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    Potato Mountain

    4.5 (144 reviews)

    Potato Mountain Photos

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    Emily M.

    Make sure you stop at the store to grab a potato before you make this hike! You'll want to place a potato at the top!

    Our potato at the top hehe
    Hannah S.

    Super fun hike with great views, especially from the top! I found this to be an extremely pleasant hike - it's a mostly gradual incline, lots of shade, wide trail, polite hikers - very decent. The ground is rocky and uneven a lot of the way but it's definitely very manageable. We went 5.4 miles and gained 1224 feet and we spent about 3 1/2 hours doing it very leisurely - I take a lot of photos and we spent a lot of time at the top having fun so it adds time on. AllTrails calls this hike moderate and I think that's accurate. There are spots where the incline can be intense, but for the most part it's gradual. I'd say this trail is probably about 60-70% shade as well. And along the first mile or so, you can hear a nice flowing stream down in the ravine! At the top there's a raised, circular cement area where everyone places their potato offerings lol! We brought a potato and decorated it to mark the occasion lol! Super fun! There used to be a cool sign at the top that you could take a picture with, but sadly it was gone - apparently it was there last week so not sure what happened. The trail is very heavily trafficked. Tons of hikers, a few mountain bikers, and even a crazy unicycler skirting the rim of the trail!! We got there at around 730am on Sunday and it was already packed. By the time we got back to the car around 11am, parking was already 3 rows deep and becoming hard to find (see my pics). There's plenty of room for social distancing and most of the hikers aren't wearing masks which is not an issue for me but if you're at all scared of this kind of scenario, don't do this hike. For the most part, the hikers and bikers (and unicycler lol!) are polite and respectful. There's a little graffiti along the trail sadly. And we really only had one weird encounter - a woman pulled her pants down and peed on the trail - yes, the actual trail right in front of us - no modesty, no cover, just naked and peeing on the trail and left her toilet paper right there too. I was shocked and appalled to say the least lol. But this is LA and a very packed trail so just be aware you might get some weird stuff going on. The trailhead has signs saying "no public access" and "no trail access". I knew that before coming and tried to research but still don't know why, bc everyone enters here. I'm guessing maybe they just don't want anyone parking there. At the entrance, there's a yellow gate across the trail, but there's a hiker entrance opening just to the left, like so many other trails out here so it must be allowed. Not to mention that there are TONS of hikers entering. Parking is in a gravel lot about 1/4 mile away. After you park, you have to walk along the road and it's a little scary bc there's a lot of fast traveling cars and such - so just be careful. Also, there are no bathrooms.

    Potato souvenirs
    Liz J.

    After our hike today, I can say this is going to be one of our favorite hikes. There are lots of parking along the road and we walked to the entrance. The trail is clear and easy to follow. These yellow flowers along the trails smells so sweet. Steady incline, not so rocky, weather today was perfect. We took our time and stopped couple of times to rest. It was 4.6 miles round trip, 1400 ft elevation, took us about 3-1/2 hrs because we took a lot of stops. There were lots of people on the top just enjoying the view and having snacks. We took couple of pictures and then head back down. This is easy to moderate hike.

    Yellow Gate Entrance to the Potato Mtn Trailhead
    Kenneth L.

    I visited Potato Mtn on Jan 2021 and wanted to share my tips from the hike! PROS 1) moderate hike and a majority of the hike is shaded by trees. Less shade obviously as you get higher to the top. 2) the hiking trail is fairly wide, which is great during covid times. 3) Bring your own potato to leave at the shrine if you wish! 4) roundtrip is ~5.5 miles and took about 2 to 2.5 hrs. Elevation gain is ~1300ft. CONS 1) This is just a warning, but if you google map "potato mtn trailhead", it will take you to an unmarked trail head entrance with a no public access sign (refer to photo). Despite the signage, many people still use the trail. I can confirm that the trail does lead to the potato mtn summit. About 0.2miles before the entrance on google map, one will bypass a giant dirt parking area, which is where one will park. Be careful walking to the entrance as there is NO pedestrian walkway or bike path. If you've walked to the "welcome to Angeles National Park sign, you've walked too far. The trail head entrance should have a yellow gate. As a visitor to the area, this weird entrance threw me off, but I sorta followed the crowd lol. Enjoy the hike and the views!

    David Keith C.

