"Life is but a wanderlust." - The Boss Let us begin this…read moreholiday hiking trail review. Owl Trail is a short loop half-mile trail Cherry Canyon Park that connects Flint Canyon Trail to Cerro Negro Trail. It's located in Hampstead Rd and Cherry Canyon Motorway in La Cañada Flintridge, CA. I came late morning after Christmas (12/26) and savoring the warm weather (75F). The trail is considered Easy Moderate for experienced hikers with an elevation gain of 390 feet. Moreover, the Owl Trail, Cherry Motorway, and Liz's Loop is a loop trail with a distance of 1.57 miles. The northeastern portion of the Owl trail from Flint Canyon trail to the trail marker is a beautiful shady trail among magical oaks. The upper portion of Cerro Negro Trail is steep and rocky which lead to Five Points and Sugar Loaf. The trail is doggo friendly, single friendly, married friendly, family friendly, good for running, biking and dancing. Lol. ;D The trails were well kept and free of graffiti. Furthermore, the trail has ample of direction sign post which was helpful. I spent roughly 2 hours (6.07 km) hiking, a perfect cardio workout. As for parking, there's no designated parking area for visitors. Thus, park along Hampstead road but careful the road has Tow Away Zone. Overall, I enjoyed hiking Owl trail and it's other interconnected trails. I recommend this trailhead.

The Owl Trail is probably my favorite in Cherry Canyon. It is sheltered by mature Oak trees for at…read moreleast half the way to the top. The trail starts on the left when you enter the main entrance to Cherry Canyon on Hampstead Rd. It is a nice cardio workout because it goes uphill the whole way and gets really steep in some parts. The erosion of a few parts of the trail makes it a little slippery, so make sure you wear some shoes with tread on them. My son was wearing his Vans and I was amazed he didn't slip or fall going up. There is also a section with a lot of loose rocks, so watch your step. I much prefer going up this trail than going down. I have gone down it once and that was enough. To get to the top of the trail it is .68 miles and about 332 feet in elevation gains. You heart rate should increase quite a bit if you don't stop or are talking to a friend. When you get to the top of the trail you will intersect the Ridge Motorway. You can either turn left and extend your hike up to the Lookout Station, take a little trail called The Ultimate Destination Trail on the left or just head toward Glendale. If you chose to take the Ridge Motorway to Glendale then you can take a detour to the Catalina Verdugo Trail by the Glendale Sports Complex. If you turn right on Ridge Motorway when you get to the top of the Owl Trail you can do a loop to get you back down to the bottom. When you see the paved road on the left there will be large signs for Descanso Motorway and Cherry Canyon Motorway. To get back to you car take Cherry Canyon Motorway. If you want to take the Descanso Motorway you can add a few miles to you hike. I would suggest that you park another car down by Descanso Gardens or you'll just have to walk back along Descanso Drive to Chevy Chase and then Hampstead Road. Miscellaneous Information: The La Canada Trails Council indicates that the Owl Trail is .53 miles, but I measured it on Map My Hike and it is .68 miles from the bottom to the Ridge Motorway. http://www.lcftrails.org There are waste bins and bags at the bottom of the trail, so if you forget your doggie waste bags then grab a couple. Please pick up after your dog.

Had so much fun hiking here with my bsf. Arrived at 5:40 AM and finished right before noon. In my…read moreopinion, the trail was a little difficult (physically) because of how steep it is on the way down, though, it was worth the knee discomfort lol.

This is my favorite hiking spot…read more Parking is free and easy to find unlike some other hikes. The 2.5 miles to the railroad is all a small narrow incline. I would recommend wearing hiking shoes and not nmds like me. I felt every rock and almost slipped but it was all i had. I always feel accomplished after this hike and i love seeing the Gumby rock at the top.

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.

May your trails be long, crooked, lonesome, rugged leading to the most magnificent view. Now…read morewithout further ado let's begin this glorious hike review. ;D Beaudry Loop Hike is a 5.5-mile loop trail located in Verdugo Mt near La Cresenta and Glendale, California. The trail is moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 3 hours to complete. Also, it has other interconnected trails within the loop. BLH is a popular area for hiking, mountain biking, dog walking and running, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. Furthermore, this loop trail has an elevation gain of 1,515 feet that provide gorgeous view of LA and surrounding cities. I hiked this loop trail on a cool Tuesday (12/06) morning where very little to no hikers on the trail. As you go deeper into the trail's bosom, you will see some wild plants and flowers and other creatures. The trails are very wide, well kept and has adequate shade on certain parts. The entrance of Beaudry Loop trail (intersection of Beaudry Terrace and Beaudry blvd) is somewhat hidden but a yellow metal thick gate is where you enter. There is one thing certain that no quiescent mind hiking this trailhead. As for parking, there are plenty of street parking around the neighborhood. In this voluminous review, it's time to make a conclusion. Overall, I enjoyed hiking this trail and it's magnificent view from the summit. I wholeheartedly recommend this trail.

This hike is not for the faint of heart. I believe it's a full 7 miles if you do the entire loop…read morebut we ended up taking a shorter route which made it a total of 5 miles. I've attempted this hike once before and failed to do the loop as I started later in the day and wasn't able to finish it; however, I just recently went again with a few of my friends and this time was able to accomplish it within, I want to say 3-4 hours? I wasn't tracking it but it was a good hike--recommend going early to beat the heat or maybe in the afternoon so it's not hot. My only recommendation is to take the path on the right first when you come across the split at the Beaudry Loop since there's shading from the trees and it's much easier, as it felt like it was a steady incline. Also, when coming back down from the other side, it was steeper but much easier to come down than to hike uphill, which I did the first time I did this hike. A great, challenging hike for anyone who is currently looking for new places to climb. Due to the fires in Eaton Canyon and Malibu, there are less options to trek at the moment but this is a solid choice. This is nestled in a neighborhood so you'll end up parking your car either at the front entrance or in front of other people's homes. Will definitely come back again next time to conquer the full trail but with more ample time of course.

