There are lots of excellent trail guides on the market. And I've gleaned much from them. The list below is my contribution to the literature for hiking in the San Gabriels / Angeles National Forest, and beyond. My desire is to help you have a great hiking experience in these mountains. In many cases, I offer my take on hikes that are covered by other authors, and in some cases, I present trail descriptions that are hard to find or non-existent in other works. I present two kinds of hike write-ups:
Hike Description - This is a complete trail guide designed to give you all the information you need to successfully hike the trail. In many cases, my write-ups are more accurate and up-to-date than the descriptions you find in popular books.
Hike Report/Blog - This is a narrative of my hike experience on that trail. Usually these are hikes that are well written up in the literature and/or on the web, thus you may need to obtain a good hike description for the necessary details to do the hike.
In the chart below, the hike numbers in the left column are from John Robinson's Trails of the Angeles: 100 Hikes in the San Gabriels, which is my primary hike guidebook for the San Gabriel Mountains. See my Books page for reviews and information about the top trail guides for the San Gabriels.
If you have any suggestions, corrections, updates, or reports, I'd love to hear from you. Contact Dan. Happy hiking!
|
# |
Hike |
Location |
Miles |
Gain |
Per mi |
|
|
Waterfalls of the San Gabriels |
|
|
|
|
|
15 |
Arroyo Seco to Oakwilde |
Altadena / ANF |
10.0 |
900' |
90' |
|
C 19 |
Dawn Mine via Sunset Ridge and Millard Canyon |
Altadena / ANF |
5.0 |
1200' |
480' |
|
C 20 |
Millard Canyon Falls |
Altadena / ANF |
1.4 |
150' |
71' |
|
C (21) |
Tom Sloan Saddle via Sunset Ridge and Millard Canyon |
Altadena / ANF |
7.2 |
2200' |
611' |
|
24 |
Echo Mountain (3207') via Sam Merrill Trail |
Altadena / ANF |
5.0 |
1400 |
560 |
|
25 |
Rubio Canyon |
Altadena / ANF |
1.5 |
380 |
|
|
26 |
Henninger Flats (2550') via Old Mt. Wilson Toll Road / Eaton Canyon |
Altadena / ANF |
5.4 |
1360 |
504 |
|
|
Eaton Canyon Falls via Eaton Canyon Nature Area / Eaton Canyon |
Altadena / ANF |
3.0 |
400 |
266 |
|
(29) |
San Gabriel Peak (6161'), Mt. Disappointment, Mt. Deception, via Red Box (Blog) NEW 11-25-11 |
Mt. Wilson / ANF |
6.2 |
1860 |
|
|
30/32 |
San Gabriel Peak (6161') with Mt. Disappointment, Mt. Markham, and Mt. Lowe via Eaton Saddle |
Mt. Wilson / ANF |
7.4 |
1970 |
532 |
|
(34) |
Bailey Canyon Falls |
Sierra Madre / ANF |
1.2 |
350 |
583 |
|
34/(39) |
Jones Peak (3375') via Bailey Canyon and/or Little Santa Anita Canyon |
Sierra Madre / ANF |
6.6 |
2275 |
689 |
|
39 |
Orchard Camp (2960') via the Mt. Wilson Trail / Little Santa Anita Canyon |
Sierra Madre / ANF |
7.0 |
1990 |
568 |
|
41 |
Sturtevant Falls |