    No sign where the trailhead starts was a pain. It took me like 30 mins to go round and round to find it. I eventually found it on YouTube. The trail itself was fun. It was steep, but not that steep. Well, up until the very end it got pretty steep for a beginner/mid hiker level. There was a little stream (maybe a river) which was calming. Overall, it's a pretty good trail with a good view in the end.

    Our potatoes from 2 years ago :)
    Tina H.

    Such an awesome hike with beautiful views. Me and the hubby got our hike on! We even brought our potatoes for the top of the mountain:) It's a nice moderate hike, but can be difficult for first timers.

    The end of potato mountain
    Lorraine B.

    This was tricky to find but easily became one of my favorites! It's a pretty easy hike; there's a gradual incline at the beginning while your body is still warming up so it feels a little hard, and incline at the end but your body is warmed up by then and it feels like nothing. Between that it's just good views and a fun hike! I highly recommend !

    Ed T.

    Nice views from the top! About 5 mile round trip starting from the parking lot. This took about 2 hours with some rest at the top. Parking isn't allowed at the trailhead so you need to park about 1/4 miles down at a big dirt parking lot. The parking lot will be on the right side if you're coming up from Claremont. Continue to walk up the mountain road on the right side until you see an trail opening across the street. Cross the street and walk past a yellow barrier. The last one mile to the top was somewhat intense due to the inclines! Good workout though.

    AMAZING!!!

    It was AMAZING!!! totally kids friendly hike . It was 4 of us my kids ages range from 11 yrs old ...9yrs old and my 6yrs old we all made it to the top of potatoe mt. It was worth it and definitely coming back again !! The view is AMAZING! i read ppl can take up to 2 hrs going up to 3 1/2 hrs we made it in 1 hrs with 30 mins with lots of breaks . Pack water and snacks.

    Svetlana S.

    Since hiking was the best non-covid activity of 2020, we started 2021 with a hike as well! Potato Mountain was an easy to mild difficulty and worked out great on a chilly January morning. It is on the way to Mt Baldy, so gets a bit more crowded on weekends. The trail is about 6 miles long, and it took us an hour to get up (no stops) and about 30 min to get down, with 30 minutes to spare and enjoy the views on the top. Most of the hike is a pleasant walk up in the shade of the mountain (at least at 8 am), and the last mile is a bit more strenuous with a steeper incline. As usual, you get a beautiful view of the SGV, but I did not care much for the "potato platform" with all the signs and graffiti... There is a small parking lot on the west sound of the road, and you will need to walk 5-6 min, cross the road, and start the hike at the schlagbaum.

    Amazing
    Dan J.

    We picked a perfect day to hike here. The views and vistas were out of this world! This trail rates as a moderate hike and, in my opinion, it's exactly that. A steady climb takes you up the mountain until you reach a sign that points you to Potato Mountain. From there, it's tough. The ascension is steeper but once at top, it makes it all worth it! Would definitely recommend!

    Trailhead
    Amy M.

    Let me start by saying this is not as easy as some of these reviews make it sound. Whoa is it a tough steady uphill climb! The whole way up I kept asking myself what in the duck did I get myself into, and asking myself why people like to torture their bodies with uphill hiking! Well the answers to those questions is arriving at the peak of potato mountain, knowing that you conquered that hike to the top all on your own! The views are amazing, and taking a look at all the potatoes is pretty fun! Everyone is incredibly friendly along the trail. Lots of older folks walking along the trail. The sound of the creek running along the north side of the trail sounds so refreshing and offers a few perfect picture taking moments, and one spot even had a great little area you could rest your weary legs. It's very rocky along the trail and to be honest I don't know how people do it with just a pair of tennis shoes. I had hiking boots on and my feet are sore from all the rocks. I almost tripped on one rock on the way down too. So be careful! There was plenty of shade on the way up and a few very sunny spots. It's a bit windy at the top so although no shade, if felt so amazing up there. Will definitely attempt this again. It's hard but I survived and I feel better for getting up and getting out there, while trying something new! Adventure Awaits!

    Views at the top of Potato Mtn
    Tina S.

