Distance (round-trip)
10.8 mi
Time
7 hrs
Elevation Gain
2731 ft
Season
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Weather
–
The most challenging peak in the front range of the San Gabriels. This trail loops through a shaded canyon, brush, and exposed rock-face Class Three bouldering before descending to idyllic meadows in the shadow of Strawberry Peak’s dramatic north face. Hands down, one of the best hikes in Los Angeles.
NOTE: THIS TRAIL WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED IN THE STATION FIRE. As of November, 2015, hikers have reported both the Colby Canyon Trail and Mountaineer’s Route are in passable shape. Although conditions are improving, be aware of poodle-dog bush and poison oak on the Colby Canyon Trail and note that some of the scrambling directions on the Mountaineer’s Route are tough to spot.
An easier way to reach Strawberry Peak is by hiking from the saddles of neighboring Mount Lawlor or a longer trek from Josephine Peak.
Strawberry Peak was one of the first hikes I did in the San Gabriels that reminded me that hiking is more than just strolling in the woods. It starts out with a swiftly ascending canyon trail, moves to an unmaintained, thorn-lined use-trail, and tops off with some straight-up class 3 rock climbing. It is, as they say, a doozy. But it’s also a lot of fun, and one of the few peaks close to the city that feels like a real-life mountain climb.
As I parked at the busy trailhead, I could see the deceptively rounded summit peeking out from behind two shorter hills. I laced up, stretched out, and headed up. When I did this hike, there was also apparently a Search and Rescue mission going on. This is one of those trails that doesn’t seem like it can be dangerous … until it is. If you’re planning on taking the mountaineers route / scramble to the top, you should know what you’re getting into before you do it.
The trail at Colby Canyon starts out by dropping a bit from the road to the canyon floor. It’s heavily forested and you should enjoy it … because this is pretty much it for the shade on this trail.
This early section also had a small seasonal creek. When I hiked this in October there was nothing but dust in the riverbed. Today, it was full of croaking frogs and the occasional bathing bird.
In this lower section of Colby Canyon there is a lot of poison oak – especially near the seasonal stream. Just watch where your arms and legs are going and you should be fine. This area was badly burned in the 2009 Station Fire but appears to be making a strong recovery. After a short distance, the trail climbs the east wall of the canyon and leaves most of the vegetation behind it. From here, you’ll get your first views of the south face of Strawberry Peak.
At about the 2 mile mark you’ll come upon Josephine Saddle, where the trail splits toward Josephine Peak to the west and Strawberry Peak to the north at a water tank that may have some interesting graffiti. If you’re looking for the more fun mountaineer’s route to Strawberry Peak, walk north toward the Strawberry Peak Trail but keep your eye peeled for a short use-trail on the east side of the path very close to the Saddle. Make a quick scramble up to the ridge and walk about 0.2 miles to what looks like the end of the trail at a rugged rock face.
you’ll climb up here
I remember the first time I got to this part of the trail and thought about going back and taking the long way around. If you’re not used to rock scrambling – or in a feisty mood – this can get intimidating very quickly. But it’s really not as tough as it looks. A kind vandal was nice enough to mark a suggested path up the rocks which – while technically graffiti – is actually pretty helpful when you don’t know where you’re supposed to be going.
… and the knowledge that you’ve got a tougher climb ahead of you.
The trail makes a steep but steady climb until you reach the 2.9 mile mark. You’ll meander through giant boulders, dive under chaparral, and avoid Spanish bayonets along the way.
And eventually, you’ll hop over a large pile of broken rocks and come face to face with this:
When you’re finished hanging out at the summit, either return back the way you came or continue down a steep, rugged trail that runs along one of the eastern ridges of Strawberry Peak. It’s not nearly as adventurous as the western ascent nor are there any fun climbing spots … but the trail is fairly easy to follow and only runs into Bayonet gauntlets a few times along the way.
In a mile you’ll reach the bottom of the eastern trail, where you can tack on a scramble up Lawlor or head back to Red Box for a car shuttle. Instead, turn north on the Strawberry Trail to start the long loop around the north side of the peak you just bagged. Enjoy the shaded, slightly declining trail as it loops north and west, passing a seasonal spring at the 5.2 mile mark.
