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Mt Lowe

4.5 (23 reviews)

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Jason R.

I am a sucker for these hikes along Hwy 2...such a beautiful area. We parked at the Eaton Saddle Trailhead...remember to display your Adventure Parking Pass. Great views early on and throughout and cool going through the tunnel in the 1st half mile. At about .6 you will reach a spot with trails intersecting...stay to the left...go right if you want to go to the nearby San Gabriel Peak and Mount Disappointment. It is not very steep and you reach Mount Lowe with the bench and poles and picturesque views. It took about 45 minutes to hike the 1.7 miles to get to the top of Mt Lowe at about 5,600 ft with a little over 600 ft of elevation gain. On the way back at about 2.2 miles I took a small path on the right that will take you steeply up to Mount Markham. It is only .5 miles with about 400 ft of elevation gain.

Mount Markham
Tony K.

There are longer routes you can use in this area, like start from Bill Reilly trail near Redbox picnic area. But the fastest route to Mount Lowe will be at Eaton Saddle trailhead. Remember to display your adventure pass. It's a nice short hike to Mount Lowe. The hike up was gradual and easy, seems like a 2-3 miles round trip. I've extended to Mount Markham to make it about 4-5 mile round trip with some rock scrambling in the end at Mount Markham. When you start hiking from the parking lot trailhead. It's straightforward. You will see a lot of rocks on the trail, seems like the recent rainfall caused a lot of rock slides. So definitely be aware of falling rocks. First thing you will arrive is Mueller Tunnel. After passing the tunnel you will see a 5 trail split. You want to go left, you will see a rusted post sign stating "to mount Lowe summit". If you go straight and down, that will take you to inspiration point. If you go right, that will go to San Gabriel Peak, Mount Deception and Mount Disappointment, and all the way back down to Bill Reilly trail. I'm not quite sure, but the far left trail is the rock scramble to Mount Markham. As you continue up the Mount Lowe summit trail, it's easy to follow with plenty of posted signs for direction. There will be a sign that shows a split. One for Mount Lowe, West trail, and East trail where you hiked up on. So remember when coming back down, go back east trail. Otherwise, you will go down the wrong path. Once you make it up to Mount Lowe, enjoy the view...there is a swing there, but be careful, kind of sketchy. Then hike back down the way you came up. If you want to tackle Mount Markham, you will see a thin trail going up a saddle to Mount Markham. There will be a bit of rock scrambling and lots of overgrown bush. So wear long pants, and poodle dog bush is visible on the trail, so try to avoid touching them. As always, pack accordingly to the weather as summer will be tough on mid afternoon. You will be okay in early morning.

Angeles Forest
Monica M.

What a site to see! You definitely feel like you're in the wild. You get to enjoy the beautiful views of the mountains. The singing of the birds and the woodpecker drilling into the tree creates this sense of beauty and peace. The trail however has many inclines and I highly recommend to wear very good hiking shoes due to the slippery rocks. Definitly a great place to get lost in nature's beauty.

Fresh swing seat as of 6/1/19.
Brian U.

Yelp map markers usually indicate the start or end of a hike. Here, the marker is oddly located in the middle at Echo Mountain. Some uploaded photos are also of the destroyed hotel at Echo Mountain (really a ridge) along with the covered Inspiration Point (really a saddle). Granted, these locations can be passed while going to the summit of Mt. Lowe (actually a mountain) when taking the Sam Merrill and Castle Canyon Trails but we took a different route which was actually called Mt. Lowe. Perhaps people are confusing Mt. Lowe with Echo Mountain (see https://www.yelp.com/biz/echo-mountain-via-the-sam-merrill-trail-altadena) and Inspiration Point (see https://www.yelp.com/biz/inspiration-point-via-castle-canyon-altadena). We started at Millard Campground and followed the Mt. Lowe Railway Trail for 5.7 miles with a 2600' elevation gain to Mt. Lowe Campground. The trail follows the same route as the former railroad trolley and has periodic descriptions of the rail line. The campsite used to be the Alpine Tavern with cottage lodging that burned down in the 1930s. The West Trail to the summit of Mt. Lowe is 1.5 miles more and 1150' higher than the campground. If you're into swinging (the playground type, not the bedroom type), a swing is at the top (see pic). The southern view covers the entire Los Angeles Basin while the lesser northern view into the Angeles National Forest consists of a higher mountain range topped with ugly transmission towers. As with any 14.5-mile roundtrip hike, it can get repetitively boring (like my Yelps) - particularly the three miles of abusive foot-pounding pavement on the return. Because most of the trail is road, this route is also popular with mountain bicyclists. Mt. Lowe Railway Trail really starts where it intersects with Chaney Trail road and not Millard Campground. We wanted to start at the true trailhead but there are only eight meager parking spaces which forced us to start at Millard. The lack of parking is highly annoying considering the amount of space on the other side of the barricade. A $5 Adventure Pass is needed to park in both areas.

