Angeles National Forest · California

Pct Baden-Powell

6.2 mi of trail, end to end · Mt. Baden Powell via Vincent's Gap: 8 mi one way in the Service's write-up · native material surface · trail No. 332000.14 · trail class 4 · typical grade 10-12% · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking, bike

Mt. Baden Powell via Vincent's Gap 8 mi one way · the Forest Service's write-up

$5/vehicle/day, $30/vehicle/year

At a Glance:

Distance: 8 miles (one-way)

Difficulty: Medium

Total Climbing: 2,765 feet

Highest Elevation: 9,356 feet

What to Expect

What to Expect

This iconic Southern California hike intersects with two nationally recognized trails, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Silver Moccasin trail as it winds its way up towards the summit of Mt. Baden-Powell.

The trail is the most difficult route to the summit but is the most popular way to reach the top. This 8-mile trek features 35 switchbacks up the north face of one of the tallest mountains in the San Gabriels. Those attempting this "must-do" hike will find the beginning part of the hike the most difficult with the rest being slightly easier. The trail will take backpackers under the spine of the ridge through stands of Jeffrey, Ponderosa, and Lodgepole pines. What's more, be sure to stop and admire the 1,500-year-old Limber pine at the timberline.

Fun fact: Mt. Baden-Powell is named after Lord Robert Baden-Powell in 1931. He was the founder of the modern Boy Scouts and as such the trail is well-maintained by Boy Scout groups. A monument lies in his honor near the summit of his named mountain.

This hike on fs.usda.gov

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About this trail's facts

The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.