The journey to the summit includes plenty of additional highlights as well. First come the panoramic switchbacks on Sam Merrill Trail as you climb into the foothills from Cobb Estate. Then there are the White City Ruins on Echo Mountain—remains of a resort that stood more than a century ago. From there, the climb continues through Castle Canyon. It’s the most rugged trail on this hike, but also the shadiest. Oaks and sycamores grow thick in the steep drainage, providing welcome relief as the sun rises higher.

Castle Canyon tops out and meets with a wide dirt trail next to Inspiration Point, which is a spot worth spending time at. It’s a commanding overlook of the valley below, with a shade structure and sighting tubes aimed at different landmarks and labeled accordingly. Look through them to see Hollywood and other cities of the valley, as well as distant mountains.

From Inspiration Point, the trail leads gently uphill the rest of the way to Muir Peak, with a final steep section reaching the top. The summit is wide and relatively flat, vegetated only by shrubs that leave the grand view unobstructed.

The route mapped here returns downhill the same way, but a slightly longer alternative is to make a lollipop loop by continuing westward past Inspiration Point, then taking Middle Sam Merrill Trail to link with Lower Sam Merrill Trail.

Sources: https://www.summitpost.org/muir-peak/296418 https://hikingangelesforest.com/hikes/trailheads/cobb-estate-trailhead/muir-peak-and-inspiration-peak-lollipop-from-the-cobb-estate/