Had so much fun hiking here. We climbed to the peak of a couple mountains, made it to two stone…read morepiles. Our starting point was at the opposite way of the loop, the trail wasn't very clear but we kept moving forward. We began hiking around 9 AM made 4 or 5 stops and finished at 5:40PM, I started tracking the distance roughly by the 3rd hour of our hike and it marked 14.7 miles. Most of the signs up were all rusty and unreadable. The combination of strong and cold winds, the rocky trail, a loose sandy ground on the steep areas were to die for- literally. Some parts were incredibly challenging but it was an exhilarating experience.

Will never give nature less than 5 stars but this was a CHALLENGING hike. So beautiful and plenty…read moreof rest points to break up the hike but man was I feeling it afterwards. We packed plenty of water and snacks and followed the trail etiquette(downhill hikers mover over to uphill hikers, ect) Our figure 8 route included: 2.5 miles to echo Another 2 to inspiration point where we sat and ate a quick lunch- love the telescopes all over!! Another 1.5 to Mt Lowe! This part was definitely the hardest for me, quite a bit of elevation gain in a small space but I did it! The swing wasn't at the top but still a gorgeous view. 10/10 would hike again and a great conditioning hike for Mt Wilson!

Wonderful trail in Whittier with a couple of different options (easy/hard) and free parking. This…read morearea is hilly, so you can choose a real work-out or take a more leisurely stroll. Perfect spot for a family hike and to learn about nature. Free admission. Take water and sunscreen. Great views of the whole LA basin if you make it to the top!

I always enjoy a great hike! The path stretches about 3.3 miles round trip with a gentle 300+ ft…read moreelevation gain just enough to feel like a workout, but still very beginner friendly. The highlight for me is the canopy of beautiful sycamore trees that offers plenty of shade, especially in the warmer months. During the fall, the changing leaves are stunning and make the whole trail feel like something out of a postcard. The trail is clean and quiet, with restrooms available near the entrance and easy parking (a mix of onsite and street parking). It's also well-marked, so you don't have to worry about getting lost. Sycamore Canyon is open from 9 AM to 6 PM in summer and 9 AM to 5 PM during the rest of the year. Just make sure to bring water, as there aren't any drinking fountains along the trail. All in all, this trail is a perfect mix of accessibility and natural beauty. Whether you're hiking solo, with a friend, or just need a mental reset, Sycamore Canyon delivers every time. Highly recommended! You will enjoy and have fun at the same time.

I did the trail counterclockwise. And that was by accident. Usually I like to do the steepest part…read moreon the outbound leg. In the end, I think I made the right decision. As one of the other reviewers mentioned, the only way to ascend going clockwise is to do so on your hands and knees. Coming down that stretch was pretty death-defying, although my hiking boots definitely proved their worth. Once you get off the main trail, most of the ascent and descent is grown over. Wearing shorts, that meant getting some pretty serious bushwhacking. Although somehow I escaped without any cuts or bruises. Weather could not have been more perfect. High clouds, no direct sunlight, and a decent breeze. Parking is on the street in a residential neighborhood, but it seems pretty safe. That said, there isn't much curbside parking. I am not one who enjoys an early morning hike. On a May afternoon I started around 1400 and finished around 1800. Perfect timing.

This trail was brutal especially for my older badminton friend who had to stop several times on the…read moreincline. Parking is on the street with limited space on Saturday morning! Looked like there were a few trails that branch off as you hike further in. Many people on this trail until you hit the last 1 mile to Jones Peak. The trail was very narrow; some areas can only fit 1-2 people so watch your steps! This was supposed to be a 5.3 mile loop, however we missed a turn and it ended up being 6.83 miles. We ended up at Bailey Canyon Park which was 0.75 miles away from where we parked. My friend was dead tired to walk that 0.75 miles so he called his wife to pick us up. Haha

Its a hidden spot theres no signs so make sure you follow the exact lin point of your maps app…read more Theres no parking so parki alongside the road if find an open spot. Only way i found the opening was from people exiting the spot. It was off putting to see people disposing their trash right by the opening i guess people camp around here.. I would rate the hike moderate theres no guided path so use yoir instincts to navigate through here. You will reach a point to proceed once you reach the waterfall with a rope to climb up. I didnt go up i think its smarter if you bring gloves and good hiking boots cuz there are large rocks and boulders to climb over Please dont leave a trace