Katherine H.

Really enjoyed our hike to the swing. Be sure to stay left at the water tanks. You can do a loop or you can go up and down the same way. We only saw 1 other group the whole time we were hiking. We clocked around 6 miles (we did a loop). We saw one rattlesnake. Adventure pass for parking.

Swing broken as of 5/12/2018
Stephanie G.

I did Mt Lowe via Easton Saddle this past weekend (5/12/2018) - it's a fairly easy ~5 mile roundtrip hike. The elevation is high and there's a few parts where the terrain gets steep or you climb over rocks, but for the most part I was surprised how easy this out and back trail was. We went here first to check out Mt Lowe and the swing - unfortunately, the swing was broken and taken down (not left at Mt Lowe). From reading the journal of other hikers, its been broken since April. Whoever has the swing, please bring it back and repair it! If you're heading to the Mt Lowe areas I'd definitely say to try to hit up more trails. After finishing Mt Lowe we walked back and then did San Gabriel Peak. If we had camped, we would've done Mt Lowe to Inspiration Point.

Melanie D.

Mount Lowe has an elevation of 5,603'. It is easily accessible from the Red Box parking lot or Eaton Canyon Saddle lot. There are loose rocks under foot on the trail. The climb to the peak is not very steep from the fire road. Once on the top, there are nice 360 degree views. This climb can be easily combined with hiking to other peaks for a greater challenge.

Christine A.

Brandon D., Lee A. and I got to take part in the annual drive up Mount Lowe, raising funds and awareness for the Mt. Lowe Volunteers Group. Normally the road is closed off and only for hikers and bicyclists, but the rangers let in a small convoy of vehicles. The drive was a bit harrowing at times with large rocks banging around our undercarriage, no guard rails, and jagged outcroppings. Cars were barely making it up the steep, dirt roads without needing a push to get them out of the holes they were digging nearly burning out. But the views were AMAZING. Anyway, our final destination was the Mount Lowe Trail Camp where the Alpine Tavern used to be. The road we'd traveled used to be a scenic trolley line. Mount Lowe Trail Camp has first-come/first-serve space for setting up tents. A small boy scout troop was set up when we arrived. There's men and women's vault toilets. No water. Someone left Lysol wipes for cleaning up. Around the camp there are signs for what area that used to be tavern you're standing in. The tavern was dynamited in the late 1930s. By that point it was just a shell left over from the fire that previously devastated it. Hiking around the camp we kept finding debris from what was left of the place. The camp is a short walk from Inspiration Point, up the hill. Every now and then we were gathered 'round to hear about the history of the trolley line, the tavern, and Thaddeus Lowe. After a talk on the Union Army Balloon Corps, one of the volunteers said the Forestry Service is thinking about abandoning the road, but with that would mean dropping care of the campsite as well. They say they hope it doesn't come to that. The volunteers also said they are looking to recruit. There's no minimum amount of time to put in, but it would be to help maintain the area.

Lucky S.

Took the Sam Merrill Trail to Echo Mountain from the Cobb Estate Entrance. It's 2.5 miles up a narrow dirt path consisting of a dozen + switchbacks. Although you climb a few thousand feet, the incline isn't that bad, but it's very congested. Once here, it's gorgeous. Pretty views and rich in historical significance with great signs detailing the hotel and railway that once stood. In addition to the pretty views and remnants, there are a few picnic tables available to rest at or enjoy a snack. Be sure to bring water, wear sunscreen and DON'T LITTER (that old reservoir is NOT a trash can!)

