Location: Los Angeles County, about 3 miles north of Altadena, 31 miles from Los Angeles

Maps

Nearby Peaks: Mount Markham, San Gabriel Peak

Distance: 13 miles round trip on trail and road

Gain: 3800'

Time: 7-8 hours round trip

Rating: Class 1, strenuous

Navigation: Easy

Leader Rating: "O", normal conditions

Original: Warren E. von Pertz, February 1968

DRIVING ROUTE 2

• From the intersection of I-210 and Lake Avenue in Pasadena, drive north on Lake Avenue to its end at Loma Alta Drive. Park on the right. Note the gate for the Cobb Estate on the east side of Lake Avenue at Loma Alta Drive.

HIKING ROUTE 2

• From the front of the gate to the Cobb Estate (1800'), walk about 200 yards east alongside a fence to the actual trailhead for the Sam Merrill Trail on your left.
• Hike up the Sam Merrill Trail (12W14) 2.7 miles to Echo Mountain (3207').
• Head southeasterly along the old trolley right-of-way for about 100 yards to a signed junction. At the junction are signed trailheads for the continuation of the Sam Merrill Trail to Inspiration Point and for the Castle Canyon Trailhead to Inspiration Point.
• Continue

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  north on the Sam Merrill trail about 2 1/2 miles to a 3-way dirt road intersection. The rightmost fork (east) will take you to Inspiration Point (4500'), about 500 yards. The left fork (west) will take you to the Mount Lowe Campground.
• Continue on the middle fork of the road straight ahead in a northerly direction for about 200 yards to a signed trail marker on the right for the Mount Lowe Campground and Mount Lowe (12W14).
• Turn right. After a short distance, the trail forks again, with the left fork going to the Mount Lowe Campground and the site of the remains of the Alpine Tavern.
• Follow the signed right fork for Mount Lowe up to the last trail junction described in Route 1.
• Keep left at this junction and follow this trail up to the summit where you will find a bench and an equestrian hitching-rack.