Sunday I hike with a friend through red box parking lot to do San Gabriel 5 peaks Circular a total…read moreof 13 miles. The wind was wild but we did all 5 peaks. Mt Lowe Summit was a moderate hike a lot people hike these trail is very common and there is a bench for lunch and the views are amazing. Recommended to do Mt Markham, Mt Disappointment, Mt Deception and San Gabriel Peak since all are close by and you can do a loop. Look in All trails San Gabriel 5 Peaks Circular and you can download the map. Enjoy the trails and please leave no trace.

We spent about 4 hours on this trail recently and due to beginning in the afternoon and not being…read moreequipped to stay after dark we turned back to be finished after sunset. We've been to Echo Mountain tons of times, but hadn't been on the backside Railway ever. This trail is mainly a fire road, which never feels like you're really hiking being on a paved road. It was still an enjoyable hike and we were able to see several historic markers from the old Railway and the Alpine Tavern remains. We did not continue onto Inspiration Point from this trail due to the time of day but have been there before from another trail. The area we covered seemed to be nearly 12 miles according to my Fitbit, so perhaps we weren't so far off from the turn back which would have made this a loop. Instead we turned back at Alpine Tavern and headed back the exact way we'd come up. If you're looking to cover a bit of ground and get outdoors I'd say this is a nice option. It was nice to see a few new things up here. It was a cool day and I only wore my hydration running pack which is about 20oz of water, I didn't finish it all and in some areas closer to Alpine Tavern it was a bit chilly so packing an additional layer may be a nice option.

Sunday I hike with a friend through red box parking lot to do San Gabriel 5 peaks Circular a total…read moreof 13 miles. The wind was wild but we did all 5 peaks. San Gabriel peaks was a moderate hike not the many people and there is bench and have two plaques if you want to take pictures with it The view is ok..... Recommended to do Mt Markham, Mt Disappointment, Mt Deception and Mt Lowe since all are close by and you can do a loop. Look in All trails San Gabriel 5 Peaks Circular and you can download the map. Enjoy the trails and please leave no trace.

Fantastic local hike - definitely one of the easier peaks in the area in terms of strenuous level…read more But if you're afraid of heights (like me) then it's a feat of psychological endurance as well haha! Amazing views follow you almost the entire trail - on clear days you see the whole SGV from multiple spots along the trail, not just the top! The trail is well maintained but has definitely experienced some washout from all these storms. It's extremely narrow with no safety enhancements so take your time and be careful. A lot of the time you're up against the wall of the mountain with sheer drops on the other side of you. It's all very rocky and loose gravel too. I recommend hiking boots with good traction and poles! I don't usually bring my poles but they were a lifesaver on this trail. I was more terrified on this trail than even Angels Landing in Zion so it's definitely not for the faint of heart if you're scared of heights haha! There were patches of snow and ice at the top - I really was wishing for my spikes. It was slippery and scary - and yes, I slid back down on my butt for part of it haha! No shame! The top has amazing views on clear days. The clouds came rolling in right as I made it up so I didn't get to see the valley but the clouds were very dramatic and beautiful- and made it haunting and eerie on the way down. So worth it! There are several places you can start the hike from - I started from the Eaton Saddle trailhead as it's the most straightforward. AllTrails tells you it's 2.8 miles but my tracker read 3.5 miles at the end. You'll gain just over 1030 feet in elevation - half of that elevation gain is in the last half mile so be prepared - it's a great workout and totally doable. If I can do it, you can do it! You pass through Mueller Tunnel pretty early on - it was flooded at the end from all this rain - but if you keep to the right there's some shallow rocks you can cross on to keep dry. After about a mile (maybe less) you'll come to a crossroads - the left takes you to the Mt Lowe trails so keep right for San Gabriel peak. The next crossroads you come to, you'll also keep right. If you go left, you can also summit Mt Disappointment- I skipped it to save my energy but it doesn't add too much - less than a mile I think but several hundred feet in elevation is gained. The top of the peak is just over 6160 feet so it's a great vantage point - it's even higher than Mt Wilson!! There used to be a sign and a registry box up there but they were both gone when I went sadly. The parking lot is small at the trailhead but I had no issues - I arrived around 1030am on a weekday. To get there, put "Eaton saddle trailhead" into your gps - don't put "San Gabriel Peak" bc it'll take you on a wild goose chase - and that's why I got such a late start lol! It's a lovely drive along highway 2 and you turn into Red Box - there are bathrooms right at that turn so I recommend to stop there bc there aren't any on the trailhead or along the trail. There are also bathroom stops along highway 2 on the way. An adventure pass is required to park - but the national parks pass works too. Such a great challenge and you can't beat the views! Highly recommend!

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.

This trail (and by the way I have no idea how it got its name) is hidden in the hills above…read moreGlendale and La Crescenta. It's one of my favorite hikes in the area because it's pretty strenuous, yet it's all uphill out and downhill back (my favorite kind of hike). I love it because you got some pretty awesome views after just a few minutes of hiking. In fact I think this trail has some of the best views of the Crescenta Valley in the area. The Yelp directions are really accurate but parking is limited as it's in a residential area. I was lucky enough to hike on a weekday and have no idea what it would be like on a weekend; I found parking easily and didn't see another soul, other than a gazillion lizards. Be safe, take a cell phone and any other safety gear that's needed. And don't forget water.