Today, more than 100 years later, White City and the railroad lie in ruins, battered by forest fires and landslides and abandoned to the elements. Echo Mountain still stands as a proud natural overlook, and now an interesting museum to human history. Stone foundations of the city and iron relics of the railcars remain. Trails now follow the path the railway once took up the mountain, and make one of the best hiking loops in the area.

Rubio Canyon, on the east side of Echo Mountain, is where passengers boarded the clattering cars, but today it’s a peaceful glen of green with only traces of past development. On the trail, you’ll pass stone walls and rusty pipes, but also displays of wildflowers and trickling waterfalls. Sam Merrill Trail climbs the opposite side of the mountain to meet the trail from Rubio Canyon at the White City Ruins. The loop combines these trails for a scenic and informative tour. Signs explain some of the history at the ruins site and along the trails.

Starting on Sam Merrill Trailhead from Cobb Estate is recommended. Its ascent is less steep than Rubio Canyon, and it’s shaded early in the day but not at all in the afternoon. After you’ve explored White City, go down the steep switchbacks of the Mt. Lowe Railway Trail into the respite of Rubio Canyon. Take a short spur up-canyon to visit the waterfalls, then return downhill to follow Rubio Canyon Trail to Pleasantridge Drive. To complete the loop, walk to Rubio Canyon Road then use the Altadena Crest Trail to return to Cobb Estate.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SamMerrillTrail https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MountLoweRailway https://hikingguy.com/hiking-trails/best-la-hikes/echo-mountain-hike-on-the-sam-merrill-trail/