San Gabriel Peak - view from Mt. Lowe
Sean B.

Awesome hike and amazing views in every direction from the top of Mt. Lowe. Started at Millard Canyon and took the Sunset Ridge Trail up to the Mt Lowe Fire Road. Once you get to the old Alpine Tavern ruins (Mt Lowe Campground) you can take either the West or East Mt Lowe trail, I prefer the West. You can also continue up the Mt Lowe road to San Gabriel Peak or Mt Wilson, or come back through Inspiration Point or Castle Canyon to Echo Mt. So many options make this one of my favorite trails in the front range.

Sean R.

We hiked up echo mountain first which was 2.5 mi. Then hit Mt. Lower which was an additional 3.5 mi. We started around 11am and made it to the summit around 4pm. Was a heavy workout that kick our butts! Incredible view and great spot for pictures with a bench and a swing up there. We didn't beat the sunset coming down so had to bust out the flash lights. I'd suggest parking a 2nd car on the other side of the mountain that way is would just be a 10 minute walk from the summit and you can drive down the mountain!

5.92 miles from Sunset Ridge Trlhd - Alpine Tavern (4,435'). Head in between these signs to head to Mt Lowe
Ron W.

Yes there are easier ways to reach Mt Lowe, but Sammy, my hiking Pit Bull decided to take the longer Sunset Ridge Trail. http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-sunset-ridge-trail-altadena?hrid=bvCUJ_G0ifDJuB1toVGTGg&utm_campaign=www_review_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) This route from the Millard Campground will take you on a 14.5 mile round trip with an elevation gain of 3,765 feet to the 5,603 foot Mt Lowe summit. Add another 0.6 mile on the way down to stop at Inspiration Point. The Sunset Ridge Trail is a very nice smooth and narrow dirt trail with a gradual incline. It is mostly shaded and follows along the wider Mt Lowe Road. Eventually the dirt trail meets up with the road and you stay on that until the non-existing Alpine Tavern that burnt in 1936. From the Alpine Tavern, take the almost hidden trail in between the 2 white signs. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mt-lowe-altadena?select=kHtZYTwyCLmRVOmsT55zsg&utm_campaign=www_photo_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) This narrow Mt Lowe East Trail gets steeper as it starts off in the shade from the oak trees. All too soon, you find yourself in the HOT sun on those rolling switchbacks along the canyon's edge as you make your way up to the Mt Lowe summit. I really liked this East Trail as it finally gave me the feeling of being on a mountain hike! You can use this address, or the directions below since my GPS wanted to take me in a very indirect way. 4041 Chaney Tail, Altadena, Ca, 91001 From the Westbound 210 Fwy/ exit Rt on Lake Ave / Lt on Loma Alta Dr. / Rt on Chaney Trail (at the yellow flashing light) to a gate that opens at 6am. From the gate go 1.4 miles to the 2nd larger Millard Camp Ground parking lot. You need to display a Wilderness Adventure Parking Pass. * Millard Camp Ground Trailhead (1,838') * 0.80 - Sunset Ridge Tr. reaches Mt Lowe Road. Take the asphalt road uphill 1/4 mile. * 1.04 - Take the Sunset Ridge Tr. on the Left. * 1.50 - Dawn Mine Tr. Jct. Go Rt on Sunset Ridge Tr. * 2.42 - Sunset Ridge Tr. meets up with Mt Lowe Rd. Continue up dirt trail. (2,990') * 3.18 - Sunset Ridge Tr. meets up with Mt Lowe Rd again. * 3.24 - Echo Mtn Jct. at 'Cape of Good Hope'. Stay on road. * 3.54 - Upper Dawn Mine Tr. Jct. * 5.92 - Alpine Tavern (4,435'). Burnt in 1936. To summit Mt Lowe, head up the trail in between the 2 white signs 'To Mt Lowe' & 'Mt Lowe Campground'. * 6.04 - Cross the wide dirt road & head up the Mt Lowe East Trail * 6.15 - Mt Lowe / Inspiration Point Junction. Go Left. * 7.13 - Mt Lowe / Mt Wilson Junction. Go Left. * 7.32 - Mt Lowe East Trail / West Trail Junction. (5,550') Go Straight. * 7.40 - Mt Lowe Summit (5,603'). What a Great view! * 8.73 - Heading back down on the East Trail. Back at the Mt Lowe / Insp. Point Jct. Go Straight. * 8.83 - Come up to back side of Mt Lowe East Trail sign. Go LEFT, (S. East) on the Mt Wilson Rd. * 8.95 - Reach multi trail junction saddle. HEAD to INSP. PT. * Far Right (North) heads back to Alpine Tavern on the Mt Lowe Rd. * Next jct to the left heads to Idlehour & Mt Wilson Toll Rd. * Next jct to the left heads S. East to Inspiration Point. * Far Left jct is the Sam Merrill Trail to Echo Mtn. & Cobb Estate (Lake Trailhead). * 9.25 - Inspiration Point (4,540'). The Pacific Electric Railway originally built this in 1924. * 9.55 - Headed back down to the multi trail junction saddle then down the Sam Merrill Trail. * 10.6 - Sam Merrill Trail Lt to Echo Mtn Jct. Take the small dirt trail to the Rt towards the ridge crest. The Devil's Backbone of Altadena. * 10.9 - This dirt trail ends up back at the Mt Lowe Road with a 4 foot drop off near 'Circular Bridge' trail sign. On the way down take the Sunset Ridge Trail. * 15.0 - Back at the Millard Camp Ground Trailhead.

