Mt. Baden-Powell (9,356’) is one of the tallest mountains in Southern California and to put it plainly, is a must-hike peak. For one, it has some of the best high-altitude wilderness vibes around and may even trick you into thinking you’re climbing the stacked mountain ranges of the Sierra Nevada!
I love this hike because the view is nothing but mountains—the Angeles Crest and San Gabriel range—for miles. And unlike other SoCal hikes, I’ve rarely been able to see suburban sprawl from the summit. Because this mountain is a bit out there, sometimes I’ll be asked, is Mt. Baden-Powell hard? At around 8 miles round-trip and under 3,000 feet of elevation gain, I like to say this is a prime intermediate hike.
Another highlight is getting up close and personal with the Wally Waldron tree, a 1,500 year old limber pine tree, which looks plunked down straight out of the J. R. R. Tolkien universe. These mountains are the ancestral home of the Tongva, Yuhaviatam/Maarenga’yam (Serrano), and Kizh people and it’s humbling to think of all the humans who have stood by this tree over the centuries.
Start in the subalpine
Start at the large parking lot at Vincent Gap (6,592 feet) on Highway 2, the Angeles Crest. You’ll pass a sign about ice and snow on this route. Take that warning seriously. As a north facing and shady trail, Baden-Powell’s switchbacks can be dangerous even when other trails have melted out. If it’s summer or you’re confident that snow is clear, follow signs up the well maintained Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The PCT is graded to be accessible to horses, so it’s very steepest is just a 10% grade (10 feet rise for every 100 feet horizontal, or about 5.7 degrees). This climb is often well below that and gets kudos from hikers for its steady incline.
I love this hike because of the forest, full of Jeffrey, Ponderosa, Lodgepole pines, and eventually reaching white fir and the limber pine. The air is cool and often full of the call of the mountain chickadee, and the pines keep the trail shady, even during the summer. Because you start at a higher altitude so you often won’t get this kind of subalpine feel on other SoCal peaks until after you’ve climbed more than a mile.
You’ll make the grade to the top
After 1.7 miles at the 14th switchback, you’ll see a junction to Lamel Spring. Unless you’re a PCT hiker that needs the water, most people keep heading up more switchbacks through lovely forest. The climb becomes gentler for the next mile. There’s even a few small flat spots where you could take a break before your final push to the summit.
The last mile is a series of 19 short switchbacks. As you climb, the views of the surrounding mountains get better as the trees get shorter and more sparse. At the top, you’ll hit the ridge that’s home to the Wally Waldron tree. Nearby is the signed Mt. Baden-Powell PCT Junction, and you’ll leave the PCT here and in 0.3 mile and ~150 feet of elevation gain, you’ll find yourself on the wide, rounded summit of Baden-Powell.
From wood-lined creeks to subalpine fir forests and rocky alpine summits, there’s a Southern California ecosystem for all kinds of nature lovers. Sure, California is full of natural treasures, such as Big Sur’s coastal hiking trails, and of course Yosemite is on everyone’s hiking bucket list, but head up one of the peaks in this guide and you’ll see why the sprawling Greater Los Angeles metro area may actually be one of the most outdoorsy cities around—and one of California’s best hiking destinations.