SusanW

Member

January 12, 2018 at 6:33 am in reply to: Mt. Wilson trail

Thanks! Do you use a GPS phone app or a separate device?

SusanW

Member

January 12, 2018 at 6:31 am in reply to: Mt. Wilson trail

Yes, Josie, it was a great hike. We took the route suggested by Jeff. There were a lot of people on the trail going up, so we were able to stay on track with ease. On the way down, though, there were very few people and the trail is not well marked. Also note: the top of the trail goes through a recent burn area.

To start, we had to look around for the trailhead and weren't sure at first we were on the right path. Print out the map of the top of Mt. Wilson as Jeff advises and bring it with you (the link on this site didn't work but you can get the map at https://www.mtwilson.edu/observatory-map/). In the main parking lot, look for the path marked on the map as the Mt. Wilson trail to Sierra Madre. It's not marked, except for a sign on the ground that said to be careful of hazards in the burn area. When we got to the old toll road, we found that there's another unpaved road just beyond it with a road sign — don't take that one. Go left at the first, very rough road, and then you'll turn left again where the road takes a bend to the right; I think the trail was actually marked “Mt. Wilson trail” here. Then further ahead there's a bench area where you go left to take the Winter Creek trail to Chantry Flat.

Later, when we got to the fork before Hoegee Camp, we took the path to the right, which is the longer upper trail. Both routes will get you where you need to go.

We bought the Tom Harrison Mt. Wilson map on Amazon and were glad to have it.

Happy hiking!