Using the echo phone was cool!!
Ben H.

Good destination hike. 2.5 miles uphill from Cobb Estate to Echo Mt House hotel ruins and abandoned railway was worth the effort. Intermediate hike. Low clouds prevented a clear view of downtown LA, but beautiful just the same. Good hike for children, but take water and snacks!

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5 years ago

One of my favorite hikes. Best time to go is April, weather is perfect! Bring your lunch & camera the view is fenomenal!

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4 years ago

It's a good hike. However, there is not a lot of shade. But, there is still plenty to see. Also, this trail links to many other trails.

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Ask the Community - Mt Lowe

Review Highlights - Mt Lowe

5 miles to echo Another 2 to inspiration point where we sat and ate a quick lunch- love the telescopes all over!!

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Inspiration Point via Castle Canyon

Inspiration Point via Castle Canyon

(191 reviews)

Long and difficult hike but worth the view! About 10 miles…read moreround trip from Cobb Estate. Bring a hat, lots of water, snacks, sunscreen, and BUG SPRAY. Me and my husband started around 7:30am and finished the whole hike around 1pm at a steady pace with about an hour break when we got to Inspiration Point. The hike from Cobb Estate to Echo Mountain was a breeze for us, but the hike from there to Inspiration was a whole other story. I recommend wearing long pants as the second half of the hiking path isn't as clear and pretty narrow on some parts. We took our time and treaded lightly but still got some minor scratches on our legs from all of the branches and leaves. My husband started getting irritated from walking into all of the spider webs lol. Not sure if the actual hike was 2 miles from Echo Mountain because it felt so much longer than that. We started getting really tired near the end from all the incline. We almost gave up until my husband saw the view of Inspiration Point. Once we got there, the views made it all worth it! Would we do it again? Maaaaaybe lol.

Updated review: I've been to Inspiration Point twice now, most recently after the great Los Angeles…read more"blizzard" of early 2023. And how super intense and cool (figuratively and literally) it was! Total about 10mi from the top of Lake - Echo Mountain - Castle Canyon trail - Inspiration Point - Sam Merrill trail - Echo Mountain and back down to Lake. DEFINITELY a strenuous hike and would highly recommend hiking poles, sunscreen, water, and snacks! The view is incredible, especially with tons of fresh snow everywhere. Hiked this early March 2023 and the Castle Canyon trail leading off from Echo Mountain (a decent hike in its own right) is pretty challenging, if not a bit brutal in some areas: slippery snow, downed trees and bushes blocking the path, and a heavy incline. Again, highly recommend poles. Once at Inspiration Point the view is phenomenal. The Pacific Ocean, Palos Verdes, Catalina Island, and even Anaheim and Irvine are all visible from the top, and downtown LA too of course. Lots of picnic benches and photo-op-worthy view finders for major Southern California sites. Gorgeous San Gabriel mountains in the background. The Sam Merrill trail leading down the backside of the mountain (and then curving back around to the south/west) is much more tame (but still a bit precarious with 2+ feet of snow) and very sun-exposed all the way back to Echo Mountain. All in all probably one of the more butt-kicking Los Angeles hike. Takes about 4-5hrs round trip depending on your pace.

