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2.2 miles
Distance
112 ft
Climb
-1,354 ft
Descent
00:16:05
Avg time
-1,241 ft
Altitude change
2,189 ft
Altitude min
3,433 ft
Altitude max
3,433 ft
Altitude start
2,192 ft
Altitude end
-10.6%
Grade
-63.6%
Grade max
23.3%
Grade min
2,047 ft
Distance climb
2 miles
Distance down
259 ft
Distance flat
00:16:05
Avg time
Sunset Ridge Details
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Activities
- Mountain Bike
- Hike
- Trail Running
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Riding AreaAngeles National Forest
Pasadena, California -
Difficulty Rating
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Voted DifficultyDouble Black Diamond (3 votes)
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Local Popularity100 in Mountain Biking [+]
- 75 in Trail Running
- 75 in Hiking
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Global Ranking
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Trail TypeSingletrack
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Bike TypeDH, AM
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DirectionDownhill PrimaryPopular Direction Shown
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Physical RatingModerate
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Dogs AllowedYes
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eBike Allowed
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TTFs on TrailDrop, Skinny
Sunset Ridge is one of the most fun and challenging single tracks in the front side of Angeles National Forest. It's normally ridden downhill but definitely use a bell and be aware of hikers & trail runners, especially on busy weekends. There are many rock drops, tight switchbacks, and plenty of extreme exposure. A seriously fun trail with equally serious consequences. Definitely take it easy your first time. Sunset Ridge is a fantastic trail with great views and many challenges.
Access Info
You can access Sunset via Chaney Trail and climbing up the paved fire road. It's a steep climb up the paved road and Sunset starts from the left of the road almost 2.5 miles from the locked gate.
You can also get to Sunset by climbing up the Lower Sam Merrill trail at the top of Lake Ave. This trail is heavily switchbacked and very, very popular with hikers. If you go this route, you hang a left at the top on the connector trail and climb up to the paved fire road. From there descend maybe 50 yards and Sunset Ridge will be on your right hand side.
Trail Supporters
USFSLand Manager
Local Trail Association
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Please consider joining or donating to the local trail association to supportDonate to earn trail karma!
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Recent Activity on Trail
Past Week
- 1 rides
- 7 miles average
6 Months
- 112 rides
- 11 miles avg distance
All
- 487 rides
- Last: Jun 22, 2026
| c1 | c2 | c3 | c4 |
|---|---|---|---|
January | February | March | April |
May | June | July | August |
September | October | November | December |
Sunset Ridge Trail Reports
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Trail Conditions
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- Icy
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Directions to sunset-ridge trailhead
(34.217740, -118.126950)
Photos
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Routes with this trail
★ 5.0 • 8 miles • 691 ft • 7 • Shuttled •
Shuttle run from top of Mt. Lowe East to the bottom of .
★ 5.0 • 13 miles • 1,514 ft • 12 • Shuttled •
This shuttle Route is one Variation of the so called Front side riding area in the Angeles National Forest.
★ 4.0 • 14 miles • 840 ft • 14 •
Mt.Wilson shuttle is one of Southern California's most challenging trails, so much fun!
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Nearby Trails
- Pentew 3,675 ft
- Lower Merrill 3,701 ft
- Castle Canyon Trail 4,081 ft
- Echo Mountain Trail 4,948 ft
- Old Echo Mountain Trail 1 mile
Angeles National Forest
- By betamax-bandit & contributors
- #20979 - 13,758 views
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sunset Ridge
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Where is Sunset Ridge located?
Sunset Ridge is located in Angeles National Forest, Pasadena, California, United States. It is part of the Angeles National Forest trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 34.21774, -118.12695.
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How hard is Sunset Ridge?
Sunset Ridge is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 10.6%.
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What is the elevation gain for Sunset Ridge?
Sunset Ridge has 112 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 1,354 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 2,189 ft to 3,433 ft.
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Is Sunset Ridge a point to point trail?
Sunset Ridge is not a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Primary. The trail type is singletrack.
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