Chantry Flat / ANF |
3.7 |
700 |
378 |
|
41-44 |
Hoegees Camp Loop Hike |
Chantry Flat / ANF |
5.0 |
1080 |
432 |
|
|
Hermit Falls, First Water Trail |
Chantry Flat / ANF |
2.8 |
680 |
514 |
|
|
Monrovia Canyon Falls, Bill Cull Trail |
Monrovia / ANF |
3.4 |
720 |
424 |
|
|
Monrovia Peak (5409') with Rankin and Clamshell Peaks |
Monrovia / ANF |
6.6 |
1977 |
568 |
|
|
Mt. Bliss (3720') via Van Tassel Canyon
|
Azusa / ANF |
8.5 |
2280 |
667 |
|
49 |
Van Tassel Ridge via Fish Canyon trailhead |
Azusa / ANF |
3.8 |
1400 |
737 |
|
49 |
Fish Canyon Falls |
Azusa / ANF |
4.0 |
400 |
200 |
|
|
Garcia Trail to Azusa Peak (2081') |
Azusa / ANF |
3.0 |
1246 |
886 |
|
|
Summit 2843 via Silver Fish Road (2N28) |
Morris Reservoir / ANF |
4.0 |
1300 |
771 |
|
(50) |
Mt. Wilson (5710') via Red Box, West Fork Trail Camp, and Kenyon Devore Trail (Blog) NEW 11-19-11 |
Mt. Wilson / ANF |
9.0 |
2660 |
|
|
58 |
Mt. Hillyer (6162') via Horse Flats |
Chilao area / ANF |
4.6 |
702 |
305 |
|
65 |
Mt. Williamson (8214') loop via Pacific Crest Trail (Blog) NEW 8-25-12 |
Hwy 2 / ANF |
4.5 |
1600 |
|
|
|
Rincon Red Box Road to Summit 2908' |
Hwy 39 / ANF |
7.0 |
1350 |
386 |
|
71 |
Glen Canyon Falls via West Fork San Gabriel River |
Hwy 39 / ANF |
12.6
0.6 |
627 |
95 |
|
73 |
Smith Mountain via Upper Bear Creek Trail |
Hwy 39 / ANF |
7.0 |
1825 |
520 |
|
75 |
Lewis Falls via Soldier Creek
NEW 11-24-11 |
Hwy 39 / ANF |
1.0 |
300 |
600 |
|
76 |
Big Cienega Trail to Islip Ridge |
Crystal Lake / ANF |
3.8 |
1020 |
536 |
|
76 |
Windy Gap Trail to Windy Gap |
Crystal Lake / ANF |
5.0 |
1756 |
703 |
|
76/77 |
Mount Islip (8250') via Hwy 2 and Windy Gap |
Crystal Lake / ANF |
2.8 |
1000 |
714 |
|
(79) |
Hawkins Ridge Loop (Blog) NEW 9-2-12 |
Crystal Lake / ANF |
13.0 |
3333 |
|
|
(80) |
Throop Peak (9138'), Mt. Burnham (8997'), and Mt. Baden-Powell (9399') via Dawson Saddle (Blog) |
Hwy 2 / ANF |
9.3 |
2530 |
|
|
81 |
Mount Baden-Powell (9399') |
Vincent Gap / Hwy 2 / ANF |
8.0 |
2803 |
700 |
|
|
Shoemaker Canyon Road, "The Road to Nowhere" |
East Fork San Gabriel River / ANF |
5.0 |
800 |
320 |
|
84 |
The Bridge to Nowhere and the Narrows via Heaton Flat Ranger Station |
East Fork San Gabriel River / ANF |
10.0 |
1000 |
200 |
|
(86) |
Heaton Flat Trail via Heaton Flat Ranger Station |
East Fork San Gabriel River / ANF |
6.2
8.8 |
2000
3654 |
645
706 |
|
|
Colby Trail to Glendora Mountain Road |
Glendora and Little Dalton Canyon |
3.0 |
540 |
360 |
|
|
Glendora Mountain (3322') |
Glendora Mt. Road / ANF |
2.5 |
300 |
240 |
|
|
Mystic Canyon Trail & Lower Monroe Rd to Summits 2760 & 3397 |
Big Dalton Canyon - Glendora / ANF |
6.0 |
1180 |
526 |
|
|
Marshall Canyon Trail |
La Verne |
5.2 |
1180 |
|
|
|
Potato Mountain (3422') via Evey Canyon Road |
San Anontio Canyon / ANF |
5.0 |
1200 |
480 |
|
|
Stoddard Peak (4624') via Stoddard-Barrett Road |
