Old Mt. Baldy Trail is a wide road trail for most of the way from Manker Flat to Top of the Notch…read more You pass waterfalls and can see people coming up on the gondolas. There is one area near the top that was recently washed out, so it's rocky, but still there is plenty of room to pass others and it doesn't feel unsafe at all. You can also go past this area and go a little future around the rocky path if you want to stay on flatter ground. It's a nice incline, so a good workout. On a clear day, the views are amazing. And you can have a great lunch at Top of the Notch as a reward. Their grilled Turkey Sandwich is yummy. They also have beer, hot cocoa, and other snacks. Then it's a relaxing hike back down. It's the perfect time of year right now, because it's cold and sunny, but no snow on this trail (currently--always check the weather before you hike!). And oh how good you feel after a hike in the hills! :)

Old installations, and overpriced services. Even going to enjoy nature is WAY OVERPRICED. once…read morevisiting this place was enough of experience. You are not missing anything you can see in other areas.

Great place to hike and enjoy nature. Been here many times and never get enough. There's tons of…read moresnow on the ground and by the water fall at the moment.

Only saw one person get a ticket but that's bc they were blocking a driveway. Lots of people park…read morealong the side of the row and it didn't look like anyone had parking permits. This is a fantastic intro hike it's about 1 mile to the falls and you can make it longer by parking farther down the mountain or hike up farther the trail to go above the falls. Saw a rattlesnake but it wasn't fast or aggressive just watch your step. Lots of foot traffic so it feels very safe. Overall one of my favorite beginner friendly hikes.

Incredible the energy, peaceful and quiet. The weather was…read morebeautiful, and it was very safe.

Avoid During Summer Weekends!…read more This is a short hike in Stoddard Canyon to the waterfall and swimming hole in the Mt Baldy region. The hike is approximately 1.25 miles out and back. There are several routes to get to the waterfall- the safest route is to descend down the side of the canyon by a pillar like structure using a rope. The river leading to the waterfall is within a canyon, temperature is cooler, water temperature is comfortable. During the hike to the waterfall, you will have to meander around boulders, rocks, and use ropes to get to the endpoint where the final pool and waterfall exist. On a crowded day, you may have to wait patiently and you might feel pressure, which could lead to an injury. Rocks are also very slippery as you transcend to the waterfall. Wear slip resistant shoes- I wore my hiking boots. Unfortunately the rocks along the river has been trashed. People are partying in this area and leaving their trash behind. Plus you will see graffiti on the rocks. Sad to see in such a beautiful area. All this takes away from the beauty of the river and the waterfalls. There are several parking lots near the trailhead- the parking lots on the weekends fill up quickly so get to the park early. Also, read the signs, as there are a lot of no parking signs near the trail. Lastly, do not leave valuables in the car, as some break ins are know to occur in this area.

When Baldy opened back up, we took advantage and hiked it multiple times. It is spectacular. If…read moreyou hike up Ski Hut, it's an amazing booty builder hike. Bring poles. Restroom at trailhead. Restaurant at top of ski lift and I usually grab a chicken sandwich. Easy parking at trailhead. I put my adventure pass on the dash in case it's needed. Please come and create your own adventure.

The trailhead is before you've reach the Mt Baldy Resort at Falls Rd. I prefer to start my hikes…read moreearly so I never have trouble finding parking, but there should be adequate amount of parking. I've always found the hiking trails here to be well-maintained. However, if your goal is to go up to the summit, please know that the trail does get pretty technical during sections on the Devil's Backbone. There's the Top of the Notch restaurant about halfway up, but make sure you carry enough water with you if you plan to do this hike during the summer months or whenever the weather is warm.

