Echo Mountain via Sam Merrill Trail (Altadena)
Echo Mountain is closed — the Sam Merrill Trail is inside the Eaton Fire closure. Access from the trailhead at Lake Avenue & Loma Alta Drive in Altadena is prohibited through December 31, 2027 under Angeles National Forest Forest Order 05-01-26-04. Parking here was never a lot — it's free residential street parking, no Adventure Pass needed — but none of that matters until the trail reopens. Don't hike it yet.
The facts
- Trail served
- Sam Merrill Trail to Echo Mountain & the Mt. Lowe Railway ruins (~5–6 mi RT, moderate) — currently closed
- Cost / pass
- Free residential street parking (no Adventure Pass) — when open
- Lot size
- No lot — free street parking around Lake Ave & Loma Alta Dr, Altadena
- When it fills
- Historically a popular hike — street spots filled early on weekends; moot while closed
- Overflow option
- Park farther down the residential blocks (when open); none while closed — the trail is off-limits
- Tow / citation risk
- When open, obey posted residential signs (no parking after 10pm); while closed, entering the area risks citation
- Restrooms
- None at the trailhead
- Road to the lot
- Paved: trailhead at the corner of Lake Avenue and Loma Alta Drive, Altadena — gated/closed area
- Busy season
- N/A until reopening; historically fall–spring, and early morning to beat sun and crowds
Getting there
Lake Ave & Loma Alta Dr, Altadena, CA 91001
Get directions →Closed now — Sam Merrill is in the burn area
The Sam Merrill Trail to Echo Mountain — with its famous Mt. Lowe Railway ruins and the "echo phone" — climbs out of Altadena straight into the terrain that burned in the January 2025 Eaton Fire. It sits inside the Angeles National Forest's Eaton Fire Area Closure (Forest Order 05-01-26-04), closed through December 31, 2027. The slopes here took heavy fire damage, and post-fire rockfall and erosion are exactly why the Forest Service is keeping people out.
As with Eaton Canyon, some other front-country trails reopened in early 2026, but the Echo Mountain / Sam Merrill corridor is not one of them. Don't rely on a hiking app's "open" label.
Parking here for when it returns
There is no lot at this trailhead. When it reopens, access is from Lake Avenue and Loma Alta Drive, with free residential street parking nearby. No Adventure Pass applies. Before the closure, weekend spots filled early and residential signs were enforced, including no parking after 10pm.
For now, use Switzer Falls or Chantry Flat, and check Angeles National Forest alerts for the reopening.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sam Merrill Trail to Echo Mountain open?
No. It's within the Angeles National Forest Eaton Fire Area Closure (Forest Order 05-01-26-04) and is closed through December 31, 2027 due to fire damage. Some other nearby trails reopened in early 2026, but Echo Mountain is not among them.
Where do you park for the Echo Mountain hike?
At the trailhead corner of Lake Avenue and Loma Alta Drive in Altadena — free residential street parking, no Adventure Pass. Note the posted no-parking-after-10pm rule. All of this applies only when the trail reopens; it's currently closed.
When will Echo Mountain reopen?
The Eaton Fire closure runs through December 31, 2027, unless the Forest Service reopens the corridor earlier or extends it. Check the Angeles National Forest alerts page for the official status before planning a trip.
Facts on this page last verified August 1, 2026. Fees, hours, and access rules change seasonally — confirm with the official source before a long drive.