San Anontio Canyon / ANF |
6.0 |
1100 |
366 |
|
|
Pine Mt.(9648') and Dawson Peak (9575'), via Blue Ridge (Blog) NEW 10-29-11 |
Blue Ridge / SBNF |
6.0 |
3000 |
|
|
91-94 |
Introducing Mt. Baldy |
Mt. Baldy / ANF, SBNF |
|
|
|
|
(92) |
Bear Canyon Trail (Old Mt. Baldy Trail) to Bear Flat and up Baldy's South Ridge (7755') |
Mt. Baldy / ANF |
3.6
7.4 |
1260
3435 |
700
928 |
|
92 |
Mt. Baldy (10,064) via Old Mt. Baldy Trail (Bear Canyon Trail) NEW 10-9-11 |
Mt. Baldy / ANF |
12.8
9.6 |
5744
5744 |
900
900 |
|
91/93 |
Mt. Baldy (Mt. San Antonio) (10,064') via Manker Flats - Devils Backbone Trail / Ski Hut Trail |
Mt. Baldy / ANF |
6.4
8.4 |
2264'
3900' |
707
928 |
|
(93) |
San Antonio Falls |
Mt. Baldy / ANF |
1.2 |
250 |
415 |
|
95 |
Thunder Mt. (8587') / Telegraph Pk. (8985') via Manker Flats and Baldy Notch |
Mt. Baldy / ANF, SBNF |
9.0 |
3525 |
783 |
|
96/95 |
Timber Mountain (8303') via Icehouse Canyon |
Mt. Baldy / ANF, SBNF |
9.0 |
3403 |
756 |
|
96 |
Icehouse Saddle (7555') via Icehouse Canyon |
Mt. Baldy / ANF, SBNF |
7.0 |
2655 |
758 |
|
97 |
Ontario Peak (8693') via Icehouse Canyon |
Mt. Baldy / ANF, SBNF |
12.4 |
3733 |
602 |
|
|
Bighorn Peak (8441') via Icehouse Canyon (Blog) |
Mt. Baldy / ANF, SBNF |
9.5 |
3600 |
|
|
98 |
Cucamonga Peak (8859') via Icehouse Canyon |
Mt. Baldy / ANF, SBNF |
12.0 |
4300 |
716 |
|
...and Beyond |
|
|
Hiking Griffith Park - Overview |
Griffith Park /
Los Angeles |
|
|
|
|
|
Burbank Peak (1690'), Cahuenga Peak (1820'), and Mt. Lee (1680') via West Approach NEW 1-14-12 |
Griffith Park /
Los Angeles |
2.8 |
1400 |
|
|
|
Mt. Lee (1680') - The Hollywood Sign |
Griffith Park /
Los Angeles |
3.0 |
550 |
336 |
|
|
Brush Canyon to Mt. Bell |
Griffith Park /
Los Angeles |
3.75 (est.) |
937 |
|
|
|
Ferndell to Griffith Observatory |
Griffith Park /
Los Angeles |
2.0 |
510 |
510 |
|
|
Griffith Observatory via East Observatory Trail (#11) |
Griffith Park /
Los Angeles |
1.5 |
421 |
561 |
|
|
Mt. Hollywood (1625') via Griffith Observatory |
Griffith Park /
Los Angeles |
3.0 |
500 |
333 |
|
|
Glendale Pk (1184'), Hogback and Mt. Hollywood (1625') |
Griffith Park /
Los Angeles |
4.25 |
1000 |
|
|
|
Beacon Hill (1001') |
Griffith Park /
Los Angeles |
4.0 |
600 |
400 |
|
|
Bee Rock (1056') & Old Zoo Park |
Griffith Park /
Los Angeles |
2.4 |
600 |
500 |
|
|
Verdugo Mountains |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Verdugo Peak (3126') via Wildwood Canyon Park (Blog) NEW 12-20-12 |
Verdugo Mts. /
Burbank |
5.6 |
1800 |
|
|
|
Dan's Hawaiian Adventures
Hikes in O'ahu |
|
|
|
|
Hikes / Trails
Forest Closure: The Station Fire of Sept. 2009 resulted in the closure of 294,317 acres of the Angeles National Forest. On May 25, 2012, the FS opened about 41,000 acres of land previously closed, which lowers the total closure area to 45,194 acres.