Day after Christmas, a hiking buddy of mine figured the recent rainfall over the weekend was good…read morereason to visit Ice House Canyon. During the winter season, there is the added element of snow and icy roads. For some peace of mind, I brought a pair of crampons and gaiters. The hike started around 7:45am with a cool and crisp breeze. Best to keep cozy and layer up. First three or so miles were pretty similar to what you would expect during the summer, terrain-wise. The trail was fairly clean and clear with a few spots to climb up boulders or take a break near the river. One moment you pass through a cluster of trees surrounded by freshly fallen pinecones, and the next you are met with what seems strikingly like the same scree as the last. At a certain point though, the trail became icy and the air slightly chillier. Upon reaching the end of the saddle, there were a number of folks sipping from their thermos and playing with their pooch. After eating our packed lunch, we ventured further up towards Timber Mountain. It was here where patches of snow gradually became blankets as far as the eyes could see. With that said, crampons were unnecessary. The trail was no longer visible since we could not see the ground, so we kept heading up towards the trees till the sign "TIMBER MTN. ELEV. 8303" was within sight. We were greeted with a stunning view of snow-covered hills. There was also a little box of guestbooks to sign. We decided to take the Chapman trail back down. Whereas Ice House was more spread out, Chapman was more narrowly defined with more ups and downs. A few more areas looked like boulders worth a climb. Most of the manzanitas along the way were healthy and bushy with many of them bearing fruit. If you have the time, Chapman is easily the more scenic of the two and worth the extra mile and a half. In total, we hiked around 11 miles and enjoyed it immensely.

Great trail, great work out. This trail is not for…read morebeginners. Pack enough water! 2,700 ft elevation climb to saddle. Very steep so get ready for that lactic acid build up in the quads. Took me 3.5 hours to get up to saddle and 1.5 hours to get down. Make sure you fill out the free permit form in the brown box at the start of the trail (very important, in case something happens to you on the trail, ie, you get hurt or lost, etc).

My absolute favorite part of the Baldy hike! The views were amazing. Ok, maybe the restaurant…read morewas my favorite part of the Baldy hike, but the Devil's Backbone was very fun. Please come and create your own adventure.

I have been reluctant to hike this this part of the trail, due to my fear of heights. Fortunately,…read moreI'm in the middle of training for Mount Whitney in September and this was on my list of hikes to complete prior to. This trek was surprisingly easy to get through. I was able to control my fear and get past certain sketchy areas. There's a couple of areas that have sheer drops on either side. Don't panic and you'll be just fine. We started at 6am (7.31) and did the clockwise loop, up towards Sierra Ski hut and back down towards Mount Baldy Resort. We had to trek through 3 miles of Devil's Backbone... Prepare yourself mentally, if you're afraid of heights. I foucused on the trail and did not look down. However, I'm a curious soul, when I felt comfortable enough, I did look down. Honestly it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. The trail has narrow paths, but not as narrow as you think. Take your time and remember to breathe. Bring at least 3l of water, sunblock, wear good "gripping" shoes, and trekking poles. I didn't bring my trekking poles, but it might help you through this part of the hike. Happy trails!

Ontario Peak was my first peak hike ever, but Cucamonga solidified my love for hiking and my goal…read moreis to climb all the SoCal peaks. I hiked this in November 2024 and it was cold! However, the cloud coverage was absolutely breaktaking. I had never seen anything like it before. It is inspirational and captivating. Hiking poles recommended and slow and steady will always get the job done. I carpooled and we arrived early for parking. An adventure pass is required. Please go out there and create your own adventure.

+ Great hike. Exhilarating, breathtaking (literally and figuratively)…read more . The hike takes about 12 miles, 6-8 hours, and about 4100' elevation gain. + Good views of San Gabriel mountains and LA county. + There was one shared Cucamonga Peak sign at the summit to hold for photos. - Parking on a Saturday at 6am gets very crowded. Take heed. Arrive early or park a 1-2min walk down the street. - The only restrooms are the two at the trailhead. No hand sanitizers. Better than nothing. Tips: . Bring plenty snacks and +3L of water. . I recommend checking out HikingGuy's guide before you go: https://hikingguy.com/hiking-trails/los-angeles-hikes/cucamonga-peak-hike/ . And get a hiking parking pass ($5) to scratch off your visit date to keep on your dashboard.

