![]() ![]() The first time I hiked this was in the middle of May in jeans and a long sleeve shirt. If you’re hiking in the morning, you’ll get plenty of shade while climbing the west side of the ridge - otherwise, you’re not getting much of any shade. The trail does get more rugged the further along you hike, but nothing’s too bad on this stretch. There’s a lot of switchbacks, yes, but you’ll feel like you’re making enough progress where it won’t bother you. The grade is nice and easy, too - it’s about 3 miles from the bottom of the mountain to the resort ruins, at just over 1400 feet of incline. The path is very well maintained, and I only noticed a few minor examples of trail trash on the way up. This section of the trail is very heavily-traveled, but is in excellent shape – especially for such a popular trail. The trail crosses a flood control area and begins zigzagging its way up the southwest base of Echo Mountain. Now the land houses several miles of equestrian trails, a small botanical garden, and the entrance to the Echo Mountain Trail. Luckily, students from the aptly named John Muir High School bought the land and donated it to the Forest Service. One year later, the Marx Brothers bought the land and wanted to turn the area into a cemetery. The Cobb Estate belonged to a wealthy lumber magnate, and had several gold mines and water wells on its property before the buildings were completely razed in 1959. The Historical Society and other groups like the Mount Lowe Preservation Society have really done a fantastic job of researching, maintaining, and marking all of the points of interest along this route - and there are plenty of them. You will see many more plaques along the way. One of the first things you’ll see on the trail is a marker placed by the Altadena Historical Society, marking the entrance to the former Cobb Estate, and the Echo Mountain trailhead. Note: If you just want to hike to the Echo Mountain ruins, the hike will be about 6 miles roundtrip. If you’re a trail runner, a dog walker, or just someone that values a long walk in a beautiful spot to clear the cobwebs, Tilden Regional Park should be your go-to place in the East Bay.The trek to Echo Mountain is a great hike in the lower San Gabriels to incredible vistas, forested mountain canyons, and the ruins of a turn-of-the-century mountaintop resort. This route also has bonus enjoyment for history buffs, in the form of plaques and markers placed along the ruins and the route of an old railroad through the mountains. Just know that your return back up to Inspiration Point via the Meadows Canyon Trail or the Curran Trail means you have some beautiful uphill terrain. With map in hand you can easily descend by taking a left off the Nimitz Way at several different points, such as Laurel Canyon, Wildcat Peak Trail, or Conlon Trail. It’s up to you how far you’d like to go and whether you’d like to create a loop or do an out-and-back hike. ![]() It’s a lovely, rolling, paved path that turns into the East Bay Skyline Trail. If you park in the Inspiration Point parking lot, you’ll end up exiting the lot and turning right on the Nimitz Trail. I’d encourage you to grab one of the printed maps you’ll find at every trailhead in the park that is next to a parking lot. The views really open up once you’re in the area considered the Bay Area Ridge Trail and the East Bay Skyline National Trail. You’ll love the views you’ll have of the EBMUD Watershed while you’re hiking or mountain biking along Nimitz Way in both Wildcat Canyon Regional Park and Tilden Regional Park. If you’re a trail runner, a dog walker, or just someone that values a long walk in a beautiful spot to clear the cobwebs, Tilden Regional Park should be your go-to place in the East Bay.
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