Trail Review: Echo Mountain via Sam Merrill Trail
Trailhead: 3302 Lake Ave, Altadena, CA 91001
Parking: free street parking on Lake Avenue.
Distance: 5.4 miles out & back.
The Sam Merrill Trail to Echo Mountain starts in the town of Altadena at the gated entrance to the Cobb Estate. That gate is known as the mortuary gate from the movie Phantasm for any movie buffs out there. After walking through the open side gate to the right, you'll be on a paved (but not well kept) road for about a tenth of a mile. As the road turns north, there will be a dirt road that continues straight. This is the official start of the Sam Merrill Trail. You'll see some signage in case there is any doubt:
A few hundred feet after the signage, you'll see a stone water fountain, a trail that veers left before the fountain, and a trail that veers left after the fountain. You want to take the trail that veers left AFTER the fountain.
From here, the trail is pretty straightforward. There are no intersections until the peak, just a bunch of switchbacks as you wind your way up the side of the mountain. The path does get pretty narrow and it was a pretty busy trail when we were there so be prepared to stop and let people pass in the wider sections. There were also a lot of runners. Some had bells and some didn't. Just keep an eye out so you don't crash into one on a tight turn.
The day we did this trek, it was actually cloudy (a rare occurrence in Los Angeles), and as we went higher up in altitude, we ended up in some pretty thick fog. I thought it was awesome. The cooler temperature and the mist of the fog made the hike very enjoyable, even though the incline on the trail was pretty consistent all the way up. It did make seeing any views at the top impossible, but I liked how it made the hike feel way more secluded and farther from the city than it actually was.
More or less at the halfway point, you'll pass directly under some massive, buzzing power lines. Some people chose this spot as a resting point and a place to take some photos. There are also at least three benches scattered throughout the trail in case you need to take a breather.
There are probably a number of spots along the way to catch some good views of the city below, but we couldn't see them on this particular day.
Right before the top, you'll find one or two intersections with other trails. Just follow the signs for Echo Mountain and Mount Lowe Railway. When you do reach the peak of Echo Mountain, you'll find some signage at first that'll let you know about the historical significance of the area and soon after you'll begin to come across remnants of the railway and foundations of buildings.
If you are in fact interested in the history of the area, there are plenty of plaques to read along the way. At the end of the path, you'll come across a very large building foundation which you can climb the stairs of and explore. There are also picnic tables up there to use if you brought food or want to rest.
There is quite a bit to explore on Echo Mountain and it was cool to learn about the history of the railway that was built at the end of the 19th century. And on a clear day, I'm sure the view of the city is great from up there. When you're done exploring the area, just head back down the way you came!
Bottom Line: A busy trail with a cool historical end site. Incline is pretty consistent throughout but not too difficult.
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