Mount Baldy, also known as Mount San Antonio, has two summits, reaching 10,068 feet and 9,988 feet -- the highest in Los Angeles county. The recreation area around Mount Baldy, containing a campground, visitors center, hiking trails, San Antonio Creek, San Antonio Falls and Mount Baldy Ski Lifts, is 11,500 acres.
In addition to recreational activities in Mount Baldy such as hiking, camping, mountain biking, skiing and snowboarding, visitors can fish at the Mount Baldy Trout Pools. Educational topics at the visitor's center include rocks, plate tectonics, wildlife, river canyon ecosystems and Gold Rush history. In the summer the ski resort operates a chairlift for sightseers and mountain bikers on weekends and holidays. The Mount Baldy area is a High Impact Recreation Area (HIRA); visitors must pay a daily fee, which is paid at the visitor's center and a pass is affixed to the visitor's car.
Mountain lions, coyotes, gray foxes, bighorn sheep, mule deer, owls, eagles, ravens, rattlesnakes, squirrels, birds, amphibians and reptiles are found in the Mount Baldy area.
Look for white and purple wildflowers March through September. Mount Baldy Road and the San Antonio Falls trail provide good spots for flowers and shrubs to grow, such as Manzanita, silk tassel and California everlasting. Trees native to the San Gabriels include maple, cottonwoods, oak and sycamore.
Visitors to Mount Baldy should consider the weather, which can be very different than that of nearby Los Angeles. Anticipate cold weather and icy roads, particularly December through April. The ski area relies on natural snowfall, so snow conditions can be unpredictable.
