Sam Merrill Trail

The Sam Merrill Trail is really a crossroads, I can say this because there are so many options open to you from this one particular trail head, multiple trails branch off from the main trail head.

For the San Gabriel Mountains, Sam Merrill is a trip back through time.  It's start is the (now demolished) Cobb Estate grounds.  It quickly ascends up Las Flores canyon eventually reaching it's summit, Echo Mountain.  From here you can jump on to one of the two other connecting trails or do as I did and explore the ruins that are on top of the mountain.

Ruins?  Yup, back in 1893 Prof. Thaddeus S.C. Lowe envisioned and eventually built a rail and hotel complex on the top of the mountain.  As is the case with Southern California, natural disasters (read: Wild Fires and Wind Storms) eventually forced its closure and abandonment in 1938.  You can read more about it here.

I learned about the trail by going to trails.com and browsing their trail finder.  Great site Trails.com, highly recommend it.  So Saturday April 11th, myself and my brother set out to conquer the trail.  It took about two and a half hours but we did make the summit, and what a trip.  For your consideration, here's the review:

Trail Conditions

The trail was in reasonably good shape, although at some points it does narrow to what I felt was an uncomfortable width.  The initial hundred yards is on broken paved road that made up the Cobb estate; once you leave the grounds, however, you will be on packed dirt with rocks.  Depending on the weather you may encounter small rock slides.  

The trail, for the most part, is exposed to the sun.  There are a few locations where you are under shade but the majority of the time will be spent under direct sunlight.  Dress accordingly, layer and you may want to pack a rain coat, and make sure you bring enough water to keep yourself well hydrated.  There is a drinking fountain at the very beginning of the trail but no other facilities are available for the remainder of the trip, so plan ahead.

Plant life abounds along the trail.  Trees, bushes, wild flowers both native and non-native can be found blossoming along the trail and the steep inclines.  The one plant that was noticeably lacking was Poison Oak, which was a blessing.  I can be in close proximity to the plant and develop the rash. 

Trail Difficulty

This trail is not for the weak of heart, or in this case body.  The trail itself is a series of switch backs up the canyon wall till you eventually reach Mt. Echo's summit. The incline itself was not all that bad, but the entire 2.5 mile trek is uphill.  My brother and I had to stop twice to take a quick breather and swig some water.  But much like the tortoise in Aesop's fable, a slow and steady pace will eventually land you at the top.

My Experience

I can honestly say I really enjoyed this hike.  One thing I dislike about certain day hikes is how quickly they are over.  Sam Merrill didn't have that feel; two and a half hours to tackle this particular trail plus there was the promise of additional trails at the top where our adventure could continue.  While I did have to exert myself to get to the top, the feeling of looking down the ridge and seeing the old rail road ties and hotel foundations was intriguing.  It is the same feeling that I would get when visiting Ghost Towns or places where people have been in the past.  

I know I will be going back to this trail and that I will be bringing others with me.