Three Points Ridge Hike

Perhaps one of the most accessible and secluded hikes in the Angeles National Forest, the 1.7-mile one-way hike to the end of Three Points Ridge is a perfect escape from the city.

Roughly an hour-long drive on the Angeles Crest Highway from Glendale will get you to the Three Points Trailhead, a key departure point for the Pacific Crest Trail. From the trailhead you'll venture for 0.9 miles on the PCT, passing through wildfire-scoured brush before you reach the Three Point Ridge spur trail intersection. The spur trail itself isn't officially marked, nor is it maintained, but it can be identified by an open gravel spot used as a campsite by backpackers and more distinctly by simply following the crest of the ridge that jets out due north into the San Gabriel landscape.

Similar to the monzogranitic rock formations of Joshua Tree National Park, the unmaintained spur follows rock piles and iconic Our Lord's candle yuccas to the end of the ridge where it slowly fades away into the chaparral. From the ridge's summit you'll enjoy only the sound of gravel crackling below your feet and wind blowing past this serene spot within the Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness. To the north you can peer down into the Mojave Desert toward wind turbine farms and Edwards Air Force Base, located 40 miles to the north and just visible in the far distance.

Before turning back civilization, you'll want to make sure to take a deep breath and embrace the solitude of this magical destination.