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Find a Trail


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This Google Map is a map of all the hikes I’ve written about on this site. Use this to see what’s in or near the area you’re looking for, and click beneath it to view a larger version in a new window.

Each hike is color coded by difficulty:
- GREEN markers are short nature trails, gently-graded pathways, and routes that are relatively easy.
- BLUE markers designate the “moderate” difficulty hikes. These trails may be lengthy, or have areas of intense elevation gain. They may require some scrambling, but most of these trails are easy day hikes that can be done by anyone in fairly decent shape.
- RED markers are for the “strenuous” trails. These are long, leg-busting paths that will require lots of time and effort. Some of these trails may venture through dangerous areas and require river crossings, backcountry orienteering, or more serious rock scrambling. In other words, if it’s your first time on the trail, don’t pick one of these.

Clicking on a trail’s marker will bring up a photo and a short paragraph describing the route. This description will contain a link to the trail’s page on Modern Hiker, which will give you a much more in-depth description, as well as GPS information, elevation profiles, directions, distances, and pretty much everything you’d ever want to know about a specific trail.

… or, for those of you who are more inclined toward the noble
“list” format, please continue below.

If you’re not sure where to start, try checking out my favorite hikes from each area. If you’re heading into the L.A. area as part of a trip, be sure to take a look at UpTake Vacations for more ideas on what to do around Southern California.

NOTE
Please be aware that many areas of the Angeles National Forest are still closed due to damage from the Station Fire. The closed are is marked with a red shape on the map, but note that the following trails are closed as of 1/30/12:
- Josephine Peak
- Strawberry Peak
- Mount Lawlor
- Fox Mountain
- Condor Peak
- Iron Mountain (#2)
- Mount Lukens (via both trails)






In-City Parks and Open Spaces

Trail Name Distance Elevation Gain Difficulty Best Season
Elysian Park West Loop 2.4 194 Easy All
Corralitas Rail Path 1.6 Negligable Easy All
Angel's Point 2.8 200 Easy All
Eugene E. Debs Regional Park 5.2 400 Easy - Moderate All




Santa Monica Mountains / San Fernando Valley

Trail Name Distance Elevation Gain Difficulty Best Season
Eagle Rock and Temescal Peak 7.41 926 Easy Spring, Fall, Winter
La Jolla Canyon 7.48 1100 Easy Spring
Mishe Mokwa Trail to Tri-Peaks and Sandstone Peak 7.16 1730 Moderate All
Mugu Peak 5.2 1255 Easy Spring
Runyon Canyon 3 675 Easy All
Solstice Canyon 6 800 Easy All
Sycamore Canyon 11.7 1570 Moderate Spring
The Grotto 3.2 600 Easy All
Rocky Peak 5 1119 Easy Spring, Fall, Winter
Mount Lukens via Haines Canyon 8.5 3018 Very Difficult Spring, Fall, Winter
Mount Lukens via Stone Canyon 8 3200 Difficult Spring, Fall, Winter
Fryman Canyon 3 463 Easy All
Verdugo Mountains 5.83 1368 Moderate All
Charmlee Wilderness Park 2.84 272 Easy Spring
Los Liones Trail to Parker Mesa 7.28 1292 Moderate All
Mount Lee to the Hollywood Sign 6.5 1098 Moderate All
Malibu Lagoon State Park 2 n/a Easy All
Castro Crest and Bulldog Road 7.6 1250 Moderate All
Towsley Canyon 5.3 1105 Moderate Spring, Fall, Winter




Low San Gabriels

Trail Name Distance Elevation Gain Difficulty Best Season
Bear Canyon and Switzer Falls 6.94 1000 Moderate All
Condor Peak 16 3800 Very Difficult All
Echo Mountain and Inspiration Point 10.4 2740 Moderate All
Fox Mountain 14.9 3000 Very Difficult Spring, Fall, Winter
Josephine Peak 8 1900 Moderate All
Mount Lawlor 4.44 1300 Moderate + All
Mount Markham 6.34 1023 Moderate All
Mount Wilson via Devore Camp 10.7 2814 Difficult Spring, Summer, Fall
Mount Wilson via Winter Creek Trail 13.3 3800 Very Difficult Spring, Fall
San Gabriel Peak 3.75 2023 Moderate All
Santa Anita Canyon 9.12 1600 Moderate All
Shortcut Canyon 7.23 1550 Moderate Spring, Summer, Fall
Strawberry Peak 11.2 2600 Very Difficult Spring, Summer, Fall
Placerita Canyon Firebreak Trail 6.9 1644 Moderate / Difficult All
Eaton Canyon 3.76 400 Moderate All




North San Gabriels / Antelope Valley

Trail Name Distance Elevation Gain Difficulty Best Season
Burkhart Saddle 15 2193 Difficult Spring, Summer, Fall
Mount Gleason 7.3 1000 Moderate All
Pacifico Mountain 12.6 2180 Difficult Spring, Summer, Fall
The Devil?s Chair 7.48 594 Moderate All
Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve 3.3-7 230 Easy Spring