The most difficult part is finding the start of the trailhead. Once you pass the graffiti tower,…read moreyou are close! You'll also see some signage saying North Fork. I would keep an eye out for an opening in overgrown vegetation. It is off the 39. The cars parked out front help as well. There is limited parking and I'd say 10-12 cars max fit on the same side of the trailhead. Pros: clean and secluded. I think I counted about a dozen people total on my hike in and back. Con: short lol The trail has a good amount of shade and smaller falls and streams along the way. You'll transverse several rocks and low crossings and fallen trees so waterproof boots are best. I had my 65lbs senior pitlab mix with me on our hike. I had to lift and carry him over some of the rocks. Since it rained yesterday, portions of the trail were muddy. Visited on 1.16.22

I wanted to find a trail that was secluded and didn't have mass crowds following me my entire hike…read more This trail is not too much further than most of the other "popular" tourist hikes available in the surrounding area, however, it is very isolated. My buddy and I hiked over 4 hours and never saw or heard a single soul. This fact alone makes the hike worth the small drive. As far as difficulty, the original hike down is pretty straight forward. There are some steep cliffs with very little room for error at certain points. While this isn't immediately frightening for the average hiker, I wouldn't recommend it for the faint of heart. Just be sure to watch your step! It will seem easy at first because you are going down the whole time. Remember, the way back up isn't your run-of-the-mill trek. . You must make your way back up the same route you originally came down. Keep this in mind and be sure your in good enough shape to complete the hike. Bring lots of water and stay hydrated. Most importantly, be sure to buy a day pass for parking or you will be fined. You can pick one up for $5 at Big 5 and other participating locations. I how you enjoy it as much as did!

It doesn't seem like many people hike through here as much since the fire…read more I ran into fresh snake holes on the trail, so be careful. Snakes usually avoid humans, so hopefully if more people start using the trail they will move somewhere safer. There's lots of tall and itchy vegetation growing near and on the trail, I reccomend to wear pants. Overall, it's a lovely trail with an amazing view. The camground is clear and spacious. The first stream crossing you'll encounter is barely a trickle. Dont worry! There's more water the further you hike and enough at the campsite to filter some water. It's not a pool anymore, but its deep enough to go halfway up your calves.

I write this review exactly 25 years to the day from hiking it. I had to make sure it was perfect…read more No, actually, I am just checking my journals and discovered on April 12, 2000, I hiked the trail. My journal says something worth sharing: "Went to Monrovia Canyon Park and hiked the Ben Overturff Trail*.  There was a little waterfall. Took pic.  There was also a little rattlesnake, a baby that I almost stepped on.  Turns out baby rattlesnakes are more deadly because it's like venom concentrate.  I could tell it was a baby snake because it had a rattle." Point is, watch out for rattlesnakes, especially the babies.

Maybe more of a 3.5 than 4 stars…read more Location- I like that it isn't too far to get to (at least for me)...conveniently located near the 210 & 605 fwys Parking- $6 fee; rangers don't open the gate until 7 am on weekends but you can park down in the residential area for free and walk a little less than a mile to access the trail and start it earlier *btw this is the same entrance you use to do the Monrovia falls hike We parked near the Trask Scout Reservation sign (see attached pic) and there is a paved road with a sign that says authorized vehicles only...we took that steep road up and passed the dam and got to the trailhead about a mile later. You can pick either of two trails at this point (see attached pic). The one to the left which we took has little stone columns to pass through and is a narrow somewhat steep trail that you stay on for about 2 miles until you reach an area with other trails connecting and we opted to go right and it had an arrow with the word bathroom and that led us back down to complete the loop on the wider fire access type of road so we did the loop clockwise and it took us back down to the trailhead (I used the All Trails app). You then take the same road down past the dam to the parking lot Distance- 6.7 miles RT Elevation gain- about 1,600 ft Duration- between 2-3 hrs Difficulty- moderate

We started the hike around 9am on 12/3. The first 2 miles are very easy, then it's all uphill. We…read moreused the All Trails Map and we got to the peak with no problem. On our way back gets very slippery it's all downhill, be cautious and wear proper shoes. We saw two ladies falling multiple times and we ended up helping them. Take your time and go slow. We did it in almost 4hrs. It was 7.44 miles complete. Enjoy the trails and please leave no trace.

Red box gap picnic area parking lot on Hwy 2 is right across from the start of Strawberry trail. A…read morefew things to note, around 1.2 miles into the trail there will be a split without a sign indicating where the trails lead. Continue heading north (or to the right) to stay on Strawberry. Again around 2.5 miles there will be another split, closer to the left side going up you'll see the marker indicating Strawberry. The trail is relatively "easy" the first 2 .5 miles. The last mile to the peak is where the climbs start to kick it. There will be a few parts where you're climbing over rocks, and for a few moments it might seem like you may be off trail, but you'll be able to glance around and see if you're still on path. The closer you get to the peak you'll hit about 2 false peaks, but don't be discouraged the actual summit is close in distance, you just have a little more climbing to do. My picture don't to the peak much justice. While the views aren't as amazing as Cucamonga peak, you'll still have some nice views of the mountain range to the north and Downtown LA to the south west. So far out of the So Cal six peak challenge alternate peaks this one might be my favorite since the hike is a combination of a relaxed walk & some intense climbs. One last thing to note, the trail is on the outside of the mountain so there isn't too much shade from trees so make sure your properly prepared during the summer time.

