there around 1:30PM. Probably would go earlier than that next time. Followed the directions from http://www.simpsoncity.com/hiking/bliss.html Immediately started the hike. Took us about 2.5 hours to get up there after taking a few rest stops. It is ALL up hill and pretty steep. So be weary, this isn't a first time hikers hike. It is a fire road... pretty well maintained and very easy to follow. You won't get lost. As you're hiking up, don't forget to turn around and enjoy the views, but they don't compare to the view up top. Pretty much a 270* view of the surrounding city, and the rest of it is of the mountains behind, VERY beautiful view. Got back down in 1.5 hours, as it was getting dark and we were getting kind of tired and wanted to bust it all out. Great hike, be in decent shape. Sign the guest book up top as not many visitors actually get up there! Be proud :) read more

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This hike was no joke it was 4.3 miles straight up and 4.3 miles straight down this hike is not a beginners hike just an fyi but rewarding once you make it to the top. I was excited i got to finally take a pic of a snake read more

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Not sure where mt bliss was. Decided to just walk the entire fire road til the end but turned around at 6.1 miles. It started to descend and the rain was coming in. I'm guessing if you walk til the end of the road, it would be around 9-10 miles.Hike ended at 12 miles round trip and 3,421 ft climbed. Took me a little under 4 hours. read more

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Awesome workout!!! This hike is slightly over 8 miles roundtrip. It's a little hard to locate, which allows for a nice lonely trail. I recently did this trail with 5 other people, and it took us a little under 4 hours. The notebook at the very top was a little difficult to locate since the trail seems to split in 3 different directions. The majority of the trail is open with no shade, so be prepared to encounter some heat. On a clear day you can see all the way to the ocean. I would do this trail more often, but coming back down was hard on my knees. read more

Mt. Bliss - At the top! - Hiking Near Me - Duarte, California

I liked Mt Bliss. Yes, it is just a fire road and steep hill. But, it was really quiet, and I could enjoy nice scenery of towns. And, of course great workout. I needed to make my dog tired. She was really enjoying, while I was being worn out :p I will definitely come back! I found bear tracks on the trail. So, be prepared for wild life :) read more

Mt. Bliss - Are these bear tracks?! Found on the trail. :) - Hiking Near Me - Duarte, California

Hiked to Mt. Bliss for the first time today. It was definitely a work out! Incline all the way up. Get ready to sweat. Took me around 4 hours total to get all the way up and all the way down. Seems like a lesser known trail, as I was the only person there the entire time (on a Sunday!). Minus 1 star for lack of signage, which can make navigating a bit difficult. In fact, with all the construction work they're doing along the trail, it almost seems like it's not intended for hikers at all. I used Dan Simpson's trail guide for directions, but found them somewhat confusing (go east, go west... I have no sense of direction, help!). To make things a little more clear for those who are not so bright (like me): 1. Park across from the horse stables on the side of the road (before the yellow gate). 2. Pass the yellow gate. 3. Move forward until you reach a fork; this is the trailhead. Take a left to begin your ascent. 4. You'll eventually reach some electrical towers and another fork. Take the fork on the left and move past the locked gate. 5. After a lot of walking and some more electrical towers, you'll reach another fork. Take a right and then an immediate left onto an unpaved path leading up to some more electrical towers. 6. Keep moving forward (electrical towers will be on your right). At this point you're on the mountain ridge. You'll climb a steep, rocky hill covered in plants that will prick you and embed themselves in your clothes (be careful!) and finally - voila! - you're at the summit. You'll know you've arrived when you find the empty soda bottle which contains the guestbook. BTW, someone bring a new guestbook! The one there right now is full :) read more

This Hike I loved one of my favorites. MT. Bliss is an 8 mile trip to the top. Wide road all dirt. Zig zag, switch backs and steep hill. Such a great view of the cities. read more

Mt. Bliss - Hiking Near Me - Duarte, California

there is now a new notebook added up there! I took with me a small blue Moleskin notebook since someone had mentioned the old one was full. Someone had wisely stashed the old notebook in a two litre soda can to protect it which is where the new one is added into now (so upon first glance, don't throw it away cause it's not litter!). FYI, in order to open and access the notebooks you just have to simply pull on both ends of the soda bottle and wala it will open up (we learned this the hard way after my comardes were trying to pull the old notebook out of the small soda pop opening without much success). the hike was definitely good for a workout ..great views along the way up! I went as a group of four and it took us a total of 6 hours to do (with steady walking and a good amount breaks in between). read more

This is not for starters at all! INCLINE,INCLINE,and more INCLINE! There are no signs.So your basically on your own.Yikes! I would consider myself a avid hiker and this one kicked my butt!The view at the top is really nice though.I went with my friend and did not see anyone else one the trail and at some points not even footprints.It started getting dark on us so we came down through the gravel company which wasnt very smart its real dangerous.We ran out of water which was not kool but some of the waters gave us bottled water which was kool.Very tough but for some reason i wanna go back and kick butt! I only gave 4 stars because there was no signs so your basically on your own. read more