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Good views and interesting biology.


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Map Key

1.0

Miles

1.6

KM

85%

Runnable

5,808' 1,770 m

High

5,628' 1,715 m

Low

180' 55 m

Up

197' 60 m

Down

7%

Avg Grade (4°)

17%

Max Grade (10°)

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Views · Wildflowers

Need to Know

Adventure Pass required to park at trailheads and day use areas.

Description

This trail shares the same starting location as the Soldier Creek Trail #9W30 near the restrooms by the amphitheater. A short distance down the trail, it turns left and crosses a small bridge and shortly comes to a junction of the trail loop. Take the right fork and you enter a plant community that is common on the high desert slopes but rarely seen on the coastal side of the San Gabriel Mountains. A large California juniper is passed and the trail gently climbs to a point with a bench offering a great view out to the San Gabriel Valley and beyond. On a clear day, the ocean and Channel Islands can be seen.

The trail then turns north and encounters several single-leaf pinyon trees which have a much paler green color compared to other pines in the area. This is also a great location to look out over the Crystal Lake Basin to see how it was formed from massive slides around Mt. Islip to the northwest.

The trail passes a seasonal spring and a beautiful field of deer grass before descending back down to complete the loop.

Flora & Fauna

Juniper, pinyon, bigcone spruce, Jeffrey pine. Wildflowers in spring.

Contacts

Shared By:

Alan Coles

Trail Ratings

  3.0 from 1 vote

#30668

Overall
  3.0 from 1 vote
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Trail Rankings

#3,426

in California

#30,668

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7 Views Last Month
360 Since Jan 21, 2018
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Photos

Mt. Islip with pinyon and yucca in foreground.
Jan 21, 2018 near Wrightwood, CA
Good viewing location of San Gabriel Canyon.
Jan 21, 2018 near Wrightwood, CA
California juniper.
Jan 21, 2018 near Wrightwood, CA
Soldier Creek and Pinyon Ridge trail junction.
Jan 21, 2018 near Wrightwood, CA

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