Make no mistake: unless you are an experienced hiker or a triathlete, or a trail-running…read moremarathoner, or maybe a Jack Russell Terrier who just had an espresso shot, this is a challenging hike... but mile for mile, it is a great way to spend a day exploring several different ecosystems within the San Gabriel mountains. Starting in Eaton Canyon, there are at least three different entry points-- two of them along Altadena Drive that runs adjacent to the canyon, and the highest entry off Pinecrest Dr.--to begin your journey. Eaton Canyon has a well-travelled dirt trail through the lower scrub of yucca, buckwheat, and sage in the mostly dry boulder field of the canyon bottom. If you enter at Pinecrest, you will bypass this, cut about a mile off the trip, and use the bridge to access the Mt. Wilson Toll Road. The Toll Road is an historic pathway dating back to the 1890s. Today, the "toll" portion of the title is a misnomer, as the trail is free for pedestrians, cyclists, and horses. The Toll Road is a steady uphill climb and mostly unshaded for about 2.5 miles to Henninger Flats. At last Check, there was no potable water at Henninger (or anywhere else in this hike) so plan your hydration according to weather and your needs. Henninger features a nature center (seasonally open), picnic and overnight camping facilities, and a tree farm. Continuing up the toll road about a mile past Henninger, the main toll road makes a switchback turn to the right... and easy-to-miss the first time on the LEFT your path continues to Idlehour Camp, beginning with a small wooden bridge. You'll notice the trail narrows significantly from here on to Inspiration Point. The trail climbs a little, then you start your descent into upper Eaton Canyon. As you go, you'll notice fewer signs of humanity, except maybe the erosion controls on the trail, as well as some pretty views of Mt. Wilson, Mt. Baden Powell, and some of the decomposed granite rock formations above Eaton Canyon. Be careful of overhanging poison oak in this area. This is also likely the buggiest part of the trip, with plenty of black flies to keep you company. If you have a head net... now's the time. Towards the bottom, you'll discover a very different Eaton Canyon: you are now a couple of miles above the lower waterfall where weekend canyon visitors bring lawn chairs, ice chests, and loud Bluetooth speakers. Instead of yucca and prickly pear cactus on a dry creek bed, you'll likely find flowing water under a canopy of oaks and bay trees. In season, wildflowers are abundant... but watch your step, as there is a lot of poison oak here, too. Some primitive campsites here feel like they're hundreds of miles from civilization, when really, you're only about 5. Stop here, sit, and enjoy what Eaton Canyon is SUPPOSED to be. Have a drink of water. Heading essentially north from Idlehour camp, more or less parallel to the creek, the hiking trail is slightly broken in places but pretty easy to recover. The trail will continue up the west canyon wall of Upper Eaton, climbing through chaparral, into and through oak scrub, a pine forest, and mature stands of manzanita. As you climb, the trail softens a bit underfoot in the forest duff, and if you're an old trail runner like me, you will love this part the best. Depending on seasonal winter rains, April or May can be exquisite for wildflower viewing in this area. Approaching Inspiration Point, you will pass through an area that burned relatively recently. The narrow single track will join a wider trail called Mt. Lowe Rd. and there is a small sign listing Mt. Lowe and other spots up the way. If you continue more or less straight, you're on the Sam Merrill trail... and going the wrong way. When you hit the crossroads, make a strong left on Mt. Lowe Rd. and walk up the last stretch of wide dirt road to Inspiration Point. You've made it! Take a seat, relax, and enjoy the view. Return the way you came, or you can take the Castle Canyon trail to the left of the interpretive center at the top (rocky and steep in places, but very pretty and sometimes shaded) or the Sam Merrill Trail (a little more forgiving, but a little slippery in places if you have bad shoes) to Echo Mountain, then down to the top of Lake Avenue, and walk streets through northern Altadena back to your car at Eaton Canyon (which will add a couple of miles to your trip on the loop...making it something like an 18 mile loop!) This is one of my favorite hikes in Southern California, and it will provide most of us with a great challenge. Try it in different seasons for different experiences. As a reminder, always file a "hiking plan" with someone back home... just send someone a text with your route and times so that if something unexpected happens, responders will know where to look. Be safe, take extra water, leave only footprints (don't litter), and have fun out there!

Great hiking place. It is a bit challenging but totally worth it. I have done this trail multiple…read moretimes already and I don't get tired of the view once you get to the top.