Echo Mountain

Echo Mountain once housed a hotel and a full railway system to shuttle people from Pasadena to the top of the mountain.
There is an echo phone at the top, yell into it and a few seconds later you'll hear your echo through the valley. Hence the name, Echo Mountain!

Routes

Sam Merrill Trail

45 summits • 5.6 mi • 1,364 ft gain • 2 hr 54 min • Class 1

Latest summits

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"First fairly warm (hot!) weekend of 2019, so with this hike having little in the way of shade, we stopped frequently to stay hydrated. Winds earlier that day had left fairly clear views of the Pacific on the horizon, and downtown LA near by." — marc • Mar 16, 2019

"First time on this one. Fun easy hike with my friend Shaun Garman. We had a cool overcast day that made it nice and cool. I can see how this could end up being a hot one due to being exposed with little tree cover. This would be a great hike for families and dogs. Lots to see at the top with commanding views of the valley and downtown. There are also plenty of places to enjoy your lunch at the summit. " — DoyleWalton • Jun 18, 2018

"Hiked trail from Rubio Canyon base of the old Echo Mountain Incline cable car to the top of Echo Mountain, which was a very strenuous hike on a hot day. Returned via the Sam Merrill Trail but used the cut-off trail at the power lines to return back to starting point in Rubio Canyon." — peterthompson1 • Sep 25, 2016

"This was such a fun hike. The ruins are pretty cool, as was the extended trip up to Inspiration Point. Full trip report and hike details here: https://hikingguy.com/hiking-trails/echo-mountain-hike/" — HikingGuy • Dec 30, 2015

"My Bf took me and my friends on a hike up to Echo mountain. We started a few hours before the sunset, so by the time we reached the top we would see not only the cities but the sunset over them. We made it up there just as the sun was going down and was met by a sky filled with brilliant reds, oranges, yellows and dashes of purple and pink. The real fun began when the sun was completely down and the moon was coming over the ridge. We all decided to do some experimental photos and were able to capture "ghost" shots of ourselves and writing/symbol drawing with a headlamp using the red lighting. We took shots like these for a few hours since we were filled by the hot chocolate we brought up. When it began to get colder we headed back down the mountain and had a late night dinner at the local del taco." — CaptainBadass • Dec 16, 2013

"Took My Girlfriend and her friends for an outing to Echo Mountain. We knew it was gonna be a cool sunset over the city lights and then we were treated to the rise of the full moon with trippy clouds. We smoked a joint and had a great couple of hours up there loving life and fooling around with the camera." — 1-with-Nature • Dec 16, 2013

"For over 5 years now Every Wednesday night a group of hikers meets on the summit of Echo Mountain for a potluck at sunset. Jello Shots, bottles of wine, cold beers, and bomb fricken food! A great group of people some of which I had hiked with before. After doing this for the 1st time a week back I couldn't wait to come back so I brought my girl and some friends along. We got to the top just as the sun had set and we all got to watch the city lights come to life while taking jello shots, drinking beer, and eating food. I smoked a joint with my buddy Bob who I've done several other peaks with and then my group got away from the Main group to get these cool pictures." — 1-with-Nature • Aug 28, 2013

"On a hot day we started up the trail head around 6:30 pm. Though the sun was strong the visibility was outstanding and the view out over the LA basin was quite impressive. I didnt reach the top till sunset where we joined a potluck up there that happens every wednesday night. There were jello shots, coolers of beer, wine, and all kinds of good snacks and food to munch on while the sky went dark and the city lights below us came to life. The view at night from up here on Echo Mountain Is so Fantastic! It was like when we did Cucamonga Peak at night but way down closer to the lights and without the cold wind. I think we are gonna come stay the night up here one day." — CaptainBadass • Aug 28, 2013

"For over 5 Years every a group of hikers has met every Wednesday night on the summit of Echo Mountain for a potluck at Sunset. I got invited by my buddy Bob who I just climbed Half Dome with a week before. We headed up on a hot day and I got my first glimpse of the skyscrapers of Downtown LA. It was a surprisingly clear day and the views were awesome. We got to the top well before sunset and started sipping down some beers as more people arrived in segments and started setting up a bunch of awesome food. The Sunset ended up being spectacular from up there with some trippy looking clouds and the Planet Venus shining bright in the sky. The City lights came to life and absolutely blew me away. To top it off the Full Moon rose and shined on us from the ridge behind us making for a stellar night. We drank some wine in the moonlight above the city lights on top a mountain with good company and good food. Could this get any better?" — 1-with-Nature • Aug 21, 2013

"A straightforward hike, to the ruins of a hotel, that burned down nearly a century ago. Once up there, you can read up on some of the history behind the place, and why it was such a famous place. A nice hike for those who want to condition themselves. On a clear day (after the rain) you can see as far as Santa Monica." — JuanAlvarenga • Dec 14, 2010