Sandstone Peak

Don’t be surprised if the Sandstone Peak Trail is on your pup’s barket list since hiking it gets them to the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains. Also known as Mount Allen, Sandstone Peak reaches to 3,111 feet above sea level and provides views all the way to the Pacific Ocean!

The Sandstone Peak Trail is part of the Backbone Loop. It is also the shortest and most direct route to the peak. About a half mile from the trailhead is a junction. If you turn right, you leave the Sandstone Peak Trail and join the Mishe Mokwa Trail, which eventually connects with the rest of the Backbone Trail for a 6.5 mile loop. If your pup would rather cut to the chase and reach the peak sooner, stay left at the fork.

As you make your way up the Sandstone Peak Trail, the views get more and more pawrific. Work through a few sets of switchbacks while enjoying vistas of Carlisle Canyon, Echo Cliffs, and Balanced Rock. Eventually the trail comes to the west side of Sandstone Peak. Ascend the rock staircase and make your last push to the summit. Once at the top, your pooch will feel like a champion! They’ll love the 360° view. A small monument honors W. Herbert Allen, a man who donated nearby land to the Boy Scouts of America. Beneath the plaque is a register for hikers where you can sign your pup’s name before heading back down the trail.

Restrooms are available at the trailhead as well as down the road at the Circle X Ranch Ranger Station. Be sure to pack plenty of water for both you and your four legged hiking buddy. There is some shade on the trail, but the balmy SoCal temperatures combined with the inclines will leave your pup searching for a refreshing drink of water. No bones about it, this trail will make your pup’s tail wag!