From the Meadows, it’s about a mile and a half back to Josephine Saddle. Head back to the trailhead the way you came in.
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Modern Hiker, Author of "Day Hiking Los Angeles," Walking Meditator, Native Plant Enthusiast.
Multi-Use Trail
Views / Vista
Trail Conditions
From Colby Canyon to Josephine Saddle, the trail clearly marked and easy to travel. The "mountaineer's route" is a semi-maintained, unofficial trail that traverses through noticeably tougher terrain. You'll have to fight your way through thick brush, steep slopes, and class 3 bouldering with steep drop-offs. While the route is marked, caution should be taken - especially on the bouldering sections. The trail that winds through Strawberry Meadow to the north of the mountain is another official trail. While seldom-used, it is easy to follow and not too steep.
How to get there
From the 210 in La Canada Flintridge, take the Angeles Crest Highway 10.1 miles toward the Angeles National Forest. There are two small dirt lots on the north side of the road at Colby Canyon, marked with trailhead signs and distances. It's just past the turn-off for the Switzer's Picnic Area and trail.
50 Comments
Awesome hike! The mountaineer's route was great fun, and with recent rain there are some beautiful water falls and creeks. The rain brought down some trees but the trails look good for the most part. The day following this hike I found that a tick had bit my back and needed to be removed, so check yourself out before bed if you decide to scramble through the brush on the mountaineer's route! I'll be up there again soon, truly a fantastic hike.
Leave a Reply to Jelani Cancel reply
Thank you to have shared this !
This hike is amazing, it never get boring despite its length.
I made the error of starting too fast and was really proud of reaching the summit so quickly.
But I payed it later and was wasted on the way back to the reservoir and so happy to finish the hike in refreshing clouds with some drops of rain.
I tried to rest in at the shadow of the trees in the meadow but was attacked by flies, how do deal with those ?
Leave a Reply to TheSwissDude Cancel reply
Lovely back in there. Like a little bit of Yosemite. And hardly a soul around. Other thing I really like about this hike is its variety. Start out creekside, then up though open chaparral, bouldering to the peak, down that shaded backstretch, the quiet of the meadow, back up through forest cover to Josephine Saddle, then out. It's a 10. Great work on the site, b/t/w. Wouldn't have found it without it. Thanks.
Leave a Reply to Jim Cancel reply
Sounds like a great experience! Strawberry Meadow is really a nice, calming counterpoint to the adrenaline rush of the scrambling, isn't it?
Leave a Reply to Casey Schreiner Cancel reply
Started hiking San Gabriels this past November and this trail has been the best of the lot. Did it twice this spring, once late March, then went back for more a few weeks ago. Trail is in excellent shape. My GPS had 3,559 total elevation gain. First time it became a struggle as I ran out of water about half way through (only brought 1.5 liters), second was much better as I packed in 3 plus+. There is a creek at the trailhead but you lose it after a mile or so in. Was flowing pretty well late March but by late April was struggling and will dry up.
Excellent reptile viewing. Between the two hikes saw 2 striped racers, a rattlesnake, 2 horned lizards, an alligator lizard, plus all the usual fence lizards.
The bouldering was a bit freaky the first time. Second time much better. Be sure to test your footholds and handholds before putting full weight on them. The rock can be crumbly. Great feeling when you get to the top though.
The toy in the cereal box surprise to all this was Strawberry Meadow. Serenity underneath the looming Strawberry Peak. Held out high hopes for this spot as a possible overnighting spot but no water close by, at least none that I saw.
And learned a new dish from some hikers I ran into: funeral potatoes.
Leave a Reply to Jim Cancel reply
I think I have those "what am I doing with my life" moments EVERY time I do this trail. That is the perfect way of putting it :)
Leave a Reply to Casey Schreiner Cancel reply
Hiked today 8/22/15, trail is in decent shape. However, it's true that the arrows are very faded, I didn't even notice them till about 1/2 way up the second climb. Luckily I followed a group that included a hiker who had done this trail before. So much fun! Highly recommended ONLY if you're comfortable with scrambling. There will be a few "what am I doing with my life" moments.
Saw two snakes on the way up, none on the climbs though. Keep your eyes open.
Leave a Reply to Linda Cancel reply
Forgot to say thanks for providing these great guides.