This has been my longest Mt. Baldy trail hike. The Three Tees Trail took me 16 miles, up 4,000 Feet…read moreof elevation gain and over Timber Mountain, Telegraph Peak and Thunder Mountain. And of course, to get there, I had to get up the Icehouse Canyon Trail. http://www.yelp.com/biz/ice-house-canyon-trail-mount-baldy#hrid:7xbAkpMLb89keNbcDHgMRA/src:self Since I hike with my pooch Sammy and our hike was in August, we were at the Ice House Canyon Trailhead by 4am... to avoid the heat on the climb up. This is a long hike, so even on our descent down in the heat I had to make sure I gave Sammy enough water and breaks so she wouldn't overheat. At 3.6 miles and 2,660 feet of elevation gain from the trailhead, we reached the Ice House Saddle before sunrise, took a break then headed up the Three Tees trail as the sun was rising. The trail starts up an incline right away and passes by some Manzanita bushes and some unique fallen trees. On the main trail at 4.4 miles there is a 'Timber Mountain .25' sign. Head east up the hill 0.25 miles to reach your first T, Timber Mountain at 8,303 feet. Sign the register located inside the metal cylinder, mounted in the tree, just behind the top Timber Mt. sign. Wander around behind and to the left of that tree to see a large hollowed out and twisted fallen tree. From that tree I was tempted to just head north to reconnect with the 3 T Trail, but Sammy advised me otherwise. We have gotten lost (oops, I mean detoured) before and today was not a good day for that! So, we headed back down the same way we went up. When you reach the main 3 T Trail, continue north for 2 miles towards the second T, Telegraph Peak. At first the trail goes downhill for about a half of a mile, but then at 5.5 miles, it starts UP through some narrow leg scratching Manzanita bushes and some STEEP soft dirt switchbacks through the large trees. Off to the west are some amazing views! At one point, the dirt trail seems to end at the edge of the mountain and you find yourself having to scramble up and over the large rocky boulders. At 6.99 miles, you will come across a 'Three Tees Trail' sign. For some reason there is no Telegraph Peak trail sign here. But go to the right and head up the hill for 0.2 miles to reach the Telegraph Peak at 8,985 feet. Look for the aluminum register box and the Geological Survey Bench Marker embedded in the large rock. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=pyCsV4-lTSAaVzBIRS3m9A&userid=RoGuDu1egfAvVgb4WmZwUw Look north and you will see the Mt Baldy Notch water reservoir and the ski lodge. After Sammy and I enjoyed the amazing view, we headed back down to the main 3 T Trail and headed north again to reach our third T, Thunder Mountain... all downhill for 1.2 miles. On the way at 7.0 miles, start looking 310 degrees North West to see the green roofed San Antonio Ski Hut. It will be small, so you have to look hard for it. On the slightest of fog days you will not see it. At 8.0 miles you reach a purple 'Three T's Trail - Cucamonga Wilderness' sign and the third T, Thunder Mountain at 8,587 feet. Look over the ridge and you will see the water reservoir and the ski lodge again. Here at Thunder Mountain you can continue towards the ski lodge for 1.5 miles to make this a looped hike, but then you have to hike down the road back to your car. I didn't want to hike a road, so I just turned around after Thunder Mt. and went back the same way I got there, making this a very long 16 mile hike! In my other hiking reviews I have written about what I take, this time I will cover how I prepare my pooch Sammy for these long mountain hikes. She is a black 70 pound LOVEABLE Pit Bull. First, I feed her a high protein dog food diet. She carries her own one liter water backpack, which I mix in some pet electrolytes for the hotter days. She usually drinks more than 1 liter, so I make sure to carry extra water for her. Some days we start our hike before sunrise to avoid the heat. On those days I put my red flashing bicycle light on her backpack so I won't lose her in the mountains. On the very cold days, I put her Hurtta Pro winter fleece and wind resistant jacket on and carry her Ultra Paws 'Rugged' boots and boot liners (which help putting her boots on easier) just in case the trails get too snowy or icy. Here she is in her gear getting ready for the Devil's Backbone. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=O-Qs4DorsTDq847jcaY6Xw&userid=RoGuDu1egfAvVgb4WmZwUw I really like the cold winter gear I bought for Sammy at www.TheDogOutdoors.com. They even posted her pictures on their facebook. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.704051822952592.1073741829.114967671861013&type=1 I love hiking with my pooch Sammy. And I try my best to make it enjoyable and safe for her!

Our video review:…read morehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhMWKLuCKrA We took the ski lift up knowing we would do two hikes, saving us about an hour on fire road. A slow incline up, nothing too difficult. We did see a few dogs on the path. Heading up to Telegraph Peak you have many switch backs and at the top you will have panoramic views of all the neighboring mountains. *Adventure pass required to park. Thunder Mountain Distance: 3.5 miles Elevation gain: 3,400 feet Estimated round trip time: 3 hours Telegraph Peak Distance: 13 miles Elevation gain: 3525 feet Estimated round trip time: 7 hours Hikers: Han, Nick, Matt, Clay and Jesse Our difficulty rating: PG Notes: If you come the weekend of the first full moon they have a BBQ at the restaurant right at ridge next to the ski lift.

