Hoyt Mountain Hike

The hike to Hoyt Mountain, often overshadowed by its more popular neighbors, is a great adventure packed into 4 miles. To start, you'll scramble up a challenging use trail to the summit, which offers panoramic views into Angeles National Forest and along the San Gabriel Fault. The hike continues by looping down and circling the mountain along an old trail blasted out of the cliffside about 100 years ago. Along the way, you'll even pass LA's outdoor school for kids, which has been operating continuously since 1925.

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

Where is Hoyt Mountain?

You can find the trailhead a short way up CA-2, the Angeles Crest Highway, at Georges Gap. Use this trailhead address:
Georges Gap, Tujunga, CA 91042

You don't need a pass to park at Georges Gap.

Gear For the Hike

The first part of the hike requires a steep climb up a loose dirt trail, and then there's a steep descent; having trekking poles and good footwear is a must here. Long pants are also helpful if some sections are overgrown. 1L of water is enough for the short distance, even in the summer when it can be very hot at this lower elevation.

My Latest Gear Picks

As a hiking guide, I test lots of hiking gear. On my picks page, I'll show you all of the gear that I actually use. I don't accept paid promotions or talk about the stuff that doesn't make the cut. It's just the gear that works best, so you don't have to waste your money.

All My December 2023 Top Gear Picks

Hoyt Mountain Trail Maps

This loop takes a few trails:

• An unofficial and steep trail up and over Hoyt Mountain (marked as "firebreak" on USGS maps).
• The Hoyt Mountain Trail (11W04) back around the mountain. This trail is also marked as the Telephone Trail on some maps, and is shown as an extension of Grizzly Flat Road on others.
• The World of Chaparral Trail (11W03) back to Georges Gap.

Explore Map on CalTopoView a Printable PDF Hike MapDownload the Hike GPX File

Best Smartphone Apps to Navigate: AllTrails | GaiaGPS | OnX

Elevation Profile

3D Map

Hike Brief

• Hoyt Mountain is named after Silas Hoyt, who had built a ranch close to the mountain in 1888. He was referred to in newspapers as "the hermit of Big Tujunga Canyon." The ranch was destroyed in a landslide in the 1930s.
• There was a famous court case surrounding Hoyt Ranch in 1917. Allegedly two hunters found Hoyt in 1902, at the time 80 years old, emaciated and living in squalor. They offered to improve the ranch, farm the area, and take care of him if Hoyt would lease them the land. Well, they improved the land, started ranching, and even explored some mining prospects, but then Hoyt wanted to back out of the deal. The case went to court after Hoyt died in 1916 when his estranged daughters fought for the inheritance. In 1919 the CA state supreme court eventually ruled in favor of the two hunters, who "gifted" three-quarters of the land back to the state. It's hard to say whether the hunters were genuine do-gooders who deserved the land, or hustlers who took advantage of an old man.
• Although known as Hoyt Mountain for many years, the summit wasn't an official USGS name until the Forest Service submitted the name in 1986. It appears as the peak name on USGS topographic maps from 1995 and later.
• If you look east from Hoyt Mountain, up the valley where Angeles Crest Highway is, you're looking at the San Gabriel Fault, which moves about 3mm a year and used to be part of the San Andreas Fault.

Hoyt Mountain Hike Directions

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There's some reports of washed out sections from the winter storms of 2022/23.  Users have reported that it's sketchy but doable on hands and knees. Maybe better to chose another hike.

The definition of chaparral is "a thicket of dwarf evergreen oaks; broadly : a dense impenetrable thicket of shrubs or dwarf trees."

Have a question about the guide or want to see what other people are saying/asking? View the Youtube comments for this video. Leave a comment and I will do my best to respond.

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