There's so much Spanish Bayonet on this trail that I googled it when I got home. The variety seems to be Lord's Candle (Hesperoyucca whipplei). I took a machete up there and ended up hardly using it: only the hardest swings cuts through the stalks.
Leave a Reply to David Cancel reply
Thanks for the update, David! Good to hear that the ol' Mountaineers' Route is still there, even if it's faded.
Leave a Reply to Casey Schreiner Cancel reply
Did the hike yesterday, trail condition is mostly pretty good, but the climbing section's spray painted arrows are very faded; turned out ok, but there was a little luck involved in guessing the best way up. Lot of fun, though. I didn't wear pants and didn't have trouble with spiny plants.
Only an occasional hiker, and this thing was very challenging stamina wise. Weather was in the mid-80s in the foothills, and not any cooler on the trail. I took 3.5 liters of water and ran out a few miles from the end; unless you're in really good shape and/or acclimated, I'd suggest going up when it's cooler. Also, it was reassuring to have an app like MotionX GPS with a downloaded map to check my position and progress.
Leave a Reply to David Cancel reply
I did see a rattler just past the first scramble, hiding in shaded crevice underneath a boulder. Watch out.
Leave a Reply to james Cancel reply
Did the out-and-back portion of this hike today. Trail is in good condition, not too much overgrowth. Path is generally clear.
Leave a Reply to james Cancel reply
Did this hike earlier today, 4/12/2015. Leg burner. We hiked from Colby Canyon and saw some amazing vistas. Trail was easy to find, but filled with poison oaks and poodle dog bush. Be careful and wear pants. Spanish bayonets near the summit destroyed our hands. Tried to avoid them but somehow still stabbed. Bring LOTS of water, the steepness and scramble will leave you guzzling a lot of water.
Leave a Reply to Carlo B. Cancel reply
Hey Casey. It's Joseph from the Sturtevant Camp hike. You gave me the T-shirts and I was the one helping with the zipline. Anyway, I just did Strawberry Peak and the Colby Canyon trail seems to be in fine shape. I only saw one plant of poison oak. That being said, there is a ton of poodle dog bush on the ridge before the last scramble. Even with all of it I did not get a rash when doing this hike. Like Leo said, there is no longer a sign that designates the trailhead. The important thing is that the trail is open and in good shape.
Happy trails!
Leave a Reply to Joseph Cancel reply
Sweet - thanks so much for the update, Leo! I'd love to test my mettle on the Mountaineers Trail again ... but maybe I'll let some crews get in there to tidy up a bit. A got a little swipe of poison oak on my leg over the weekend and I'm not looking to add to the rash for a while :)
Leave a Reply to Casey Schreiner Cancel reply
I was up there yesterday. Up the Colby & Mountaineers trail. Both trails were in good condition. There is no longer a sign that designates the trailhead, but it's all pretty straightforward. Since I started late and it was getting dark, once I summited, I decided to leave the trail just before the Mt. Lawlor/Strawberry saddle into a small canyon that spills you into the highway about a mile above the trailhead. A lot of bushwacking and poison oak and not worth it in the least. :-) That canyon has definitely not seen any traffic, at least since the station fire.
Leave a Reply to Leo Cancel reply
Yes. This was my first time up the scramble so not sure what it was like prior to the fire. There were plenty of signs of the fire, but overall it seemed in fair condition. The route seemed pretty intuitive (with some help from the faded arrows on the rocks!) and I didn't experience any hairy moments due to loose rock or vegetation.
Leave a Reply to Brian Cancel reply
That's great to hear about Colby! I'll confirm with a ranger once I get back to the west coast and update the write-up. Did you do the Mountaineers' Scramble? What was the state of it?
Leave a Reply to Casey Schreiner Cancel reply
Yes, Colby Canyon trail is open. I hiked Strawberry Peak on Saturday 1/17/2015 from Colby canyon trailhead. I confirmed with Clear Creek Ranger station on my way in and they said it was open. When I pulled in there were no parking restrictions or signs. Only saw a few others on this route the whole day and no one between Josephine saddle and the summit. A fun hike especially with my little dog (shiba inu). Got interesting on the scramble to the summit with the pooch under one arm! Great views of a snowy Baldy and the LA basin. I can see how unbearably hot this route would get in the summer, it was pretty darn warm on a 75 deg day in January! Thanks to Casey for the trip report. It helped me orient myself towards the ridge route when I got to Josephine Saddle.
