Hike to Mount Baldy Summit Near Los Angeles (Devil's Backbone Trail)

We did this hike on a Thursday which was awesome because it wasn't crowded at all!! Parking was simple, we parked off of the side of the road (right past Manker Flats Campground). We began our hike up a road towards San Antonio Falls. Although many people suggested that we go up the steep way and down the long winding way, we opted to do the opposite. We passed the falls on our left and kept hiking all the way up the gravel road (a slow and steady incline) until we reached the ski lifts and lodge. Once you make it to the lodge you take a left towards Devil's Backbone Trail. This is when the hike begins to become more strenuous. *Although we hiked this at the end of April, there was still a great deal of snow covering parts of the ground and so I was definitely thankful for my waterproof hiking boots! The closer we go to the top, the more windy it got. We were shocked how much the wind was able to physically push us once we got to the top and we both really wished we had thought to bring windbreakers!! The wind was so loud it was even hard to hear each other. 

After we made it to the summit, a beautiful 360 view, we began our descent down the steeper portion of the trail. Personally, we were glad that we were going down such a continuous decline rather than hiking up an incline for 3.5 miles straight. (But it is definitely harder on your knees to go down such a steep hike.) You will pass a ski hut on your right on the way down. Because of the snow covering the ground, there were parts of the trail that were hard to follow and we had to take a minute to figure out where to go next. This steep portion ends back on the same gravel road that we started on and then just a short hike from there back to the car. 

All together, with lots of stops for pictures and a stop to eat lunch, the hike took us about 6 hours.