High San Gabriels

Trail Name Distance Elevation Gain Difficulty Best Season
Bridge to Nowhere 10.1 800 Moderate + All
Cucamonga Peak 12 3800 Difficult Summer, Fall
Icehouse Canyon 7 2655 Moderate Spring, Summer, Fall
Kratka Ridge 1.6 700 Easy Summer, Fall
Mount Akawie 1.4 400 Easy Summer, Fall
Mount Baldy (San Antonio) and Mount Harwood 10.33 3950 Very Difficult Summer, Fall
Mount Hillyer 5.76 950 Moderate Spring, Summer, Fall
Mount Mooney and Vetter Mountain 6.5 1100 Moderate Spring, Summer, Fall
Ontario Peak and Bighorn Peak 13.9 3710 Very Difficult Summer, Fall
Sunset Peak 7.8 1300 Moderate Summer, Fall
Thunder Mountain and Telegraph Peak 13.5 3525 Difficult Spring, Summer, Fall
Timber Mountain 9.39 3400 Moderate + Spring, Summer, Fall
Waterman Mountain 6.22 1225 Moderate + Summer, Fall
Winston Peak and Winston Ridge 4.34 500 Easy Summer, Fall
Throop Peak and Mount Hawkins 6 1219 Easy-Moderate All
Mount Baden-Powell 8 2807 Moderate-Difficult Spring, Summer, Fall
Mount Islip 7 1627 Moderate Spring, Summer, Fall
Lewis Falls / Soldier Creek 1 250 Moderate Spring, Summer, Fall
Smith Mountain 6.6 1843 Moderate - Difficult Spring, Fall




Los Padres National Forest

Trail Name Distance Elevation Gain Difficulty Best Season
Matilija Creek 13.92 1710 Moderate All
Sespe River 9 190 Moderate All




San Bernardino Mountains

Trail Name Distance Elevation Gain Difficulty Best Season
Dry Lake 14 2605 Difficult Spring, Summer, Fall
Bertha Peak 7.96 1310 Moderate Spring, Summer, Fall
San Gorgonio Mountain via South Fork Trail 24.8 4608 Difficult Summer, Fall
Pine Knot Trail 6.11 904 Moderate All
Mount San Jacinto via Mountain Station 11.5 2190 Moderate All




Joshua Tree National Park

Trail Name Distance Elevation Gain Difficulty Best Season
Barker Dam Loop 1.8 70 Easy All
Inspiration Peak 1.2 400 Easy All
Queen Mountain 4 1121 Moderate + Spring, Fall, Winter
Ryan Mountain 2.9 1070 Easy + All
The Maze 6.5 400 Moderate Spring, Fall, Winter




Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Trail Name Distance Elevation Gain Difficulty Best Season
Hellhole Canyon 5 900 Easy Spring, Fall, Winter
The Slot <2 0 Moderate All
Calcite Mine 4 300 Moderate Spring, Fall, Winter
Borrego Palm Canyon 3 520 Easy Spring, Fall, Winter
Ghost Mountain and Pictograph Trail 14.7 or 4 (driving) 778 Difficult or Moderate (driving) Winter, Spring, Fall




Grand Canyon National Park

Trail Name Distance Elevation Gain Difficulty Best Season
Havasu Falls 27.6 2500 Difficult Spring, Fall, Winter




Pinnacles National Monument

Trail Name Distance Elevation Gain Difficulty Best Season
High Peaks Loop 9.3 1465 Moderate Spring
Condor Gulch 2 541 Easy All
Bear Gulch Caves 1.51 300 Easy All




Yosemite National Park

Trail Name Distance Elevation Gain Difficulty Best Season
North Dome and Indian Rock 9.5 933 Moderate Spring, Summer, Fall
The High Sierra Loop 12.8 3124 Difficult Summer
Cathedral Lakes 7 1011 Moderate Summer, Fall




Death Valley National Park

Trail Name Distance Elevation Gain Difficulty Best Season
Badwater Basin 1 Negligible Easy Winter, Spring
Salt Creek 0.5 Negligible Easy Winter, Spring
Darwin Falls 2 Negligible Moderate Winter, Spring
Golden Canyon and Gower Gulch to Zabriskie Point 6 875 Moderate Winter, Spring




Eastern Sierras

Trail Name Distance Elevation Gain Difficulty Best Season
Devil's Postpile Trail 6 miles 548 Easy-Moderate Summer
Mount Whitney 22 miles 6130 Very Difficult Late Summer


{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }

Steve May 1, 2011 at 3:18 pm

Thanks for the quick response!

Michael May 30, 2011 at 11:38 pm

Well saw MMO report and jumped to this site to see what was what. Was kinda disappointed to not see any thing for San Diego area like East County. Looking to start some easy trails down here after a lung ailment that I have finally healed from. Hopefully you can find something for me MR. Beard ;)

JCESAR June 3, 2011 at 10:14 pm

Your site rocks…I find it very informative. Thanks for sharing the info…

jcesar

Dan August 14, 2011 at 5:59 pm

Hey, just wanted to say I really like your site. I use it all the time, and have found all of the information to be really accurate and helpful.

Thanks,

Dan

jay September 4, 2011 at 1:30 pm

really enjoyed the site. just moved to LA from east coast and am taking the kids on a hike and found your site an invaluable resource. thanks!

kmshull September 11, 2011 at 6:01 pm

I’m so glad I found this site. I wish you had a “like” button for FB so I could share it!

chris November 14, 2011 at 8:34 pm

your map is awesome but needs to be updated, many of the trails in the red fire zone are now open.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/05/16/forest-service-to-reopen-portion-of-angeles-national-forest-charred-in-station-fire/

Josh November 23, 2011 at 9:57 am

Anyone of trail status for this weekend for higher san gabriels? I am thinknig of something like Mt Baden Powell or similar… or heading to San Jacinto.

Curious if folks know conditions particularly with snow at higher altitudes?

I am not familiar with the area and not eager to hike thru ice/snow.

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