San Gabriel Mountains

Mt Lowe to JPL

MtLowe-Orginal
This is the orginal trail that is easy to miss to the fall line trail at MLJPL-05

Mount Lowe to JPL

Waypoints

The upper trail head. Have never seen this parking area full. The trail (FS 2N50) is through past the gate on the south side of the road.

Mueller Tunnel, Built in 1942. very cool to ride through.

The Mount Lowe trail peels off to the left and uphill at this point.

The Mt Lowe West/Summit trail splits off/switch backs at this point, Continue straight (South-Southeast) to stay on Mt Lowe Trail East.

The original/main trail swithbacks hard to the right here. You can also continue straight here along a technical falline shortcut trail if you like that rejoins the orginal a little further down the trail. I prefer the orginal trail due to the tight switchbackes and the trail being much more narrow since it is now the path less traveled.

Along the orginal trail

Mt Lowe singletrack come out onto Mt Lowe Road (Dirt). Bear to your left and downhill for maybe 200 yards to pick up the Sam Merrill Trail going off to your right (West)

Sam Merill Trail head (USFS 12W04) . The first section is some wooded sidehill goodness.

Sunset Point

Bear to the left here. In the distance you can see the foundations old hotel on top of Echo Mountain as well as the Echo Mountain Trail you will be taking.

Killer View, switchback to the left to stay on the trail. I would however recommending going out to the point (MLJPL-10) to see the foundation of the old hotel as well as other artifacts and take in some nice views.

Location of an old hotel

Bear to the right - to stay on the Mt Lowe Railway Trail (aka Echo Mountain Trail)

You will come out onto an old paved road (Mt Lowe Rd) bear to the left downhill to connect to the Sunset Trail about 100 yards down the road on the right.

Sunset Ridge Trail 12W18.

Old Paved Road junction. Trails bears to the right and downhill. Very Obvious

After some tight switchbacks, a trail goes off to the right to a cabin

Trail comes out onto paved fireroad (Mt Lowe Rd). Bear to your right (south)

Trail goes off to the right (north). There is a trail sign in box on the south side of the road near hear. If you go past the paved road on your left or the water tower on your left you have gone too far.

The trail will roll out onto a paved road in a campground. Continue in the direction your bike was pointed when you came off the trail (West-Northwest). AFter about 100 yards or so of riding through the campground a dirt fireroad will make a sharp turn to the left (south) and goe up.

Top of the Brown Mountain Truck Trail climb

Fire road intersection. Bear hard to your right and head east.

The El Prieto Trail goes off to your right here

Junction with fireroad. Continue downhill and to your left. Road will bend to the south.

Four way itnersection in the road. Vehicles allowed beyond this point. Windsor street and the trailhead parking lot is just south of here.

Lower Trailhead - This is often full so you may need to park down the street