Leave a Reply to Brian Cancel reply
The trail as described is not hikeable (Colby Canyon is closed and the Mountaineers' Route was pretty much destroyed), however you can still reach the summit of Strawberry Peak. You can hike the fire road up Josephine Peak and hike across a short saddle. From there, you can hike along the north side of Strawberry to the saddle between it and Mount Lawlor and ascend up the east ridge. Alternatively, you can take a shorter route up Mount Lawlor from Red Box and just climb that east ridge trail from the saddle that way.
Leave a Reply to Casey Schreiner Cancel reply
Quick update for those looking to bag Strawberry. The Colby Canyon route to the saddle is still closed as the trail has not been cleaned up yet, however, the trail from Red Box is open. I hiked out of Red Box (across the street - north) to Strawberry/Lawlor Saddle and up to Strawberry Peak yesterday - not a lot of shade so bring a hat and lots of water. I left Red Box at 9:30am and was on the peak at 11:10am, basically ran down in just over an hour. Trail in great condition up to saddle and not too difficult between saddle and strawberry peak. Randomly a ton of flies, butterflies and insects on top - no problem 15 feet down from summit. something is up there that flying insects really enjoy. Fire road to josephine peak & saddle is open to but who likes fire roads. Thanks as always for the site casey!
Leave a Reply to Mike P. Cancel reply
Shane, you almost had me there :)
But you raise an interesting question - when I first started hiking, I often referred to these lower San Gabriels as the "Front Range," but that's fallen out of favor apparently. I'm about to undertake a huge overhaul of the hike write ups and will probably change that description to just "Low San Gabriels" because you're right - there are other mountains right near the foothills that are steep and tough, too (although I still think the scramble near the summit of Strawberry is tougher than Cucamonga or Etiwanda).
Leave a Reply to Casey Schreiner Cancel reply
Is this trail open? Just kidding. This is a great hike. Now I want to discuss this. What defines front range? Isn't Cucamonga Peak and Etiwanda front? If those aren't, then neither is Strawberry. Those are much more front and much more high. Am I right? No?
Leave a Reply to Shane Cancel reply
@Matthe, yes. I keep the most up to date fire closure news here. It hasn't been updated in a while because there haven't been any new openings in a while.
Leave a Reply to Casey Schreiner Cancel reply
The hike is still closed. When these trails re-open, I will remove all that red warning font up at the top :)
FYI - several hikers tried to do this trail over the weekend and had to be rescued. DO NOT attempt any of the trails in the Station Fire Burn Zone, for your safety and for the health of the forest.
Leave a Reply to Modern Hiker Cancel reply
Any news on if this hike is still closed? Looks like a good one.
Leave a Reply to David Cancel reply
I just did this hike this past weekend. It was just my wife and I heading out from Red Box to the peak. There was only one other hiker who did the trail - he passed us early on and we never saw him again.
The trail closure signs had us concerned, but we asked the otehr hiker who informed us it was standard for most trails in the area and just to ignore them. So we did.
Trail was narrow at points with some washouts, some worse than others. But generally passable. A few areas of the trail are reinforced by wooden beams/supports, etc that appear to have broken down over time making me realize more washouts are sure to come and the trail may one day be totally impassable.
Getting to the Lawlor/Strawberry saddle before the "offtrail" turnoff up the ridge to the top of the peak was generally passable. Some overgrown brush for sure and a bit challenging at times finding the most direct, safest route.
All in all the trail is totally doable. Just be prepared for the few washouts and brush on the final ridge and you're fine. I would not do this in rain/snow.
Leave a Reply to Josh Cancel reply
so...I house~sit up in that area and just finished for the fourth year in a row...I was actually in the Station Fire house~sitting at that time and it was insane! Luckily the house was spared but everything burned around it...anyway, I was just up there and hiked almost everyday..did Mt. Wilson last Saturday...anyway, I know that a lot of the places around the house are still closed but I also know that they have been opening up a lot of the trails as well...I am curious if this hike is open yet..i have done Switzer many times and then did Red Box trails recently too...
