Mt. Baldy Hiking Information
Los Angeles, California
Top of Mt. Baldy!
Mt. Baldy Hike Stats
Depending on the trail you take and your experience:
5-10+ hours
7-11+ miles
Elevation gain: ~4,000 feet
Difficulty: Strenuous
Mt. San Antonio
Commonly known as Mt. Baldy, Mt. San Antonio is LA County's highest peak at 10,000 feet and is located within two nationally protected areas, San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and Angeles National Forest.
Why is it called Mt. Baldy? Appropriately enough, there are no trees near the summit and the top of the mountain looks like a bald head!
The start of our hike - sunrise from the trailhead parking near Manker Campground
Why visit Mt. Baldy? If you don't want to drive far from Los Angeles but you do want to go on an incredible hike or enjoying a plethora of other outdoor activities, Mt. Baldy is right for you.
Planning and Preparing to hike Mt. Baldy
Here's the items that we found to be the most useful during our hike to the top of Mt. Baldy:
Comfortable clothes according to the weather forecast
Windbreaker for the top (it's usually windy)
Picnic food (sandwiches!) for a well deserved lunch at 10,000 feet
If you'd like to stay overnight in Mt. Baldy, consider camping at Manker Campground. There are 21 campsites and they are all first come first serve. You can also rent an Airbnb nearby or reserve a Luxurious Tent Cabin at the ski lifts.
Another really cool way to spend the night on Mt. Baldy is by booking a night in the San Antonio Ski Hut. The Ski Hut is a green lodge or cabin that was built in 1936 and is located at 8,300 feet.
The hut is only accessible via a steep, 3 mile hike, and offers a fully-equipped kitchen, dishes, cookware, running water, and solar lighting. Water from a spring nearby is piped directly to the kitchen and the hut has sleeping room for up to 16 people.
To reserve in advance for overnight stay or for more information about the San Antonio Ski Hut, take a look at their website then contact the scheduled Hut Host. If you're interested in helping preserve and maintain the hut, consider becoming a volunteer Hut Host or attend one of their volunteer Work Parties.
If you’re on a road trip and want to try a good route planning app, check out our Roadtrippers review. And finally, don't forget to check the weather before your trip.
How to get to the Mt. Baldy trailhead
Mt. Baldy is about an hour from Los Angeles. Plug in Manker Campground on your GPS. The parking lot for the trailhead to the top of Mt. Baldy is located near Manker Campground. Drive a little bit past Manker Campground and you'll see cars parked along Mt. Baldy Road. Park along with these cars.
To park at this parking lot, you're required to buy a daily ($5) or annual ($30) Adventure Pass from a 7-eleven, Adventure 16, or other store. Here are locations where you can buy it. You don't have to use the pass the same day you buy it. Proceeds from the Adventure Pass help support state parks. National Park Annual Pass is also accepted to park at the parking lot for the Mt. Baldy hike.
If you are planning to come here with an RV, then our Harvest Host reviews has more information about different spots you can stop and camp at along the way.
At the start of our Mt. Baldy hike
The Mt. Baldy Hike
The Mt. Baldy hike to the summit is awesome! There's multiple hiking trails available on all sides of the mountain that reach the summit. The most popular trailhead to begin from is located near Manker Campground. Drive a little bit past Manker Campground and you will see cars parked along Mt. Baldy Road. Park along with these cars, then look for the trailhead.
On the Mt. Baldy Hike
The trail starts with a paved fire road, then becomes a gravel fire road, then just a narrow dirt trail. You'll know you're at the trailhead once you see that it's closed by a gate and there are portable restrooms by it. There should be maps available in box attached to the gate.
Grab a map and plan your route. There's lots of turns and shortcuts along the trail, which is why you will see trails connecting to other trails with no signs. I was unable to find a trail map online for Mt. Baldy but the general rule of thumb is going to be to keep hiking uphill and stay along an established trail.