Dawn Mine Hike

Dawn Mine Hike

(69 reviews)

This hike had a lot to offer. Pretty green mostly covered trails a lot of crossing water when it…read morehad rained before. About a 6-7mile hike round trip depending on your starting point we started around Altadena area by fair oaks street. Bring- a lot of water depending on how you handle hiking Adventure pass is needed to park I don't use them but some walking / trek sticks could be useful in some parts. I'm a large guy it took a lot out of me to get there it's a moderate to hard hike for me. With more exercise and a few more hikes under my belt to get back into shape I would hike it again. A lot of connecting places to hike through to as well. Echo mountain connection - inspiration point .

One of my favorite hikes in LA. I would rate this as Moderate given the elevation change and rocky…read morepaths but it's possible for all ages and skill levels. You get to hike through many different zones including goat paths on the side of the mountain, paved roads at the beginning, and multiple creek crossings and some minor boulder climbing. Parking is at the top of where you turn left to go down toward Millard Falls and there are only 6 spaces available so that area fills up quickly. We arrived @ 7:30AM and didn't have any issues parking and didn't encounter anyone until our hike back out. It's easy to follow the path as it's marked well. The first landmark you'll see is a formerly used cabin as you descend down into the canyon and as you follow the canyon to the end you will see many old mining equipment and plumbing strewn near the creek you are walking parallel to. You have to cross the creek a few times but it's only a few inches deep and there are rocks already placed for crossing. There are portions with pools deep enough to dunk in and even a section with 3 small pools with water slides into each pool. Something worth checking out when the weather is warmer. The mine at the end is underwhelming because it's blocked off with steel bars and is very low to the ground and is flooded with water. I would say the walk to the mine is the best part not the destination. Overall a great hike with beautiful scenery and hiking with the sound of running water the whole time is a real treat.

Switzer Falls - USDA Forest Service

Switzer Falls - USDA Forest Service

(293 reviews)

Perfect hike for a hot day…read more I love waterfall hikes and listening to the sound of calm, running water. The added challenge on these hikes is the multiple stream crossings. I brought some hiking poles which helped with balance and probing for loose rocks and logs. If you want to get parking in the lower lot, it's best to come before 8AM. We found parking in the second lot. An Adventure Pass or Day Pass is required. Parking is enforced. A car received a ticket for being in a No Parking zone. The start of the trail is nicely shaded. The second half is a hilly, narrow, sun exposed path which routes back into the canyon toward the Lower Switzer Falls. I'm glad they had fencing on some narrow and steep parts of the trail. We encountered an active rattlesnake which headed down the mountain, so be on the lookout. Overall, the hike takes about 3 hours for 5.5 miles. The additional hike back up to the parking lot was about 1/4 of a mile. Note: if you need to use the restroom, it's best to bring your own toilet paper and to go before you start your hike. It was kind of smelly, but if you gotta go... you gotta go.

This place is great for fully appreciating nature! The trail is around 5-5.5 miles round trip,…read moredepending on where you park. What impressed me most about this trail is that it's almost fully covered by shade. We went in the late afternoon, and I'd say probably 80-85% of it is covered. Very impressive! Here are some useful tips: 1. There are three parking lots: two are next to the highway, and one is near the hiking entrance. I'd recommend getting a parking pass if possible. 2. There are only three restrooms at the beginning of the trail, so use them when you see them. 3. If you're aiming to go to the waterfall, make sure to look for the signs. Some signs aren't very clear, so we had to stop and ask other hikers frequently. Luckily, people there are super friendly and happy to help. Just pay attention to your surroundings. 4. The trail is dog-friendly, but dogs must be on a leash. 5. Waterproof hiking boots are recommended. All in all, it's a fun trail. It's a great place for a picnic and camping, and it's very close to the stream. Great for kids, families, and pets!

Mt Lowe - hiking - Updated May 2026

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