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 Reporter |
Summary: Professor Thaddeus S. C. Lowe's mountain railway and resort was Southern California's must-visit attraction, drawing more than three million visitors from1896 to 1936. Echo Mountain (3207'), known as "The White City," was the heart of the resort with its elegant Echo Mountain House hotel, chalet, observatory, and small zoo. It has all since vanished, but this fascinating hike takes you to the ruins of this official historic landmark. From the stone gateway at the north end of Lake Avenue, walk east about .2 mile to the marked beginning of the Sam Merrill Trail. After a short decent into the creek bed, the trail climbs steadily up the east slope of Los Flores Canyon. Just short of a half mile past the two-mile marker you will reach the old rail bed of the Mount Lowe Railway. Turn right (south) and follow the rail route about 100 yards to the Echo Mountain site. Plan to spend some time exploring the ruins, reading the historical plaques, and enjoying the views. Trailhead: From the I-210 Foothill Freeway in Pasadena, exit at Lake Avenue. Drive north for 3.4 miles to the end of Lake Avenue (where it intersects with the terminus of Loma Alta Drive running east and west). Park along the street. The hike begins to the left of the stone gateway on the east side of the street. (Lat:34.20406 Lon:-118.13054) Trail Guides for Echo Mountain via the Sam Merrill Trail: Trails of the Angeles by John W. Robinson (Wilderness Press) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Winter, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Bikes, Horses, Ranger Contact: Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles River Ranger district: 626-574-1613. Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Dan Simpson, who has posted 4 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Page 1 of 10 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by max on 11/6/2009 I am glad this dog kicker will not be back on the trail. I hope he is not a liar too! Reviewed by Danny on 10/31/2009 Horrible Hike, loose dogs and rude owners everywhere! They yelled at me for kicking there dog AFTER he came towards me! I will never come back here again! STAY AWAY!!! 
Reviewed by Danny on 10/31/2009 Horrible Hike, loose dogs and rude owners everywhere! They yelled at me for kicking there dog AFTER he came towards me! I will never come back here again! STAY AWAY!!!
Reviewed by SP on 9/25/2009 I've also had trouble with loose dogs, when two dalmations attacked my jack russell. Because this trail gets so crowded, PLEASE leash and clean up after your dog! Other than that, it is a beautiful hike. There isn't a lot of wildlife around that I've seen, but that just makes it seem more haunting.
Reviewed by zero on 7/17/2009 Thanks for the info Mark! I was not intending to insult your hard work, and I'm glad so many people are able to enjoy this trail. However, the one time I came here, my dog who was on a leash got attacked by two off-leash dogs. His ear got shredded and he got bit in the neck, and I got bit in the arm. We both needed stitches. The owner didn't apologize or give me his contact information (I blame him more than the dogs). I was alone, covered in blood in the middle of nowhere, so I just feel like this trail is bad luck for me. Thank you for helping to maintain it and hopefully no one else has an experience like I did. 
Reviewed by Mark on 7/15/2009 This ia a wonderful hike full of history. Great views and people that use it. I have been maintaining this trail for 10 years now. With the help of some special friends. It is busy on the weekends. Nice place to watch the sunset from. But please do not pay attention to Zero's comment about vicious dogs and trash. We are there most every Saturday working the trail. Zero if you want to help we are there at 6:30am. Come help make a difference or not. This trail starts right from the street so yes a number of people like to come use it. We have shy dogs that come but most just want a little love not a shin bone. 
Reviewed by PT on 6/1/2009 I have done this hike more than a dozen times. The views are amazing, and on a clear day you can see very clearly see the coastline. The trail is great and the people are friendly. A lot of dog owners like to take their dogs on this hike. I have never had an incident with the dogs on the trail, nor have I heard of anyone who has. However it would be good to be comfortable with dogs. The trail is pretty defined and obvious so you don’t need to worry about going off track. I would recommend this hike.
Reviewed by MollyTaylor on 5/17/2009 http://mollytaylor.wordpress.com/2009/05/17/echo-mountain-via-the-sam-merrill-trail/
Reviewed by Kevin on 4/27/2009 I just hiked this last Saturday for the first time in over a year and even though I have done this hike dozens of times over the years it never gets easy BUT this trail has always been one of my personal favorites. If your looking for more than just a walk thru the woods this hike is for you, it provides a great workout and great views of the city. There are always nice people on the trail so you don't feel like your in the middle of nowhere if you hike it by yourself. Bring plenty of water and be prepared for a workout especially if you haven't did any hiking in awhile like me. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: California Hiking, California Trails, California Hikes, Los Angeles County Hiking, Los Angeles County Trails, Los Angeles County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||