Mount Lowe Loop via Lower Sam Merrill Trail
12.7 mi
Distance
4 hrs 37 min
Time
terrain
3,727 ft
Elev Gain
Overview
This is a difficult loop trail to Mount Lowe in Angeles National Forest.
This trail goes by Inspiration Point and Mt. Lowe Trail Camp.
Sights to See
Rate this Hike
★★★★★
Busy in the beginning due it Echo's popularity, but nice and calm after Echo. Mt Lowe East Trail needs little scrambling, but beware of mountain bikers barreling down the steep portions. Return on Mt. Lowe West Trail has at least 6 downed trees blocking path as of yesterday. Need to climb over or under them.
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Public Tracks
Mount Lowe, Inspiration Point, Echo Mountain - North Lake Avenue, Altadena to Sam Merrill Trail, Los Angeles County, CA, USA
I started the hike from Lower Sam Merrill Trail in Altadena, CA to Mt. Echo, then picked up the Middle Sam Merrill Trail to East / Mt. Lowe Trail reached Mount Lowe. Returned via West Mt. Lowe Trail, to Inspiration Point, then picked up Castle Canyon Trail to Lower Sam Merrill Trail.
Temperatures today were in the 60’s with sunny & occasional clouding in between. Very little breeze.
Trail conditions were great. Found few several areas of snow & ice as I reached the summit of Mt. Lowe.
Couldn’t find the marker or the register to sign in.
In my opinion, if ascending to the summit of Mt. Lowe, the East-Mt. Lowe Trail is a better choice, than the West - Mt. Lowe Trail
No animal sighting besides squirrels. Many birds.
Few fallen trees along these trails. Nothing that would block passage, underneath or above them.
The recording mileage, is missing about half a mile or so. Somehow I must have stopped it when I took a photo towards end of hike.
