Level: Easy to Moderate
Distance: 6 miles (depending where you start)
Elevation Gain: 2,000 - 3,000 (depending where you start)
Parking: Free
Directions: From the 710 to 210, take Lincoln Ave exit, right on Woodbury Road, left on Fair Oaks, right on Loma Alta Drive and follow up to gates of Cobb Estate.
My original plan was to do a solo hike to Inspiration Point through Echo Mountain, but I was not too sure what I was getting myself into. I briefly read up on the Inspiration Point trail and received mixed messages from many people. It was not until I did the hike myself that I understood the trails (getting lost a few times). There are so many trails in this general area that I think many people are confused. Like most people, I parked on Loma Alta Drive and Lake Avenue.
Since it is street parking, a parking pass is not required but I would be sure to look out for street sweeping times if you don't plan on doing this trail on a weekend. Of course, being or living by this area, I would recommend coming really early to find parking. Usually this trail is pretty busy but on this day, it was not. I entered the gates of Cobb Estate and found it to be very green and beautiful as the sun was coming out.
Many and when I say many, I mean many people get lost only a couple feet from here. There is a fork in the road that you will not even notice (early morning), or maybe you will but either way the sign is somewhat hidden unless the sun is out.
From this fork, if you decide to go left, about a mile up there is a dead end and an abandoned shed. It's nice for just a view. The path to the right is the correct path.
Expand this picture and you can see people going up switchbacks.
The abandoned shed
The view at the abandoned shed
Once you navigate yourself in the right direction, it will take you down and around the base of the mountain where you will start the long switchbacks. If you see this faded sign, you're going the right direction.
Most of the hike is shaded (if you start early morning) because you're basically going around the mountain through switchbacks. The hike up isn't too bad if you're pretty fit. One of the only draws on this hike was how narrow the path was. If you're fast and you catch up to a group of people, you will be stuck behind them unless you politely ask to go ahead. I found many of the people to be very inconsiderate. Only a few let me pass but many don't seem to care that they're holding up a line. Anyway, as you go up the switchbacks, you will be rewarded with beautiful views.
As you reach the end of the switchbacks, you will approach a sign that points in the directions for Mount Lowe and Mount Wilson. If you decide to take that route, you will hike about 2 miles until you reach a fire road that takes you to Mount Wilson but on the way you will see signs and information regarding Mount Lowe Railway.
Take left to Mount Wilson, take right to Mount Lowe Railway (and to Inspiration Point)
If you take the path to the right, it will take you to Mount Lowe Railway and the correct way to Inspiration Point. At this point, to CLARIFY you are on the Echo Mountain Trail; however, depending on what path you choose, it will change to either "Castle Canyon Trail" or "Sam Merril Trail." So many people have thought that after all the switchbacks, you're officially at Inspiration Point when really, you are not. It's another 2.5 miles up with more switchbacks which I will write about in a separate post.
As you enter Mount Lowe Railway, you will be approached by two signs and "ruins" of the railway and old housing.
The railway was originally created by Thaddus C. S. Lowe. It was the ONLY scenic mountain railway built in the late 1890's powered by electric traction in the United States and was created for Pasadena residents to venture out in the San Gabriel Mountains. It was officially abandoned in 1938.
In the area, there are also remains of an old hotel. Really, there is no building just a flat piece of land where an old hotel use to stand. The hotel was a 70 room Victorian hotel named, The Echo Mountain House. Beside an astronomical observatory, the hotel had a casino and dance hall. Passengers were then able to take another trolley to a 22 room Swiss Chalet hospice in Crystal Springs with tennis courts, pools, mule rides, and other luxury amenities.
The Echo Mountain Hotel had a disastrous kitchen fire in 1900 and a second fire in 1905 destroyed all of the buildings. On top of that, railway fares did not cover cost to run it. In the end everything was abandoned but have been marked as a historical site by the Scenic Mt. Lowe Historical Committee. The trail was a wonderful hike. I really enjoyed all the history behind the "ruins." From here, you have an option of continuing on to Inspiration Point or of course, ending your hike and coming back down.
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