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. Taking the Stage: Tyler Ranch

    Hike the recently opened Tyler Ranch Staging Area in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, with 18 miles of new trails. This 6.5-mile loop up Sunol Peak is a challenge and rewards with exceptional views of seasonal iridescent hills.

    View
  2. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike (and Manly Lake Vista!) at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. On clear days you get views of both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous U.S. 

    View
  3. Swing into Spring

    Swing into this 7.1-mile hike in the hills of Half Moon Bay! It’s got gorgeous views, fields of spring wildflowers, and a hidden rustic tree swing.

    View
  4. The Carson Show

    Carson Falls is ready for primetime. This three-tiered, 100-foot stunner is hidden back in a canyon outside of Fairfax and reached on a 3.25-mile (round-trip) hike.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Lava Lava

    Once a land of volcanic activity, Mojave National Preserve shares plenty about its past via a quick yet adventurous hike to the Lava Tube in the Cima Dome Volcanic Field.

    View
  2. Kelso Dunes

    The hike to the top of Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve is only 3 miles (out and back), but you’ll feel like you’ve hiked much farther by the time you’re done.

    View
  3. William Kenyon Overlook

    Some of the best vistas of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park are easily accessible via a short and sweet 1.25-mile (round-trip) hike just off the CA-78. Enter your next favorite desert viewpoint: the William Kenyon Overlook.

    View
  4. Beaudry Bountiful

    There are no cars allowed on Beaudry Loop, but this 6-mile hike takes you on a wild ride. You’ll be climbing 1,500 feet up the southern Verdugos along a chaparral-lined trail with gorgeous mountain and urban vistas every step of the way.

    View