Hazy views of the cities down below
Most trails will at some point connect to the Devil's Backbone Trail. Once you hit Devil's Backbone, follow it uphill and you'll get to the summit. Devil's Backbone is an awesome trail that takes you towards the summit along a ridge with steep drops offs on both sides.
You might have heard this trail is scary but it's actually more fun than scary. It's also steep and exhausting, not a walk in the park! Don't forget snacks and lots of water. You can make the hike to the top shorter by taking the ski lifts up during the dry seasons, but where's the fun in that?
How long is the Mt. Baldy hike? You will probably hike at least 6-10 miles/5+ hours with about 2,500 feet of elevation gain so make sure to be prepared, leave early, and bring food and water. The top of the mountain gets pretty cold and windy even during the summer so a jacket is recommended.
Click here to see the Mt. Baldy Hike on Google Maps
Other things to do at Mt. Baldy
Summer:
Visit San Antonio Falls
Road Biking
Mountain Biking
Dining at Top of The Notch Restaurant and Bar
Winter:
During the winter, snow hobbyists take over. Ice climbing the "Baldy Bowl" with crampons and ice axes, skiing/snowboarding, and snow tubing are just some of the winter activities the mountain has to offer.
Visit winter.mtbaldyresort.com for:
Lift Tickets
Season Passes
Equipment Rentals
Ski/snowboard Lessons
Summit of Mt. Baldy!
Tips for the Mt. Baldy hike
The hike excellent for a group of coworkers, friends, or family
The parking lot near Manker Campground fills up quickly, get there early!
Bring trail snacks and lunch food for a picnic at the summit
Grab a well-deserved beer at one of the many microbreweries in LA after your hike
The top of the mountain is very windy and cold, bring a jacket or windbreaker
Additional Links
Do the Mt. Baldy hike today!
Standing at the top of Mt. Baldy is exhilarating. The wind blows strong, there's makeshift rock walls for protection, and the Baldy Bowl looks steep and treacherous. It feels really good to summit Mt. Baldy and the view at the top definitely makes it all worth it.
After leaving Mt. Baldy you realize that the forest and mountains are a lot closer to Los Angeles than you might have thought. You might have stared out from the top of the mountain and thought about how millions of people are only miles away. The mountains are right in our backyard.
Conquering Mt. Baldy might make you want to keep traveling and exploring all the other neat places in the greater Los Angeles area. For your next trip, consider visiting Yosemite, Big Sur, Joshua Tree, Catalina Island, or Sequoia/King's Canyon.
Mt. Baldy FAQ
Question: Is the Mt. Baldy hike okay for kids/children?
Answer: The Mt. Baldy hike is doable, depending how much experience your kids have with hiking. It's definitely strenuous, but not impossible. Recommended for kids maybe 10 years or older. Bring lots of water and snacks like trail mix and beef jerky to keep everyone energized. If you'd like, you can even take part of the trail up on the ski lift. Your kids might enjoy that!
Question: Is this a dog-friendly hike near LA?
Answer: Yup, dogs are allowed. Mt. Baldy is a great hike to bring your pet. This is assuming they have experience hiking strenuous trails.
Question: Is Mt. Baldy a dormant volcano?
Answer: No, Mt. Baldy being a volcano is just a myth. Mt Baldy is mostly plutonic and metamorphic rock, which are formed when magma cools and solidifies below the Earth's surface. This is as opposed to extrusive/volcanic rocks, which are formed when lava cools and solidifies on the earth's surface, which would signal a volcano underneath. (Geologists feel free to chime in ;)
Question: How long does the Mt. Baldy Hike take?
Answer: The Mt. Baldy hike will be about 6-10 miles/5+ hours so make sure to be prepared, leave early, and bring plenty of food and water. Don't get caught unprepared and dehydrated on this hike!
Question: Does Mt. Baldy have snow?
Answer: Yes, it can snow a lot on Mt. Baldy during the winter. Check the Mt. Baldy Snow report for current conditions.
Question: Are dogs allowed on the Mt. Baldy trail?
Answer: Yes
This location was recommended to us by Jenny A. Le, real estate agent in Chino Hills, CA.