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Gabrielino Trail Western Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 154 Google reviews · Running trail in Altadena, California · Hours vary
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Paved
- Distance
- 8.8 mi
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Not reported
Confirmed from Gabrielino Trail Western Trailhead's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Hiking area with a well-maintained trail, canyon views, and some water crossings.
What runners say about Gabrielino Trail Western Trailhead
“3 miles, beautiful scenery, your covered by tree canopies.”
“This is one of my favorite trails, with abundant shade, a creek, and lots of wildflowers.”
“This is a multi-purpose trail for easy walking, horse riding and bike riding.”
This trailhead is a nice one close to the city and can be used to access many good points of interest like Brown Mountain Dam or Wellas Peak. Just remember to reach the actual trail it’s a 0.6 mile walk on a paved road.
If you're familiar with Griffith Park & Runyon Canyon, these trails are a nice change of scenery with shaded pathways (paved and gravel), small creeks along the way and not as crowded. This is a multi-purpose trail for easy walking, horse riding and bike riding.
This is one of my favorite trails, with abundant shade, a creek, and lots of wildflowers. You can hike out and back to the waterfall (9 miles round trip) or turn around at the campground (around 5 miles.
Been going for years here and love it. So glad to hear it's reopened after the fire. I can't wait to go back. It's an easy hike (more of a walk) or great for biking, kids and pets. Bring suits for the kids and towels. There's always clear flowing water to splash or even swim at times and so much to climb on.
Trail conditions & character
“You can hike out and back to the waterfall (9 miles round trip) or turn around at the campground (around 5 miles.”
“You can go up Brown mountain (fork to the right) o the saddle and down El prieto for a short 8 mile loop which takes about an hour or so (about 1300 feer climb).”
“You can continue up from the saddle to Ken Burton trailhead (2000 feet climb) and then back down to El Prieto or down the Meadows trail and continuing on to Canyon Crest.”
“You can go up Brown mountain (fork to the right) o the saddle and down El prieto for a short 8 mile loop which takes about an hour or so (about 1300 feer climb).”
“This is one of my favorite trails, with abundant shade, a creek, and lots of wildflowers.”
“Great for walking your dog or hiking with family and friends.”
“I just went to the Sunset look out and took photos and then I started down the concrete biking path to take some more photos.”
“The bottom trail is relatively flat and is great for if you are looking to get moderate exercise.”
Plan your run at Gabrielino Trail Western Trailhead
The practical stuff
- AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
- SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
- Distance8.8 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
Running trails near Altadena
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Echo Sunset Prieto Trail Loop
4.7 ★★★★★ 179 reviews
Hiking area with kid-friendly trails and opportunities for mountain biking.
Hahamongna Watershed Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 584 reviews
Protected area with mature trees serving as a drainage area & offering disc golf & picnic tables.
El Prieto Canyon
4.7 ★★★★★ 266 reviews
Popular hiking area with multiple trails and benches, plus wildlife and water crossings.
Arroyo North Loop
4.7 ★★★★★ 55 reviews
Park offering trails that are good for running and walking, plus kid-friendly hiking.
