Strawberry Peak Hiking Guide
Strawberry Peak stands as the highest point in the front range of the San Gabriel Mountains, and the direct ridge route from Red Box is the most interesting non-technical scramble within easy reach of Los Angeles. The trail climbs steadily through chaparral before the ridge narrows and turns into a sequence of rock steps where you will be using your hands. It is not a beginner hike, and the difference between a great day and a frightening one comes down to whether you understand that before you start.
Two Routes, Very Different Days
There are two common approaches, and confusing them is the source of most trouble here. The ridge route from Red Box is shorter and far more direct, but includes sustained class 2 scrambling with genuine exposure in a few spots. The longer approach around the back side via the Colby Canyon area or the Strawberry Meadow side avoids the scrambling almost entirely at the cost of significant extra distance. Decide which one you are doing before you leave the car, and be honest about your comfort on steep rock. Many hikers go up the ridge and descend the gentler side to make a loop.
What the Scrambling Actually Involves
The ridge sections are not technical climbing, but they are steep enough that a slip would have consequences. You will be pulling on rock, choosing foot placements, and occasionally routing around a step that looks harder than it is. The rock is decomposed granite in places and breaks off in your hand — test holds before you weight them. Downclimbing is meaningfully harder than going up, which surprises people who feel fine on the ascent. If you have never scrambled before, go with someone who has rather than learning on a narrow ridge above a long drop.
Trailhead and Logistics
Start at Red Box on Angeles Crest Highway, where there is a large lot and vault toilets. An Adventure Pass or equivalent federal pass is required. Because access is from SR-2, the same seasonal highway closures that affect the rest of the high country apply here — check road status before committing to the drive. Cell coverage is reasonable at Red Box and patchy along the ridge. There is no water anywhere on the route, so carry everything for the day.
Views and the Summit
The summit is a genuine viewpoint rather than a bump in the chaparral. On a clear day you can pick out the Los Angeles basin, the ocean beyond, Mount Wilson and its antenna farm to the south, and the higher San Gabriel peaks stacking up to the east. Because Strawberry sits out ahead of the main crest, the sight lines are better than the modest elevation would suggest. Post-storm winter days deliver the sharpest views, but that is also when the rock is most likely to be wet or iced.
Season, Heat, and Honest Difficulty
Spring and fall are the right seasons. The route is largely exposed chaparral and gets punishingly hot from late spring through early fall, with no shade to retreat to on the ridge. In winter, ice on the scrambling sections turns a hard hike into a technical problem — this is not a peak to attempt with snow on the rock unless you are properly equipped and experienced. Rate this one honestly against your own experience: it is the most commonly underestimated summit in the front range.
Hiking tips for Strawberry Peak
- Decide between the ridge scramble and the longer gentle approach before you leave the car — they are effectively two different hikes with the same summit.
- Test every hold before weighting it; the decomposed granite on the ridge breaks away more readily than it looks like it will.
- Plan for the downclimb being harder than the ascent, and budget extra time and energy for reversing the scrambling sections.
- Skip the ridge route entirely when there is snow or ice on the rock — that combination turns a hard hike into a technical climb.
- Carry all your water; there is no source anywhere on the route and the exposed chaparral offers no shade to wait out the heat.
Nearby trails to explore
- Colby Trail
- Switzer Falls
- Mt Lowe
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Strawberry Peak is a scramble best done with a partner who has been up it before. Use TrailMates to find experienced front-range hikers running the ridge route, so you learn the line from someone who knows it rather than guessing on exposed rock. Download the TrailMates app to find a partner.