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Mount Wilson Trail Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 518 Google reviews · Running trail in Sierra Madre, California · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Mount Wilson Trail Park'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.
Picnicking, hiking, and a playground are offered at this spot with restrooms and views.
What runners say about Mount Wilson Trail Park
“It was slightly humid but there was lots of shade and the trail is well maintained.”
“Thought out the hike, you have stunning views, of the Sierra Madre Mt, San Gabriel Valley, Santanita race track, the 210 fwy, and surrounding cities.”
“It’s great it has shade almost all the way to the Observatory after First Water (FW), this is for the first 2.”
“Trail is easy to follow and well marked.”
This is an awesome trail for medium to high skill hikers. However, I brought my wife and ten year old son who are not hikers. They walked 3 miles up and back with no issues. It has beautiful views and no meters to park. The longest trail is 8.6 miles. Our dog was excited. Got to keep him on a leash.
You can start off your hike through Mt.Wilson trail st, work your way up north of the trail to First water 1.5 miles then orchard camp 3.5 miles, Last water n Mazanita ridge about 4-5 miles, Mt.Wilson 7.0 miles ahead keep in mind its a total of 14 miles round trip.
Beautiful trail, easy with moderate grade. We go about 4 miles up and down. Beautiful canyon below, be careful escape can be difficult and hard even for experienced hikers. Lots of scenery and animals.
Bring excellent hiking shoes if you are going all the way up. It's a challenging hike with great views of the city. There's two places that the trail could have been better marked, but overall it's great trail.
Trail conditions & character
“Thought out the hike, you have stunning views, of the Sierra Madre Mt, San Gabriel Valley, Santanita race track, the 210 fwy, and surrounding cities.”
“Does have some very short steep/technical crossings, specially last 2 miles, meaning it’s highly recommended for a good training session.”
“40 miles there's free street parking bathrooms were available at the start of the trail great views had a wonderful experience.”
“It’s great it has shade almost all the way to the Observatory after First Water (FW), this is for the first 2.”
“This trail is also a pet friendly, Children are welcome, Hike on your own pace, never go off trail and bring a hat and lots of water!”
“40 miles there's free street parking bathrooms were available at the start of the trail great views had a wonderful experience.”
“Does have some very short steep/technical crossings, specially last 2 miles, meaning it’s highly recommended for a good training session.”
“Had a great experience at mount wilson to chantry flat via winter creek trail which was about 6.”
Plan your run at Mount Wilson Trail Park
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitecityofsierramadre.com
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Thursday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Friday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Saturday | 6 am–10 pm |
| Sunday | 6 am–10 pm |
Running trails near Sierra Madre
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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