Big Dalton Views and Brews!

Hike the Keiser Trail in Big Dalton Canyon Wilderness

Woman hiking on the Keiser Trail overlooking a big view of the San Gabriel Mountains below in Big Dalton Canyon Wilderness in Los Angeles County

The Keiser Trail in Big Dalton Canyon Wilderness Park might not be big in mileage, but it’s definitely big on views. This 2.1-mile (round-trip) loop climbs 439 feet through the riparian woodland full of coast live oaks. Hiking in a clockwise direction, the dirt path immediately ascends from the road; it isn’t marked, but if you’re hiking parallel to the road and heading toward a building, you’re on the right path.

Woman hiking in a forest on the Keiser Trail in Big Dalton Canyon Wilderness Park in Los Angeles County

Shortly after you pass a building, you’ll reach a wooden post to your right indicating the “official” start of the Keiser Trail. Now the trail is easy to follow. Continue in a clockwise loop! Short uphill bursts are spaced between flat stretches and the occasional downhill, making the entire trail feel like a roller coaster. Every bend offers new views: The wooded canyon opens into grasslands and chaparral; around one turn you get dramatic views of the San Gabriel Mountains, and around the next you get vistas of LA County.

Official trail sign for Big Dalton Canyon Wilderness in Los Angeles County

Woman hiking a forested section and sun beaming through on the Keiser Trail at Big Dalton Canyon Wilderness Park in Los Angeles County

View across the way of the San Gabriel Mountains from the Keiser Trail in Big Dalton Canyon Wilderness Park in Los Angeles County

The Keiser Trail ends back at the road (though in a different part than where you started). From there you can either walk along the road (heading to the right to complete the clockwise loop) or, for a more interesting path, cross the street and head across the bridge just slightly down the road. After crossing the bridge, head to the right, away from the small amphitheater. Take the Big Dalton Trail to parallel the road (more or less). Informational signs throughout this stretch of trail point out the variety of plant life growing in the park. After crossing a few more cool bridges, you’ll see the parking area.

Woman hiking on a boardwalk at Big Dalton Canyon Wilderness Park in Los Angeles County

POST-HIKE BEERS: Alosta Brewing Co. in Covina is just 15 minutes from the trailhead and is the perfect spot to cool off after a hike. In addition to a rotating selection of beers on tap, Alosta Brewing also serves hard seltzer slushies and has different food trucks on-site each day. For a unique beer with a local flair, try the Saison Bleu, a farmhouse ale/saison brewed with ginger and locally grown blue sage. Beers sold in taster flight, pints, crowlers, and growlers. Indoor and outdoor seating available.

Big Dalton Canyon Wilderness Park is located off the 210 Freeway in Glendora. Take the Lone Hill exit and head north, followed by a left on Foothill Blvd., a right on N Valley Center Ave., a left on E Sierra Madre Ave., an immediate right on Glendora Mountain Rd., and then a right on Big Dalton Canyon Rd. Follow the road until it ends at a locked gate in approximately 1 mile, then park in the dirt area on the right-hand side of the street. Park is open from dawn to dusk; free parking available. Dog friendly!

Alosta Brewing Co. is located at 692 Arrow Grand Circle in Covina. Tasting room is open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, and closed on Monday. Check their website for calendar of food trucks and to see what beers are currently on tap.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  2. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  3. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View
  4. Bucks Up!

    Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Coming Up Roses

    Looking to spice up your hiking life? Give your partner a rose—Mount Rose! The 10-mile out-and-back peak hike goes up to one of the grandest views in all of Lake Tahoe. Get ready f

    View
  2. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  3. Lake Nacimiento
    Sponsored

    Savor Summer in Paso Robles

    Ready for the “Great California Road Trip”? Keep it real and rolling in bucolic and beautiful Paso Robles. This down- to-earth destination has everything you need to enjoy the coolest experiences.

    View
  4. A Rose in the Pines

    A crackling fire, a bottle of wine, a bubbling Jacuzzi tub with a waterfall … now the big question: Marvin Gaye tunes or not? In the morning (ahem) it's breakfast in bed and a leis

    View