3 min
Overview
The long, broad face of Liebre Mountain sits near the northern corner of the Angeles National Forest and the County of Los Angeles. Despite its remote location for most L.A. hikers, Liebre is still worth the drive. It’s in the interesting geologic region where the Sierra Pelona, Tehachapis, and Ventura / Coast Ranges all sort of mash into each other with the San Andreas Rift Zone just to the north. Hikers who trek this route will delight in the region’s remoteness, it’s surprisingly stunning oak and pine groves, and the chance to encounter that rare species of sentient walking and eating machines — the Pacific Crest Trail Thru-hiker. Although you can hike this route pretty much all year round, mid/late spring is really the best time if you can manage it. The hills will still be green, the California black oaks will be waking up from their winter slumber, and ceanothus bushes will blanket the trail in showy, fragrant blooms of white and violet while smaller wildflowers like chia, lupines, and scarlet buglers provide some lower-to-the-ground color. Ceanothus on the trail This time of year is also when you’re most likely to encounter PCT thru-hikers en route to the Sierra Nevada. Although timing does vary from year to year due to conditions, you can expect most of the year’s class to hit this spot in early to mid May. When I hiked this trail in late April, the thru-hikers I chatted with said they all got a bit of an early start and were more at the vanguard of that year’s cohort (hi, Wallet!). But first thing’s first — the trailhead. This can be a bit of a tricky one to spot from the road — and when I hiked this trail I missed it and added 2 miles roundtrip to the route. The extra mileage is fine, but it’s close to the road and not much different from what you’ll see on the rest of the route. To avoid that you’ll want to pay extra special attention when you pass Mile Marker 13.6 heading east on Pine Canyon Road. Slow down a bit, and as the road reaches a crest, look to the right side for a small dirt road headin
Trail Stats
11.9 km
588 m
1760 m
1216 m
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