Bear Necessity

Summit Bear Divide Trail San Gabriel Mountains

Some hiking secrets are a bear to keep! With nothing to mark the start of the Bear Divide Trail on the west side of the San Gabriel Mountains, few people know that this secluded trail leads toward a stellar 4,000-foot summit. The peak's elusiveness may be because it was part of an air defense network during the Cold War. See for yourself on a 4.5-mile (round-trip) trek. The trail launches into a steep and challenging climb before tapering to a friendlier grade, ascending a pine-covered slope that offers early views over Santa Clarita and canyons to the north. At the top of the trail you'll reach Santa Clarita Truck Trail just outside a Los Angeles County Fire Department fire suppression camp. Though hiking on pavement may not be desirable, make an exception in this case and take the road through the fire station camp and up to the summit to the west. You'll find striking panoramic views: the high peaks of the San Gabriels dazzle; Antelope Valley serves up a taste of the desert. The Santa Susana and Santa Monica Mountains rise and shine. Even the ocean can be seen on a clear day, along with LA's downtown skyline. Bear hug the big views before returning the way you came.

From I-5 take CA-14 north for 2.6 miles to the Placerita Canyon exit. Go east on Placerita Canyon Rd. for 5 miles, turn right on Sand Canyon Rd. and drive another 3 miles up to an intersection by Bear Divide Picnic Area. Turn right up Santa Clarita Truck Trail and drive 0.2 mile to a dirt pullout, where the trail starts near the road. Hike 1.5 miles up Bear Divide Trail and turn right on the paved road at the top. Walk on the road through the fire station area and then bear left at the split to reach the summit. Dog-friendly!

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