Echo Mountain Hike on the Sam Merrill Trail

5.6 miles - Hard Effort
Or: 10 miles
2.5 - 3 Hours (Total)
1,460 Total Feet of Climbing
Max Elevation of 3,207 feet
Leashed Dogs Allowed

The Echo Mountain hike packs a lot of bang for the buck. You'll hike up the Sam Merrill Trail, which follows the old Mt Lowe railway route up to Echo Mountain, where you can see the old ruins of the Echo Mountain mountain resort. USA Today included the Echo Mountain hike as one of the "10 Great North American Hikes" and Sunset Magazine called it one of the top 45 hikes in the west. The hike is easy to follow, has an interesting history, offers great views, is a good workout, and is close to LA. Overall it's a win.

In this Guide:

Turn by Turn Hike Directions & Video
Echo Mountain Trail Maps
Where to Park for the Echo Mountain Hike
Optional Side Trip to Inspiration Point

Quick Links: Angeles National Forest - Weather Forecast - Top Gear Picks (Feb 2023)

When planning, always check the park website and social media to make sure the trails are open. Similarly, check the weather and road conditions.

These directions include an optional hike extension to a scenic viewpoint at Inspiration Point. See the guide below for more info.

Where is the Echo Mountain Hike?

Getting to the trailhead for the hike is easy. You just park on a city street in Altadena. Use this trailhead address: 3302 Lake Ave, Altadena, CA, 91001, USA.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 3 — Park along the street leading up to the trailhead, which is at the turn at the end of the street. It can get crowded, so you may have to park a few blocks away. Street parking is free.

This is a residential neighborhood. Please don't block driveways, avoid no-parking zones, keep the noise down, and don't leave trash behind.

Gear for the Hike

This is a bit of an in-between hike. You can certainly do this with fitness clothes and minimal gear, but I do recommend hiking gear if you have it. The Echo Mountain hike is a steady uphill, so prepare for the effort. If you're going to do the extra loop to Inspiration Point, definitely use hiking gear.

Bring 1L of water.
Most of the trail is exposed, prepare for intense sun.
If you use trekking poles and they help, bring them along.

I waste my time with lousy hiking gear so you don't have to. Only the winners get onto my gear page. There's no fluff, sponsorships, or promotions. It's just gear I personally use, have tested, and recommend. Right now I'm liking my inReach Mini 2, Garmin Epix, and Lone Peak 6 shoes.
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My February 2023 Top Gear Picks

Echo Mountain and Sam Merrill Trail Maps

In general the trail is popular and easy to follow. If you are unsure of your position, you'll probably see other hikers who can help you out.

I've included an optional hike extension to Inspiration Point, which adds another 5 miles onto the hike. If you have the energy, go for it. Inspiration Point has great views and a unique viewing station. Read below for all the details.

Explore Map on CalTopo View a Printable PDF Hike Map Download the Hike GPX File

Free Nav Tools: GaiaGPS - AllTrails

Guides to Help You Navigate

How To Use the AllTrails App (Beginners)

Hiking With Gaia GPS For Beginners

How-To: Using Routes, Tracks, and Waypoints for Garmin Outdoors GPS

How To Read a Topographic Map

Elevation Profile

There's no getting around it, you're pretty much going uphill the whole way. At the end, it flattens out. On the way back down, you do this in reverse.

If you do the optional trip to inspiration point, you have about another 1500 feet of climbing.

3D Map

Hike History

Echo Mountain Hike Mt Lowe Railway — The hike will parallel some of the old Mount Lowe Railway route. Here you can see the electric trolley filled with tourists climbing to Echo Mountain.

The Sam Merrill Trail to Echo Mountain starts at historic Cobb Estate, now public parkland, but was originally built by lumber magnate Charles Cobb. After he passed away in 1939, it became a retreat for nuns, and then the Marx Brothers bought it in 1956. In 1971 local conservationists raised the $175,000 to purchase it, and then donated it as parkland. And it's allegedly haunted, so there's that.

As you climb the trail, your route will parallel some of the old Mount Lowe Railway route, the only electric mountain railway ever built in the USA. When it was built in 1893, it was considered a modern marvel and welcomed over 3 million riders during its lifetime.

The Mount Lowe Railway led to the Echo Mountain House, which was a 70 room Victorian hotel built to rival the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. It was intended to be a full-service resort "a mile up in the sky." At the end of the hike you'll see the remains of the resort.

