outdoors

Mount Baldy

Alright you serious hikers and adventurers, Mount Baldy is for you. Located on the eastern border of Los Angeles County, Mount Baldy is not only one of the best hikes in Los Angeles, but one of the best hikes in Southern California. However, with double-digit miles (a little more than 11 miles) and a 10,064-foot summit, this is neither a walk in the park, nor your everyday urban hike in Los Angeles. Nonetheless, choosing to take the chair lift (yes, seriously) would cut off a few miles from your hike. Be that as it may, it doesn't cut out the hardest part of the hike, the last part as you near the summit. The payoff is an amazing summit view, where it's not unusual to be above the clouds with incredible 360-degree views as far as the eye can see. On the way down, reward yourself with a beer at Top of the Notch, and then at the bottom, a visit to San Antonio Falls. I urge you to bring lots of water and refill at Top of the Notch. Finally, I only recommend hiking Mount Baldy in the warmer months. While this is Southern California, it's a 10,000-foot mountain (and a ski mountain during the winter), and is dangerous for hiking in the winter.