Leave a Reply to Daisy Cancel reply
Lije, this hike (and many nearby) are in the Station Fire Burn Area. Please check the map before you head out!
Leave a Reply to Modern Hiker Cancel reply
@ J. - maybe you missed this? https://modernhiker.com/fire-closures/
The main page with the list of hikes also has the Station Fire burn area map overlay: https://modernhiker.com/modern-hiker-map/
Leave a Reply to Modern Hiker Cancel reply
All these hikes back in Angeles National Forest are still closed due to the Station Fire two years ago. Make sure you check for details before you go find a trail. There are a few open trails on the south side of Hwy 2; anything on the north side is closed. Check with the Forest service before you go. I was way excited to do these trails and sorely disappointed when I got all the way out there for closed trails.
Leave a Reply to J. Westpfahl Cancel reply
[...] sure you’ll share your favorites in the comments. One of my all-time favorite tough treks was Strawberry Peak, but that’s right smack in the middle of the Burn Area and probably won’t be open [...]
Leave a Reply to Top 5 Leg-Busting Hikes in Los Angeles | Modern Hiker Cancel reply
Bill, this trail is in the Station Fire Burn Area, and will most likely not be open this year.
Leave a Reply to Modern Hiker Cancel reply
Going to be heading up in the late winter/early spring. Are there sections where you feel like the trail has the potential to be lost due to snow coverage? Any insight would be great. Thanks for posting!
Leave a Reply to Bill Reichenstach Cancel reply
[...] “mountaineer’s route” to Strawberry Peak was one of my favorite trails in the Angeles, but even the long way from Red Box near Mount Lawlor [...]
Leave a Reply to Trail Repair on Strawberry Peak | Modern Hiker Cancel reply
want to log some miles in the san gabes, but am not sure which areas were burned by the station fire, anyone have a good burn zone map? or just some advice on unaffected trails?
Leave a Reply to silkworm Cancel reply
Tried to do this one today, but found Angeles crest Hwy closed just abouve La Canada. Headed out to Point Magu instead. Great website, keep the hikes coming! This may be just what we need to get us out there a bit more.
Leave a Reply to Merris Cancel reply
On a recent trip up there I got a pic of a bobcat. The streams and waterfalls were flowing nicely. Here's the pic: http://getoutsidemore.com/?p=1344
Leave a Reply to CM Cancel reply
Hi
Thanks for this really good account of the trail. Last weekend my boyfriend, his friend + dog and I, hiked the peak via Colby Cyn. I just wanted to share this, because I thought you will find it amuzing to know that we climbed those rocks (OMG!) with the dog...
I also want to thank you for other posts, I am just learning a lot about locat mountains and trails, and I get really good information from your site.
ka
Leave a Reply to Karolina Cancel reply
Wow, I can't believe I didn't give directions on this hike. Post edited with driving directions from La Canada Flintridge!
Leave a Reply to Modern Hiker Cancel reply
Hey
Im headed to strawberry peak this weekend and was wondering how do I get to the trail head exactly. Please let me know! Love you ! Beau
Leave a Reply to beau lebaron Cancel reply
Thanks so much for sharing. I absolutely love this hike, but my book does not have a great map for it. Your post is very helpful, and I hadn't managed to get back via the Meadows before. I agree that going back down the climber's route is hell - I got lost on the way down, even though it was my second time bagging the peak. I felt even worse because I had dragged a less-rugged friend along, and she was weary enough with the hike itself and the extroverted yucca. Anyway, I just wanted to say hello because I feel like there is no outdoor culture in the LA basin (I live near Pasadena) and I got the warm fuzzies reading about someone else's adventures in our backyard mountains. Have you had better luck than me finding other hiking kin? I have gone on Sierra Club stints occasionally but that's a bit crowded for my taste. Anyway, hike on and thanks for taking the time to post your adventures!
Leave a Reply to Laurel Cancel reply
We did a night summit Oct 23 and had a group of 6. It was a great experience and challenged the group. Love the varied hiking/scrambling
Leave a Reply to Zac Titus Cancel reply
[...] Modern Hiker Adventure Hikes [...]
[...] getting better — while I still have trouble making the descent on Strawberry Peak’s Mountaineer’s Route, I only had moderately severe leg-shaking while going down the [...]