Give It the Islip

Hiking Mount Islip in the San Gabriel Mountains

With a name that could suggest slipping and falling off a cliff, Mount Islip (pronounced “eye-slip”) may sound like a peak to stay away from. But the hike to the 8,251-foot summit in the San Gabriels is a breezy, if challenging, 7-mile round-trip that is friendly to the ankles. The trail is smoothly laid out over the course of its 1,627 feet of elevation gain, so sure footing is easy to come by. No slipping!

Mount Islip gets its name from George Islip, an early pioneer who homesteaded in the San Gabriel Canyon in the 1880s. The mountain was once the location of a fire lookout tower that was moved elsewhere in 1937. But the ruins of a cabin and the foundations remain. A trek up to Mount Islip is full of such small destinations and rewards. You get to hike a section of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). You can camp at Little Jimmy Campground and then enjoy the breeze at Windy Gap. Ultimately you gain a broad view of LA County far below and the faint ocean beyond. In other words, Mount Islip is not a peak to give the slip.

Across the street from the Islip Saddle parking area you’ll find the trailhead, which puts you on a brief section of the Pacific Crest Trail. The first half mile is full of short switchbacks for some rapid elevation gain, but the remainder of the trek has a gentle incline to the peak. After 2.1 miles you’ll reach Little Jimmy Campground. Bear right and follow the signs for Mount Islip. At mile 2.5, you’ll come to the Windy Gap trail junction. Make a sharp right to diverge from the PCT onto the Mount Islip Trail, which is clearly laid out by the signs with arrows pointing you in the right direction. From there it’s just one more mile with a couple of switchbacks. When you come across the ruins of an old cabin, you’ve reached the peak. From there you can relax on the old foundations of the onetime watchtower and enjoy being surrounded by the wild beauty of the San Gabriels.

From the I-210, take Exit 20 for CA-2 and turn right. Stay on CA-2 (Angeles Crest Hwy.) for 39.5 miles until you reach the parking lot for Islip Saddle at the junction of the Angeles Crest and the closed-down CA-39. An Adventure Pass is required for parking.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

    View
  2. Hike the Oursan Trail alongside Briones Reservoir in the East Bay

    Opt for Oursan

    Hike the trail less traveled in the East Bay's Briones Regional Park. The Oursan Trail is pure serenity on a wide hiking path skirting the northern shores of Briones Reservoir.

    View
  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

    View
  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

    View
  2. Lace Up for Lacy

    Lacy Park in San Marino is a hidden gem that may very well be the most pristine green space in greater Los Angeles, and a concealed pair of nearby stairways makes it all the more appealing.

    View
  3. Hiker amid trees at Oak Glen Preserve in Yucaipa Southern California

    Apple of Your Eye

    That fall feeling is definitely in the air and on display at the Oak Glen Preserve. Apple orchards and colorful leaves are a bonus, as are the apple cider donuts and slushies you can enjoy post-hike.

    View
  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

    View