Iron Mountain via Heaton Flat Trail

Angeles National Forest, CA San Gabriel + San Bernardino Mountains

Trip stats

Distance
15.4 mi
Net Gain
6,600 ft
Time
6-8 hrs
YDS Rating
Class 1
Route
Out/Back
Peaks
1

Ratings out of 10

Effort
7.3/10
Personality
5/10
Beauty
8/10
Solitude
5.6/10
What do these mean? →

Peaks on this hike

Summits listed in route order

  1. Iron Mountain
    8,007′ elevation · 687′ prominence

Route map + Trailhead

Trailhead Coordinates

34.237120, -117.764910

The directions link below drops a pin on the trailhead coordinates and lets Google Maps pick the route. If the drive has rough roads or access issues that GPS nav might get wrong, I cover that in my trip report.

Get directions (opens Google Maps in a new tab)

Trip report

Jun 9, 2017 — Though the Heaton Flat Trail to Iron Mountain is mostly just an uphill slog, it's more remote than many trails in the San Gabriels and really gorgeous, especially along the ridgeline leading from the Heaton Saddle to the base of Iron Mountain. Overall, the trail is fairly unchanging the whole time.

Follow a dirt road from the East Fork Trailhead toward Bridge to Nowhere, but turn right up a much less traveled trail when you get to a campground shortly after starting, the Heaton Flat Trail. This trail leads with moderate steepness to Heaton Saddle before traversing a ridge with 360 degree views, and then to the slog up to Iron Mountain. Beautiful summit views of Mt. Baldy and other surrounding mountains.

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Photos

28 photos

  1. Starting at the East Fork trailhead, Iron Mountain peeking out in the distance.
  2. Start along the wide dirt road.
  3. Leave the dirt road on the Heaton Flat Trail.
  5. East Fork below (the dirt road leading to Bridge to Nowhere).
  8. Approaching the saddle (not pictured).
  9. Just starting along the ridgeline that approaches Iron Mountian. This is looking down back toward the saddle, a few hundred feet down.
  10. Crap. Iron Mountain is still far away.
  11. The ridgeline the trail takes, Mt. Baldy in the distance.
  12. Along the ridge.
  13. Looking back along the ridge.
  14. Toward the end of the ridge, looking up toward Iron Mountain.
  15. Very steep at some points.
  16. Mt. Baldy in the distance.
  17. Making progress along the ridge toward the summit.
  18. Looking back along the ridge.
  19. Ahead toward the summit, still a bit away.
  20. Looking back, East Fork on the right.
  21. Along the ridge, Mt. Baldy in the distance.
  22. Looking back along the ridge.
  23. Looking ahead along the ridge.
  24. Nearing the summit.
  25. Looking back along the ridge.
  26. Looking back along the ridge.
  27. The summit! Mt. Baldy on the right.
  28. Summit view, looking back the way I came.

Photo 1 of 1

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Hire or refer me as a web developer, or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so it's funded by yours truly. It also takes a ton of work to edit photos and write these reports. I really appreciate it!

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