○ TIER 1 — SOURCED & RESEARCHED
7.2 miRound Trip
1,700 ftElev. Gain
ModerateDifficulty
3.5-5 hoursEst. Time
6,164 ftHighest Point
Out-and-BackRoute Type
YesDogs
NonePermit

Strawberry Peak via Red Box Station

🌤 Trail Weather — Plan Your Hike Updated every 6 hrs · Trailhead coords
✅
Good Conditions — Solid Day to Hike
77°F, Clear Sky. Wind 12 mph. Standard 10 Essentials apply.
☀️
77°
Clear Sky
Feels 75°F
💨 Wind
12 mph E
Gusts to 24 mph
💧 Humidity
20%
Dry — drink before thirsty
👁 Visibility
6.2 mi
Good visibility
☁️ Cloud Cover
0%
Clear — full sun exposure
🌅 Sunrise
6:58 am
Ideal start time
🌇 Sunset
6:17 pm
Off trail by this
Today — 3-Hour Intervals
5 pm
☀️
77°
Feels 75°
💨 5/21
8 pm
🌙
75°
Feels 74°
💨 9/30
11 pm
🌙
72°
Feels 71°
💨 10/30
5-Day Forecast
☀️
Today
Clear Sky
77°F
feels 75°
💨 Wind/Gust
5/21 ENE
💧 Humidity
20% Dry — drink before thirsty
👁 Visibility
6.2 mi — Good visibility
☁️ Clouds
1% Clear — full sun exposure
✅ Good Conditions — Go Hike
🌥️
Sat, Oct 17
Few Clouds
66°F
feels 65°
💨 Wind/Gust
9/27 NNE
💧 Humidity
44% Comfortable
👁 Visibility
6.2 mi — Good visibility
☁️ Clouds
20% Clear — full sun exposure
✅ Good Conditions — Go Hike
☁️
Sun, Oct 18
Scattered Clouds
62°F
feels 60°
💨 Wind/Gust
1/8 NNE
💧 Humidity
40% Comfortable
👁 Visibility
6.2 mi — Good visibility
☁️ Clouds
49% Partly cloudy
✅ Good Conditions — Go Hike
🌙
Mon, Oct 19
Clear Sky
54°F
feels 51°
💨 Wind/Gust
1/5 NNW
💧 Humidity
37% Comfortable
👁 Visibility
6.2 mi — Good visibility
☁️ Clouds
0% Clear — full sun exposure
✅ Good Conditions — Go Hike
🌙
Tue, Oct 20
Clear Sky
45°F
feels 45°
💨 Wind/Gust
3/12 E
💧 Humidity
57% Humid — heat feels stronger
👁 Visibility
6.2 mi — Good visibility
☁️ Clouds
0% Clear — full sun exposure
✅ Good Conditions — Go Hike
Trailhead elevation only. Conditions change at altitude. Check weather.gov before heading out. Oct 16, 5:22 pm

A rugged chaparral singletrack that wraps through the interior front country before ascending a sharp prominent ridge. The optional class-2 rock scramble to the highest front-country peak makes this a local badge-of-honor trail.

Trail Overview

Strawberry Peak is the highest peak in the Angeles National Forest front country and it has the views to prove it. The approach through the chaparral is beautiful and the ridge climb is exposed and satisfying. The final scramble to the true summit is class-2 — hands on rock, not technical, but you need to be comfortable with exposure. Skip the scramble if you are not — the false summit still has excellent views. Wear long pants on the ridge section.

This Hike Is For You If…

Intermediate to advanced hikers who want a genuine peak with scrambling. Front-country peak baggers. Good training hike for exposed Sierra ridges.

Skip This Hike If…

Skip the summit scramble if you are uncomfortable with exposure. Skip in high winds — the ridge is exposed.

What to Expect on Trail

Terrain: Chaparral singletrack with exposed ridge. Class-2 scramble at summit. Some brushy sections.

Shade: Mostly Exposed

Water: None — Carry All Water. No water on trail. Carry 2 liters minimum.

Views: Outstanding

Crowds: Less crowded than Altadena-area trails despite similar accessibility.

Dogs: Yes, dogs are welcome on this trail.

Best Arrival: Before 9am on weekends. Weekdays this lot rarely fills.

This is a Tier 1 sourced review. Trail information is based on published sources and research. Andrew has not personally hiked this trail yet. Photos and firsthand sensory detail will be added when upgraded to Tier 2.

👞

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7.2 miRound Trip
1700 ftElev. Gain
ModerateDifficulty
3.5-5 hoursEst. Time
6164 ftHighest Point
Out-and-BackRoute Type
YesDogs
NonePermit

Trailhead & Logistics

Address: Red Box Ranger Station, Angeles Crest Highway, La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011
Parking: Dirt lot at Red Box. Adventure Pass required. Usually has space except peak weekends.
Bathroom: None
Cell Service: Partial
Best Arrival: Before 9am on weekends. Weekdays this lot rarely fills.

Trail Reality Check

Strawberry Peak is the highest peak in the Angeles National Forest front country and it has the views to prove it. The approach through the chaparral is beautiful and the ridge climb is exposed and satisfying. The final scramble to the true summit is class-2 — hands on rock, not technical, but you need to be comfortable with exposure. Skip the scramble if you are not — the false summit still has excellent views. Wear long pants on the ridge section.

Terrain: Chaparral singletrack with exposed ridge. Class-2 scramble at summit. Some brushy sections.
Shade: Mostly Exposed
Water: None — Carry All Water — No water on trail. Carry 2 liters minimum.
Views: Outstanding
Crowds: Moderate — Less crowded than Altadena-area trails despite similar accessibility.
Who should do this: Intermediate to advanced hikers who want a genuine peak with scrambling. Front-country peak baggers. Good training hike for exposed Sierra ridges.
Who should skip this: Skip the summit scramble if you are uncomfortable with exposure. Skip in high winds — the ridge is exposed.