hikespeak

Teutonia Peak is a rocky 5,755-foot mountain on the edge of Cima Dome in Mojave National Preserve. The dome, which is 1,500 feet tall and covers seventy square miles, is the most symmetrical dome of its type in the United States. If that geological geometrical fact doesn't strike your fancy, the hike to the panoramic rocky summit will. It is 3.4 to 4 miles round trip with 700 feet of... Read more.

Beyond the trails maintained by the park, numerous peaks in Mojave National Preserve can be reached with off-trail hiking and scrambling. One worthy candidate is Fountain Peak. Fountain Peak is located near Mitchell Caverns whose parking lot in the Providence Mountains State Recreation Area provides a serviceable base camp. Before setting out, download the USGS topographical map of... Read more.

Often, an ideal hike starts with a level warm-up and gradually works into a rewarding climb. This hike is different, beginning with a jolt of several steep switchbacks. Your heart rate will go up quickly, and then the trail keeps climbing all the way to San Gabriel Peak. It is 4 miles round trip to the summit, gaining 1,400 feet of elevation gain. Visit the adjacent summit of Mount... Read more.

One of the routes to San Gabriel Peak begins on Mount Lowe Road, creating a 3.2-mile round trip hike that climbs 1,050 feet. This trek leaves from a trailhead at Eaton Saddle along Mount Wilson Road and delivers great views the entire way to the summit. Start hiking up Mount Lowe Road (Mount Lowe Fire Road) where you will be greeted immediately by a head-on view of Mount Markham. On the... Read more.

The round summit of Mount Waterman offers boulders to climb and views to enjoy. Mount Waterman Trail provides a pleasant route to the top, passing through a sylvan mixed forest of incense cedars and Jeffrey pines as it ascends 1,265 feet over 2.75 miles. Descend the same way for a 5.5-mile out and back hike or return by a dirt road for a 5.65-mile (or longer) loop. Twin Peaks Trail extends... Read more.

The Verdugo Mountains are a small range situated north of Burbank and Glendale. While the trails in this range can't get at as remote as those in the nearby San Gabriel Mountains, they can be quite scenic and convenient to reach. Hikers may enjoy a trek on the north side of the Verdugo Mountains from La Tuna Canyon to the highest point in the range, Verdugo Peak. It is a 7.5-mile round trip... Read more.

At 3,111 feet, Sandstone Peak is the tallest point in the Santa Monica Mountains. The summit can be reached via a 6.25-mile loop with 1,075 feet of elevation gain that (in addition to bragging rights) offers expansive views of the range. Head to Circle X Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains, and start up the Backbone Trail toward Sandstone Peak. After a third of a mile, turn right, taking... Read more.