This hike is very popular, and my recommendation is to start early if want to avoid the crowds and find parking. Considered a modern marvel of its time, it was the only electric mountain railway built in the United States. In general the trail is popular and easy to follow. Lowe Railway Historical Committee's web site. It's a beautiful trial with easy to medium difficulty. From the Sam Merrill Trailhead, walk into the Cobb Estate, perpendicular to Lake Ave. on the pavement until you his the Sam Merrill trail. "History and great views near Altadena", Honor Roll of Great Leaders of the Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club at, This page was last edited on 28 December 2020, at 01:51. This classic trail starts at the head of Lake Avenue in Altadena and climbs 2.5 miles to the historic ruins of Professor Lowe's famous White City. The principal route to Echo Mountain is on the Lower Sam Merrill Trail which starts at the top of Lake Avenue in Pasadena. Bing Maps has a collection of great trails with directions to trail heads as well as photos. Hike: Echo Mountain via Sam Merrill Trail. This trail route is a more scenic alternative to the more heavily used route up the Lower Sam Merrill Trail from the Cobb Estate trailhead at the top of Lake Avenue in Pasadena. The trail winds around the west end of Inspiration Ridge, then snakes down the ridge-line. This hike—moderate in both gradient and length—is to this day extremely popular, and very well traveled. Echo Mountain Hike. Sunset Ridge Trail, Lower Mt. There are two ways to complete the Echo Mountain hike. First, is by the Sam Merrill Trail located at the top of Lake Ave, Altadena and second, is by the fire road from Millard Canyon. Located in the San Gabriel Mountains just north of the City of Altadena, this hike provides the opportunity to explore what was once a mountain railway as you make your way to the ruins of a mountaintop resort. Lowe Railway Trail. The left fork leads to the Mt. But we will take breaks. There are ruins from an old hotel and dance hall and the Mount Lowe Railway. Skip navigation Google Map link . Route description with trail segment pages: Take the Lower Sam Merrill Trail from the Cobb Estate to the Junction with the Lower Mt. It was built by Charles Warner and the Forest Conservation Club of Pasadena during the 1930s. Echo Mountain can be reached by the Sam Merrill Trail located at the top of Lake Avenue, or via the fire road which extends from Millard Canyon to a point along the old right of way, which will lead to the backside of the promontory. At the top of the Lower Sam Merrill trail, you are rewarded by great views and some local history from the ruins of the old Echo Mountain Resort and Mt. First, is by the Sam Merrill Trail located at the top of Lake Ave, Altadena and second, is by the fire road from Millard Canyon. First, Echo Mountain itself is the site of the ruins of the Echo Mountain House — a hotel built in the late 1800’s by Thaddeus Lowe. This classic trail starts at the head of Lake Avenue in Altadena and climbs 2.5 miles to the historic ruins of Professor Lowe's famous White City. Echo Mountain via Sam Merrill Trail This 5.8-mile hike visits a historic railway and ruins from a century old resort overlooking Pasadena. Steeped in history and privy to sweeping views over Los Angeles, this hike earns high marks. This is the only hiking trail does not require reservation during the pandemic. Last update Oct. 10, 2019 Return to: Trail Routes & Maps - Foothill Flyers - Weekend Warriors Echo Mountain - Inspiration Point, Altadena Sam Merrill and Castle Canyon Trails. The Sam Merrill Trail The Sam Merrill Trail is a major hiking trail in the Las Flores Canyon of the San Gabriel Mountain Range in Altadena, California which leads to the top of Echo Mountain. At this point, you are high above the Castle Canyon trail that we took up to Inspiration Point. Lowe Railway. Mercator Projection WGS84 UTM Zone 11 CalTopo 0 .1 0 0 .1 2 0.3 0.2 0 .4 0.5 0.3 1: 0 0.4 12759 7 0 0 1 8 5 0 0.6 = 1063 0 1.1 1. Echo Mountain via the Sam Merrill Trail (Altadena, CA) Stats from AllTrails 5.4 miles RT 1,417 ft. Elevation Gain AllTrails describes this hike as a moderate and heavily trafficked out and back trail. Hiking Echo Mountain via the Sam Merrill Trail is a rewarding experience, rich with history. read more about your privacy and HikingGuy.com here. I found parking on the street as mentioned in most popular trail guides, however, due to the popularity of the location, I had to circle a couple times before I found a spot.Immediately just a minute or so into the hike from the marked trail head, I encountered a trail split. The path to the top is right straight from the gate across the dried up stream to the starting point of the trail. Sam Merrill rebuilt the trail here after the hotel was destroyed, and most of the existing trail was washed away. Watch for a single track trail on the left that heads down through shady trees. The Sam Merrill trail to Echo Mountain starts at the 1070-acre Cobb Estate, which is now public parkland, but was originally built by lumber magnate Charles Cobb. Lowe Railroad, Echo Mountain, Lower Sam Merrill to Cobb Estate: 7 miles, 1782′ gain, 1656′ loss; Cobb Estate to Echo Mountain to Inspiration Point via Castle Canyon: 9.2 miles, 2709′ of gain and loss; Sam Merrill Trail to Inspiration Point: 11.2 miles, 2709′ of gain and loss. On top, there is the inspiration point where you can see the whole of LA. Echo Mountain Via Sam Merrill Trail Come join me at a popular location for hiking in Altadena, Cobb Estate, Echo Mountain trail is a very popular hike and if you come or have been there before you’ll know why! Mount Lowe Road & Sunset Ridge Trail to Cape of Good Hope This pair of trails can be combined for a 5.2-mile round trip hike to a historic viewpoint called Cape of Good Hope. Inspiration Point has great views and a unique viewing station. Merrill, who served as Clerk of the Superior Court of Los Angeles, was an active