    I recently went on this hike with my hubs after having it bookmarked for years. We parked at the North lot of the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park on Mills Ave because I knew our car would be safe there from vandalism- the Claremont park rangers are frequently patrolling the lots. I do NOT recommend parking on Mt. Baldy Rd- first, it is a no parking zone so you can get cited for a $50 ticket, second, tons of traffic accidents happen between pedestrians and vehicles all the time, and lastly, your car has a a very high likelihood of getting broken into. I highly recommend paying the $5 on weekdays or $7 on weekends and park in a safer lot for your own peace of mind. Once you enter the loop, it will add 5 miles to your hike- bringing the total to around 9 miles. As you walk-in you'll come to a fork that splits to the left and right, labeled Burbank Canyon Mtn Way (left) and Cobal Canyon (right)- take Cobal Canyon. You can take Burbank, but it'll add more miles and time to your hike. You'll hike through a shaded area for around 0.50 miles, and after that, it'll be full sun, no shade for almost the rest of the way. Once your up about 1.5 miles, you'll see a yellow gate with a sign stating you're leaving the CHWP and entering Evey Canyon. It'll list Potato Mtn. You'll go through that gate. Then it's a steady incline and there are clear signs along the way to help you navigate. It is a rocky hike, and once you leave the loop, we had the trail pretty much to ourselves on a weekday. Once at the top, I was sad to see graffiti- next time I'm bringing spray paint to paint over it. The views made up for it though. I was able to see all the way to downtown LA and beyond. If it wasn't for the smog, I bet I could see all the way to Catalina Island. We didn't bring a potato. I wish I had brought a small picnic- like sandwiches to eat once you're up at the top. Of course, practice good hike etiquette- pack your trash out, never leave any garbage behind. The trail was pretty clean so I think many are following the etiquette. Note: Wear a hat, whatever sun protection you want, sunblock, and bring plenty of water. Once you pass the gates at the loop, there is no water source. If you bring your dogs, bring lots of water for them as well. The park rangers have mentioned dogs have died in their Wilderness park due to careless owners not bringing enough water for their dogs- don't be that person- it'll be devastating for you and a sad way to go for your fur babies. Don't forget- it is way hotter for your dogs to be lower to the ground, combined with fur, and no way to sweat. Truthfully, I don't recommend this hike for dogs. Please keep that in mind. I didn't bring my dogs because 9 miles is way too many miles for my Shibas in full sun, along with knowing there'll be rattlesnakes, tarantulas, bears, coyotes and mountain lions. If they were to get a snake bite, it wouldn't look good. The park rangers patrol just the Claremont portion. Potato Mtn is in the Angeles forest and a different jurisdiction- and the trail is not able to accommodate vehicles easily as some parts are too narrow- most like you'd have to be airlifted out. Wear shoes with traction, as the trail is kind of rocky. I brought hiking sticks to help with the downhill. Weekends will def be busier. There is poison oak so try to keep your hands off any three leaf plants. If you mountain bike, this trail isn't for the novice biker. You'll reach some serious downhill speed. I saw one mountain biker and the hill was so rocky and steep at one point he was walking his bike up. I would hike it first to see if you think you can bike it. Since it is shared with hikers, they'd be in the way. I like mountain biking in designated mtn biking trails like in Moab, Utah. Anyway, enough of my tips on safety. I heard what happens on these hikes so I want to make sure everyone stays safe and enjoy it the fullest. This is a fun trail that's marked well and is a relatively easier hike because of the steady incline. Still kicked my butt. I would say it is an intermediate level hike, def not a beginner hike. If you are out of shape, this hike will be hard. Don't listen to the reviews saying this hike is easy. Combine the hike with the usual SoCal heat and it'll be challenging. It is not a beginner's hike, the downhill is steep and will be hard for anyone with knee issues. Going up will burn the heck out of your booty. It is a good workout hike, but not for those who don't really workout.

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    2 years ago

    Such a breathtaking hike! It is so much fun & well worth the hard hike. It takes about an hour & a half to go up & down!

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    2 years ago

    Faded of that Henny. Pendleton Rye whiskey fire. The hike was great gooD scenery. Pretty steep but do able

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Potato Mountain

    Do you have to pay for parking? Also can you go at night?

    Park 1/4 mile down from Yellow Gate trail head at big dirt parking lot by San Antonio Dam. Free parking

    Is it good for infants?

    No. Unless you want to carry the infant all the way up

    How long does it take to complete this trail?

    Depends on your experience as a hiker and how fast or slow you walk. I would say 45 minutes to an hour.

    Are dogs allowed?

    Yes on a leash. Take water gets hot there and bags to pick up after your friendly friend.

