LA Hiking Log – Mt. Islip 🥾⛰️

Total distance: 8 miles Elevation gain: around 2,400 ft Time spent: about 5 hours (including breaks) 📍 Parking is inside Crystal Lake Campground—plenty of space. Remember to display your Recreation Pass on your dashboard! The hike starts by passing through the campground. There’s plenty of shade early on, but it gets sunnier as you ascend. Luckily, there’s often a breeze up high, so it doesn’t feel too hot. AllTrails rates this as “hard,” but the climb is pretty gradual—no sudden steep sections. Personally, I’d say it’s more like moderate with a slight challenge. You’ll come across three trail junctions along the way—best to keep AllTrails open to avoid wrong turns. Wildflowers dot the path here and there, and the views looking down are absolutely gorgeous! At the summit, the vista is wide and open—on cloudy days, you might even see a sea of clouds rolling beneath you. ☁️👀 Hardly any bugs on the trail, but it can get windy at the top—bring a light jacket! Have you hiked Mt. Islip before? What’s your favorite trail near LA with great summit views? Share your recommendations below! 👇💚 #HikingAdventures #SoCalTrails #MtIslip #CrystalLakeCampground #ModerateHike #SummitViews #WildflowerSeason #Cloudscape #OutdoorLA #TrailVibes #PeakBagging #HikeLA #NatureEscape #WeekendExplorer