Ontario Peak was my first Peakbagger! It will always hold special memories for me and I've made…read moresuch great and amazing friends climbing this peak. It was fun and I think anyone can do it. For those that are a little out of shape, take your time and you will get there. The summit is breathtaking. Bring hiking poles. This was also the peak that demonstrated to me that I can do anything if I set my mind to it and to not be afraid to get out there and conquer anything and everything! I carpooled and an adventure pass is required to park. Please get out there and create your own adventure.

This is another new favorite SoCal hike. I hiked to the top a few weekends ago before snow hit the…read morearea and I'm so happy I did! It was still cold but I got a chance to see beautiful orange and yellow leaves in the trail for the first few miles and then the surroundings turned to pine trees, skree and distant views of the Mount Baldy Bowl! I never really understood how many trails there are out by Mount Baldy. I've even done Cucamonga peak and didn't realize there were so many more accessible peaks to check out from the same trail! I'm really excited to try more in the area! This is a really well marked and maintained trail. There were a few spots in the last mile towards the peak where there were trees fallen but only a few. The saddle is a great place to rest before the last push to the top. You could easily add a couple peaks on but I was pressed for time this day. It's also a great training hike for other adventures and maintaining hiking fitness as the distance is over 10 miles and elevation above 4000. Total distance: 13.54 Miles Elevation Gain: 4,392 ft Highest Point: 8,696 ft

I did this great hike back in September of 2019 and really loved it despite it being one of the 5…read morehardest hikes I have personally done. Parking- an Adventure Pass is needed which costs $5 for one day or $30 for the year (I like to get the annual and add a 2nd car pass for $5 additional dollars and split the cost with a hiking buddy...so $17.50 and we each have a pass for our car for the year); my hiking buddy Jose parked his car at Manker Flat and I drove him back to the Ice House parking lot where we started our hike from Trail- the Ice House Canyon Trail is beautiful and you are hiking near the Ice House Creek for most of the 3.5 miles up to the saddle; this section is pretty busy since this is the trail that people who are hiking to Ontario Peak or Cucamonga Peak use also; once at the saddle most people take a little snack break since you have been steadily climbing for the past hour and a half; trails signs are visible at the saddle and the Three T's trail is to the left and the next 3.5 miles I found to be the hardest as you make your way to Timber and Telegraph Peaks...the views along the trail and at the peaks are phenomenal (esp. Telegraph)...this portion the elevation will be between 7,500 and 9,000 ft so depending on how comfortable you are at the altitude you may experience some fatigue/breathing issues; the final peak of the Three T's, Thunder Mountain, is the easiest to reach but it is the least impressive; from Thunder you make your way down to the Baldy Notch which has a bathroom, water refill station, and a good place to buy a snack or a drink; after taking a 15-20 min break at the lodge area we made the boring walk down the fire road to Manker Flat for about 3 miles...if you don't have a 2nd car parked here than you need to walk a couple more miles down the paved Mt. Baldy Rd back to your one car at Ice House or maybe someone will see you walking and offer you a ride down to your car Details Distance- almost 14 miles Elevation Gain- almost 5k feet Elevation Peak- 8,976 ft Duration- Total time of 7hrs with 5.5 hrs of actual hiking time since we took 5 breaks (saddle, each of the Three T's, and at the notch) *the first half (7 miles) of the hike is the hardest since you are averaging between 500-800 ft of elevation gain per mile Tips- start early since this hike will take most people between 6-8 hrs and you will want to avoid the effects of heat/sun exposure; bring layers since there will be temperature fluctuations; wear hiking shoes/boots...wouldn't recommend wearing just tennis shoes on this one; bring 2-3 liters of water, pack snacks, hiking poles might be good but not a must, and try to use 2 cars so you can park one at each lot (Manker & Ice House)

Like the great views, lodge for snacks, chair lift down. Lodge staff thoughtfully gave senior…read morediscount $10 tickets for chair lift down. Sorry to say potato wedges are nearly addictive- our group of 7 went through 3 baskets. Liked the cool breeze that made top areas pleasant while temperatures down in the village got into 90s in mid July. Thankfully, water for refilling containers was available at lodge at top of lower chair lift, say 10 miles in. TheHikingGuy has useful web page and video of the route. Could use portable signs, for photos, like one sees on Mt Gorgonio etc.