Hike Condor Peak and Fox Mountain via Trail Canyon Loop Angeles National Forest, CA

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Park on Big Tujunga Canyon Road and follow the dirt road past a gate to the trailhead. Head up Trail Canyon to Trail Canyon Falls (dry during my visit), and then continue along the progressively deteriorating trail, questioning your life choices the whole way. The trail gets better toward the Condor Peak summit, but with a name like "Trail Canyon", you wouldn't expect to be bushwhacking through thorn bushes and route-finding small sections up the canyon. This would have been much more pleasant if I was wearing more than gym shorts, so I highly recommend wearing lots of clothes. Or body armor.

Once you summit Condor Peak, continue southeast along the ridge to Fox Mountain. The trail down was absolutely stunning and I almost recommend skipping Trail Canyon (my ascent) and enjoying the main Condor Peak Trail (my descent) as an out-and-back. The trails of the San Gabriel Mountains meander around the eroding, sandy mountains and the this lesser-visited trail offers the best of this style of trail construction. Really great viwes the whole way down. Once you reach Big Tujunga Canyon Road, head back a couple of miles along the paved road to the car.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Condor Peak

5440 ft

600 rise

Fox Mountain

5033 ft

473 rise

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Park outside the gate and head up a dirt road.

There are what seems like residences for about a half mile, and then signs point to the trail.

Heading up Trail Canyon.

Looking back down Trail Canyon.

Winding trail.

Trail canyon on the right.

Looking down Trail Canyon.

Trail Canyon Falls on the bottom right. They weren't flowing so I didn't bother going closer.

Looking back down Trail Canyon, the falls on the bottom left.

Typical San Gabriel Mountain trail, hugging the cliff face.

Shortly after Trail Canyon Falls, the route gets less interesting, and slowly begins to deteriorate.

Looking back from well into Trail Canyon.

Looking back.

Continuing up Trail Canyon, a trail still fairly visible.

Looking back down Trail Canyon.

Condor Peak's western summit.

And here's where the trail became unmanageable.

This is what you'll get for a while.

What remains of the Big Cienega Campground.

Thorns forever.

Anyway, the trail gets a bit better once you leave the canyon and route-find up a slope.

Junction sign. Sad, hilarious, whatever. I wasn't happy.

Continuing along the ridge, you can see Condor Peak poking out ahead. Fox Mountain is lower on the ridgeline to the left.

Condor Peak. Gorgeous ridgline approach.

Condor Peak.

Approaching the saddle.

Heading up to Condor Peak.

Looking back from near the Condor Peak summit.

Condor Peak summit looking north, ridgeline approach I came on on the right, Trail Canyon down on the left.

Looking back toward Condor Peak.

Continuing along the ridgeline.

Fox Mountain ahead.

Fox Mountain summit looking back toward Condor Peak.

Fox Mountain summit looking southeast along the ridgeline toward the trail down.

After summiting Fox Mountain, back on the trail.

The trail is a little eroded at certain points, but all totally passable when I did it.

Looking back toward Fox Mountain.

Gorgeous trail, with typical winding along the cliff faces. Incredible.

I was feeling a hell of a lot better on the way down, so happy the trail was in good shape.

Close-up of a sun ray and the trail.

Road below. Follow it back to your car.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!