volunteer in the Sierra Club, leading outings for almost twenty years, serving on the Executive Committee of the Angeles Chapter from 1926 to 1935 and on the National Board of Directors of the Sierra Club from 1936 to 1937. This is one of the most popular hikes in the area due to the history and therefore it can get very busy. Echo Mountain via Sam Merrill Trail [FERMÉ] est un sentier allez-retour de 5.4 miles très fréquenté situé près de Altadena, Californie. Castle Canyon Trail to Inspiration Point (and beyond) This 2-mile long trail ascends from the ruins on Echo Mountain to a historic viewpoint that still offers hike-worthy panoramas. Echo Mountain via Sam Merrill Trail This 5.8-mile hike visits a historic railway and ruins from a century old resort overlooking Pasadena. It is also sometimes referred to as Lower Sam Merrill Trail because a section of the Mount Lowe 8, an old mule trail from the days of the Mount Lowe Tavern, was reopened, giving a continued hike into Grand Canyon and the site of the Tavern, and is referred to as Upper Sam Merrill Trail. Those who are not interested can head back down to the trail head. Professor Thaddeus S. C. Lowe’s mountain railway and resort was Southern California’s must-visit attraction, drawing more than three million visitors from 1896 to 1936.. Echo Mountain (3207′), known as “The White City,” was the heart of the resort with its elegant Echo Mountain House hotel, chalet, observatory, and a small zoo. On a clear day , you can even see Catalina island. This trail route is a more scenic alternative to the more heavily used route up the Lower Sam Merrill Trail from the Cobb Estate trailhead at the top of Lake Avenue in Pasadena. After the deluge of 1938 most of the trails that accessed the mountain sides around Echo Mountain and the Mount Lowe Railwayhad been all but washed away. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The trail offers a number of […] Thanks to John McKinney, The Trailmaster, for sharing this trail description. The hike begins at the abandoned Cobb Estate, which offers a rich history of its own. At this point, you are high above the Castle Canyon trail that we took up to Inspiration Point. There is a small entrance gate to the trail. Discover trails like Echo Mountain via Sam Merrill Trail California, find information like trail length, elevation, difficulty, activities, and nearby businesses. The most common way to summit Echo Mountain is via the Sam Merrill Trail, which traverses the Altadena Crest Trail and zig-zags around Echo Mountain, two and a half miles up various dry and dusty switchbacks, without a lot of shade from the sun. My hike to Echo Mountain starts from Chaney Trail Road. This trailhead is marked by a stone pillar announcing the premises of the Cobb Estate. We will climb to Echo Mountain, then take a break to see who is up for making the push to Inspiration Point. Upon reaching the Echo Mountain summit, ruins from the Echo Mountain House Resort can be seen. At 2.6 miles there is a junction with Mt. This trail will wind its way up the mountain on a nice single track, well maintained trail that is walkable for a hiker of any ability. Lower Sam Merrill is open from Lake to Echo Mountain. Get the current price and information for HO Rolling Stock Caboose Overland Models 4203.1 Baltimore & Ohio CABOOSE by Overland Models (OMI) The trail originated at the old railway's right of way just above a point called Hygeia Station and climbed by switchback up the steep face of the Echo promontory. Trail access. Lower Sam Merrill is open from Lake to Echo Mountain. I have always hiked using the first route, and trust me, this trail never got old or boring. Get the current price and information for HO Steam Articulated Challenger Imports, LTD 2295.2 Yellowstone Baltimore & Ohio 2-8-8-4 EM-1 by Challenger Imports, LTD (CIL) Sam Merrill found it important to maintain public hiking access to the railway ruins and other portions of the treacherous foothill. Buying an Echo Mountain via the Sam Merrill Trail Gift on Giftly is a great way to send money with a suggestion to use it at Echo Mountain via the Sam Merrill Trail. Sam Merrill and Castle Canyon Trails Fast hikers can make it to the Echo Mountain ruins in about 1hour. Echo Mountain is a 5.5 mile out and back, heavily-trafficked trail, rich in history and scenic canyons. The trail is about 2.5 miles to the top. Castle Canyon is open up to Inspiration Point. Be prepared for heavy traffic on the weekends. A short way past the gate was this sign telling about the Mount Lowe Railway. When Sam Merrill died in 1948 the Sierra Club named the Echo Mountain Trail after him. Lower Railway Trail. Continuing up the Mount Lowe Road. I’ve included an optional hike extension to Inspiration Point, which adds another 5 miles onto the hike. The Sam Merrill Trail is a major hiking trail in the Las Flores Canyon of the San Gabriel Mountain Range north of Altadena, California, which leads to the top of Echo Mountain. The list had originally appeared in the October 1996 issue of Men's Fitness magazine. Echo Mountain Via Sam Merrill Trail Come join me at a popular location for hiking in Altadena, Cobb Estate, Echo Mountain trail is a very popular hike and if you come or have been there before you’ll know why! Echo Mtn. Echo Mountain via Sam Merrill Trail I wanted to hike the trail to the top of Echo Mountain. The best place to park is at the end of Lake Ave and E Loma Alta Dr at the Sam Merrill Trailhead. Fast hikers can make it to the Echo Mountain ruins in about 1hour. There were no roads to this hotel — you reached it by an incline railway that climbed over 1,000 feet. The trail has many options to offer. Echo Mountain via Sam Merrill Trail is a 5.4 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Altadena, California that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. After the deluge of 1938 most of the trails that accessed the mountain sides around Echo Mountain and the Mount Lowe Railway had been all but washed away.