Butte Wait, There's More!

Hike Saddleback Butte in Mojave Desert

Hiking to a mountain peak in the desert?  And you don’t even have to leave Los Angeles County? No special effects here—it’s all natural at 2,955-acre Saddleback Butte State Park. Here you can get a taste of the Mojave Desert from Saddleback Butte, a solitary mountain rising 3,651 feet. Summit it on a 5-mile (round-trip) journey that ascends 950 feet. Begin with a mile of sandy cross-desert trekking before reaching a boulder-covered knoll known as Little Butte. Keep going as the trail continues up the slopes to the much larger and more impressive Saddleback Butte. Push up a rocky canyon to a saddle south of the peak. Here you'll get a dynamite view of the snow-capped San Gabriels to the south. A column of rock near this landing stands out from the mountainside like a hoodoo. You haven't topped out just yet! Time to get your ascent on by taking a narrow, rocky track all the way to the summit, where the vista is enormous. Hoist yourself to the top of the boulder-clad crown and see it all. The desert floor surrounds the mountain on all sides and you can see as far as the San Bernardino Mountains. Happy New Year!

Enter Saddleback Butte State Park by the picnic area and visitor center off Avenue J, east of 170th St. in Lancaster. Walk 300 feet down Dowen Nature Trail and make a left onto Little Butte Trail. Cross the short butte at 1 mile and continue 0.5 mile to a junction. Turn left, briefly overlap an equestrian trail, and ascend to the summit. There is a $6 day-use fee per vehicle. Open 9:00 a.m. to sunset. No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

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. 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. 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
  4. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

    View