Sunsetsational!

Hike to Sunset Peak for Beautiful Panoramas of the San Gabriel Mountains

Woman holding a wood sign saying Sunset at Sunset Peak in the San Gabriel Mountains

With a name like Sunset Peak, expectations are high—5,796 feet high. You’ll gain about 1,272 feet in elevation—and thrilling views—while hiking to this summit located near Mount Baldy in the San Gabriel Mountains.

All in, this 7.3-mile (round-trip) trek on a fire road gets you all the way up there, and the grade is so gentle you might hardly notice you’re climbing. The exposed trail means that around every turn the San Gabriel Mountains scenery grows ever more incredible, especially during winter when impressive cloud formations roll through the snow-capped peaks.

Hiker on fire road trail up to Sunset Peak in the San Gabriel Mountains

Snow is common in winter, and trails are generally passable without any special gear, but you’re gonna need good footwear and common sense; and plan for your hike to take longer than expected if you’re going over some snow. The peak is marked with a small hand-painted sign (however, the sign isn’t mounted onto anything, so it might be hard to find, adding a little extra adventure to your photo op moment).

undefined

Still, you won’t need the sign to know you’ve reached the top. The stellar panorama lets you know, including views of Mount Baldy, and the prominent peaks of Thunder, Telegraph, and Timber mountains. Sunsetsational!

Sunset Peak is located in the San Gabriel Mountains on the border of LA and San Bernardino counties near Mount Baldy. From either the 60, 10, or 210 freeways, take the Mountain Ave. exit and head north into the mountains. Then take a sharp right (almost a u-turn) onto Mount Baldy Rd., followed by a left onto Glendora Ridge Rd. Be sure to check road conditions before driving up into the mountains, and bring tire chains if necessary. Park in the lot on the right-hand side of the road; trail is across the road from the parking lot on the left-hand side. Adventure Pass required. Dog-friendly!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Taking the Stage: Tyler Ranch

    Hike the recently opened Tyler Ranch Staging Area in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, with 18 miles of new trails. This 6.5-mile loop up Sunol Peak is a challenge and rewards with exceptional views of seasonal iridescent hills.

    View
  2. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike (and Manly Lake Vista!) at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. On clear days you get views of both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous U.S. 

    View
  3. Swing into Spring

    Swing into this 7.1-mile hike in the hills of Half Moon Bay! It’s got gorgeous views, fields of spring wildflowers, and a hidden rustic tree swing.

    View
  4. The Carson Show

    Carson Falls is ready for primetime. This three-tiered, 100-foot stunner is hidden back in a canyon outside of Fairfax and reached on a 3.25-mile (round-trip) hike.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Lava Lava

    Once a land of volcanic activity, Mojave National Preserve shares plenty about its past via a quick yet adventurous hike to the Lava Tube in the Cima Dome Volcanic Field.

    View
  2. Kelso Dunes

    The hike to the top of Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve is only 3 miles (out and back), but you’ll feel like you’ve hiked much farther by the time you’re done.

    View
  3. William Kenyon Overlook

    Some of the best vistas of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park are easily accessible via a short and sweet 1.25-mile (round-trip) hike just off the CA-78. Enter your next favorite desert viewpoint: the William Kenyon Overlook.

    View
  4. Beaudry Bountiful

    There are no cars allowed on Beaudry Loop, but this 6-mile hike takes you on a wild ride. You’ll be climbing 1,500 feet up the southern Verdugos along a chaparral-lined trail with gorgeous mountain and urban vistas every step of the way.

    View