    Has anyone hiked this trail with a stroller?

    Honestly I probably wouldn't recommend it the trail gets really rough when it starts to climb and I know you will struggle to push over huge rocks. I would say go with friends to gauge whether you think you can do it. FYI I did see a few people have… Read more

    Do u need to get permit to hike Potato Mtn?

    No you don't, just stay on the trail.

    View All 8 Questions

    Review Highlights - Potato Mountain

    The entrance is marked by a yellow gate with a private property/no trespassing sign (more on this later).

    Mentioned in 18 reviews

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    Eucalyptus Trail Loop

    Eucalyptus Trail Loop

    4.5(60 reviews)
    12.7 mi

    The Eucalyptus Loop Trail continues to be one of my local favorites! It's easy-to-moderate, with a…read morefew inclines here and there, and of course the cows and horses that make the 2.5 miles feel totally worth it! This time I brought a friend and two of my dogs (the trail is dog-friendly as long as they're leashed). We arrived about an hour and a half before sunset on a Thursday and started from the left side of the Community Center parking lot where the painted rocks are. The mile markers every 0.5 miles also help with letting you know how far you've come and how much is left. There were plenty of other hikers out too, like families, kids, fellow dog owners, etc. Golden hour made everything look extra pretty, like the green spring hills, open meadows, and even the sky. With some photo breaks, it took us about 1.5 hours to complete the hike, but you could easily finish in under an hour if you're not constantly stopping to admire the views lol. Next time, I think I'd start from the right side so the cows and horses show up earlier in the loop instead of being the "final reward" at the end haha

    This is actually the McCoy Trail Loop. The names on social media and yelp are incorrect. Make sure…read moreyou check Google Maps and the signs. If you take the Eucalyptus Trail Loop you will be mostly on city streets, which will eventually take you only partially through the scenery. Once you go on the right loop, the McCoy loop is the beautiful trail other reviewers have mentioned, with animals, scenic views, and an easy walk.

    Photos
    Eucalyptus Trail Loop
    Eucalyptus Trail Loop
    Eucalyptus Trail Loop

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    Johnson's Pasture

    Johnson's Pasture

    4.3(18 reviews)
    3.2 mi

    As I lay here in bed wide awake at 4am thanks to my screaming thighs & booty I thought it fitting…read moreto write my review. What an amazing workout! It was actually pretty tough if you follow the AllTrails trailhead hike because you start at the top, work your way around the loop then down onto the Thompson Creek Trail and back up the Sycamore Canyon steps. Who in the heck wants to go back up again to end your hike?! Not me! I'll tell you why... To back track... I parked at the top of Mountain in a residential area. I took the far left trailhead and hiked up a rocky slope. Absolutely the most beautiful views right away to see. I got to the top and started the loop. It's gorgeous! Nice wide pathways through a beautiful pasture of grass and trees. The sound of birds chirping away. This part of the hike was relatively peaceful and easy. Next comes the hike up to to the tower. Not too tough, but you can feel it in your legs. As you get to the top it's all down hill on a paved road and it's steep! By the time I got down to Thompson Creek Trail my legs were like jello. As I walked along Thompson Creek Trail which is peaceful and filled with people, I didbt realize what was in store for me next. All I knew was I went down down down and I had to go up up up again. As I turned into Sycamore Canyon trailhead I saw the stairs. I thought ok how hard can this be? It's dang hard when your legs are feeling like jello!! I had to take many a quick breaks to catch my breath and rest my weary legs. I didn't think I was going to make it back to my car. I thought they might have to airlift me out. But eventually I got to the top and enjoyed the city views and all the haze. Took a quick uncle rest on a bench and wandered back to my car. Let me tell you I am never starting at the top again! I mean really who does that? I'm paying the price this morning with extremely burning achy muscles. But was it worth it??? Without a frriggin doubt! Can't wait to give my legs some rest and do it all over again starting at the bottom!

    I love this hiking trail. It is more secluded and peaceful…read more Very easy hike except the first part.

    Photos
    Johnson's Pasture - Drucker Hiking Society hike to Johnsons Pasture 3/2/2011

    Drucker Hiking Society hike to Johnsons Pasture 3/2/2011

    Johnson's Pasture - Awesome spot to walk or hike

    Awesome spot to walk or hike

    Johnson's Pasture

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    Potato Mountain - hiking - Updated May 2026

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