The resort and railway weathered some fires and natural disasters over the years, but the great flood of 1938 was the final nail in the coffin, washing much of the railway and resort away. After that, Sam Merrill, who lived with John Muir as a young man and was active in the Sierra Club, restored and maintained the trails to Echo Mountain. When he died in 1948, the Sierra Club named the trail after him.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions

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Video Directions

Turn by Turn Directions

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 1 — The hike starts where the road makes a 90-degree turn.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 4 — Right after you make that turn, you'll see the entrance to Cobb Estate. Hike through the gate.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 5 — Hike up the old paved road.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 6 — After a few minutes of hiking, look for a trail sign and turn off to the right.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 7 — Here's the sign from that last junction.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 8 — This part can be a little tricky. When you see the next sign, make the hard left right after the sign. Avoid the trails up to the left before this sign.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 9 — There's a water fountain here. Make sure you're topped up for the climb.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 10 — Once you've made the turn, say on the left side of the dry wash. You'll see a lot of trails down into the wash which you should avoid.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 11 — When the main trail crosses the wash (just past a concrete dam), hike across, avoiding trails up the wash.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 12 — Once you cross the wash, you'll see a sign reminding you to call 911 in case of an emergency.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 13 — From here the climbing starts. The lower slopes are gradual.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 14 — Stay on the main trail, avoiding any unofficial side trails. These usually go to viewpoints or bathroom break spots and then fizzle out.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 15 — Now the trail gets steeper as you climb up along Los Flores Canyon. Expect lots of switchbacks.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 16 — The trail winds around to the other side of the ridge, where you get views into Rubio Canyon.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 17 — And then comes back to Los Flores Canyon. Here you can see one of the occasional spots of shade.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 18 — As you wind up, you'll see a big mountain range toward LA, which are the Verdugo Mountains.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 19 — Keep heading up the main trail past the bench. The bump ahead is Echo Mountain.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 20 — You'll see the 200,000 gallon reservoir in Los Flores Canyon below. There are also some old abandoned gold mines down there that date back to 1893.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 21 — Hike past the Lee Tracy Memorial bench.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 22 — As you get closer to the summit there's a section that levels out a little and offers shade.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 23 — But then it old stylegets steep and exposed for the last stretch to the top.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 24 — And then you'll see a post, this is the top, the climbing is over.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 25 — Here's the junction at the post. Make the right to head to the historic area and echo phone.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 26 — You'll see these old-style "gravestone" trail signs up here, which I think date back to the original resort.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 27 — Keep hiking straight past the Sam Merrill (upper) trail on the left.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 28 — And then straight past the Castle Canyon Trail on the left, through the interpretive displays ahead.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 29 — There are lots of (dated but still interesting) interpretive displays and historical markers to check out.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 30 — You'll pass the wreckage of the old railway trains.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 31 — Keep going straight past the side trail on the left to the old tennis courts.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 32 — And then you'll reach the Echo Mountain Picnic Area.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 33 — Go straight past the picnic area, and then past the old cables and gears used by the railway.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 34 — You'll reach the foundation of the resort. Check out the views, and then hike up the stairs on the left.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 35 — When you get up the stairs, the echo phone is through the foundational ruins up to the right.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 36 — Go past the old pool.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 37 — And here you are at the echo phone. If you yell into it, your voice will echo across Rubio Canyon ahead.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 38 — If you look up from the echo phone, you'll see the viewing pavilion at Inspiration Point above.

Echo Mountain Hike Directions Update 40 — From here, just turn around and head back the way you came, or add on the optional extension to inspiration point.

Optional Extension to Inspiration Point

trail on echo mountain hike — As you hike back out from the picnic area, look for the Castle Canyon trail to Inspiration Point is to your right. It’s smaller and overgrown, so keep your eyes open. It comes a minute or two after leaving the resort ruins area.

view of la from echo mountain hike — Turn back for some great views of downtown LA.

inspiration point on echo mountain hike — You made it! You will reach Inspiration Point in a little over 5 miles.

trail sign on echo mountain hike — Here’s the sign marking the beginning of the trail.

sunset point sign — Take a break at Sunset Point for some great photos of LA, Catalina, and the surrounding mountains. Note: This sign is reported gone.

ruins on echo mountain — Shortly before you arrive back at the resort ruins, you’ll see some more ruins including the old Mount Lowe Observatory.

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This Guide Was Written by Cris Hazzard

Cris Hazzard 4 Mile Trail Yosemite
Hi, I'm Cris Hazzard, aka Hiking Guy, a professional outdoors guide, hiking expert, and author based in Southern California. I created this website to share all the great hikes I do with everyone else out there. This site is different because it gives detailed directions that even the beginning hiker can follow. I also share what hiking gear works and doesn't so you don't waste money. I don't do sponsored or promoted content; I share only the gear recommendations, hikes, and tips that I would with my family and friends. If you like the website and YouTube channel, please support these free guides (I couldn't do it without folks like you!).

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