Baldy Notch Trail | Los Angeles

hiking california los angeles hikespeak national park

Baldy Notch
in the San Gabriel Mountains

Los Angeles | Trails Add Comments | Trail Rating: Forgetable

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Baldy Notch

A trip to Mt. Baldy should include a hike along the Devil’s Backbone. To do this, you will have to get to, or come down from, Baldy Notch. But should you hike or take the ski lift?

On weekends, you may get to and from the notch on the Mt. Baldy Ski Lift. The cost of the lift is $18 round-trip. If you choose to only go one direction, it is $12 up or $10 down. This mechanized mountain climber cuts out 1600 feet of elevation and should be condoned as cheating. However, the ski lift omits the least interesting segment of the hike, so utilizing it is understandable. If you are visiting the backbone trail as part of the loop with the Baldy Bowl – Ski Hut Trail, there is a quarter mile of paved road to cross between the Manker Flats trailhead and the parking lot at the base of the ski lift.

There are also two hiking options:
If you plan to go up and back on the Devil’s Backbone Trail (and not hike the Baldy Bowl Trail), you should drive up to the base of the ski lift and take the connection trail that starts to the left of the lift. Follow the wide dirt trail up to the fire road and turn right. The road weaves up the west side of the canyon, passing under the ski lift before leading up to an intersection. Make the obvious left here toward the lodge at the top of the ski lift. From there, continue along the road and it will turn left (west) up the mountain to the Devil’s Backbone. Starting from the ski lift parking lot, the trail to Baldy Notch is 2.4 miles in length, which is 1.2 miles shorter than starting up the trail from Manker Flats.

Mount Baldy
The trail up to the ski lodge

To return to Manker Flats after hiking the Devil’s Backbone Trail as part of the loop with the Baldy Bowl – Ski Hut Trail, there is 3.6 miles of trail between Baldy Notch and Manker Flats. From the lodge at the top of the ski lift, descend the dirt road. Through a series of long and mild switches, the road eventually heads south down the west side of the canyon. The trail passes the turnoff for the Baldy Bowl – Ski Hut Trail before reaching San Antonio Falls. After hiking 10.7 miles (assuming you hiked to the summit up the Baldy Bowl Trail and descended on the Backbone Trail), it will be nice to walk down to the falls and rinse off or relax your feet in the cold water. From there it is just 0.6 miles back to the trailhead along the paved San Antonio Falls Road.

To get to the trailhead: Take the 210 east and exit on Baseline Road (exit 52). Turn left at the light at the end of the ramp on to Baseline Road. Make the next right on to Padua Avenue. Drive 1.7 miles and turn right onto Mt. Baldy Road (there will be a traffic light). Continue up Mt Baldy Road through Mt. Baldy Village (where there is a visitor center). Follow Mt. Baldy road as it switches up to Manker Flats. Drive past the campground entrance and park in one of the spaces along the road. There will be a sign pointing to San Antonio Falls. Display your adventure pass and start hiking.

Use the map below to create your own directions to the trailhead:

View Los Angeles Hikes in a larger map

	Icehouse Canyon Trail to Icehouse Saddle This 7.2-mile hike climbs 2,600 feet through a picturesque canyon to a saddle with panoramic views and extended hiking opportunities.
	Devil’s Backbone This 3.2-mile ridge-top trail between Baldy Notch and the summit of Mt. Baldy offers incredible views of the San Gabriel Mountains.
	Baldy Bowl – Ski Hut The Baldy Bowl – Ski Hut Trail offers a steep but scenic ascent up the south side of Mt. Baldy, crossing 4.5 miles and 3900 feet to the summit.
	San Antonio Falls This 1.2-mile hike visits a multi-tier waterfall along the trail to Mt. Baldy.
	Mount Baldy Loop This 11.3-mile hike incorporates the Devil’s Backbone and the Baldy Bowl – Ski Hit Trail into one see-all loop.
	More trails in the San Gabriel Mountains Explore other destinations in the range.