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| Hiking to Mount Wilson with my trusty hiking pole and Granite Rocx backpack |
Some general Advice
about hiking the loops from Chantry Flats to Wilson:
There is a lot of confusing information online about hiking
the loop from Chantry Flats to Mount Wilson. I’ll try to cover the basics in a single
paragraph and give more details in the rest of the post. Including a stop at Cosmic Cafe on the top of Mount Wilson,
this route is over 16 miles long and should be considered strenuous. The Cosmic Cafe has extremely limited hours
and is only open on weekends in the spring, so be sure to check the hours. You will
also need a forest adventure pass or purchase a 5$ parking pass from Adam’s Pack Station at Chantry Flats.
Don’t get locked in the parking lot, they close the gate at 8 pm. Make sure you
have the appropriate gear for the hike. The temperature can fluctuate up to 50
degrees colder at the top of the mountain, so a jacket and gloves is definitely recommended.
Bring plenty of water and a headlamp. Most of the loop is in a canyon and you
don’t want to get stranded without a light if the sun goes down. Make sure your boots are in good shape and wear
a long pair of comfortable socks to avoid getting blisters. Make sure you have a comfortable backpack.
This is one of those long day hikes where a camel-back type backpack is too
small for your extra gear and an overnight backpack is overkill. This was my first hike with my new Granite Rocx daypack
and it was a life saver. I have shoulder
problems when I hike with a heavy load on my shoulders, so I had to find an ultra-light
backpack with a bunch of extra compartments for all of my gear. This was seriously the first time I've hiked
all year without any shoulder problems.
Chantry Flats Loop to
Mount Wilson:
Landmarks on the loop:
Chantry Flats, Upper Falls Trail, Cascade Picnic Area, Spruce Grove Campground, Sturtevant Trail,
Mount Wilson Observatory, Cosmic Cafe, Mount Wilson Toll Road, Upper Winter
Creek Trail, Chantry Flats.
The hike to Mount Wilson starts in the Chantry Flats parking
area. From the parking lot, You head downhill on a winding paved road all the
way to the canyon floor. Then head North on the Gabrielino Trail towards
Sturtevant Falls. Make a left at the Fern Lodge Junction and continue North on
the upper Falls trail, or hike to the
falls and then scale the incline on the left of the falls to reach the trail. This
shortcut has eroded quite a bit in the last few years, so I don’t recommend it. Continue North-West. You will pass the Cascade
Picnic area, the Spruce Grove Camp and you will pass the spur trail that heads
to Newcomb Pass. You will eventually
reach the junction for the Sturtevant Trail to Mount Wilson. This is the trail
you want. Make a right onto the Sturtevant Trail and head up to reach the
summit of Mount Wilson. From this junction, it’s approximately 3 ½ miles of
endless switchbacks up the mountain. Once you reach the summit, you will see
the Mount Wilson observatory telescope. From here, follow the paved road to the
Cosmic Cafe. There is a large bathroom facility and a fill station for water bottles
at the observatory. To head back to
Chantry Flats, the trail starts in the parking lot directly adjacent to the
Cosmic Cafe. Its partially eroded and not obvious, even if you’re standing next
to it. You hike down the steep trail until you reach the wider dirt road marked
as The Mount Wilson Toll Road. This Road is no longer in service because of the
landslides that block it. Head South on the road until you reach the junction for
Upper Winter Creek Trail. Hike until you reach the trail junction for Hoegees
Camp. Do not hike to Hoegees Camp, stay
right instead at the junction to remain on the Upper Winter Creek Trail. This
trail heads slightly uphill for the first half mile, but will lead you around
the mountain and downhill for the remainder of the trail right into Chantry
Flats. The loop is approximately 16
miles round-trip. It took us 8 hours to finish it, but we did stop for an hour
at the top for lunch.
Notes on the trail:
I was not in shape for this hike. Not even close. I've only
hiked once in the past 3 weeks, and this was a poor choice to get back into
shape. The switchbacks absolutely murdered my legs and tender toes. Many
websites incorrectly list the loop at 12 miles. In actuality, its over 16. The
parking lot at Chantry Flats is insane on the weekends. People were parked on
both sides of the road a mile away lining both sides of the road down the
mountain.
The Spruce Grove Campground is the only place on the trail
where we passed an outhouse. The campground was almost full, which is surprising
for the start of April. The last 3.4 miles of the Sturtevant Trail to the
observatory are a murderous, never-ending, unrelenting set of switchbacks and
inclines. The trail spur to the Mount Wilson Toll Road at the Cosmic Cafe parking
lot is damn near impossible to find. We had to ask another set of hikers to
show us where it was. There is no way we would have found it on our own.
Directions:
From the 210 Freeway
in Arcadia, take the Santa Anita exit North and follow Santa Anita Avenue for
1.5 miles to the yellow gate. Continue 3 miles up the narrow winding road to
Chantry Flats parking area. It can easily fill up on the weekends, so expect to
see cars parked along both sides of the road. Don’t forget your Forest Adventure
parking pass.
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| Gabrielino Trail |
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| Sturtevant Falls |
