At a glance
Rating breakdown
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5 ★79%
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4 ★12%
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3 ★7%
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2 ★0%
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1 ★2%
Quick facts
- What is the rating of Castle Peak?
- Castle Peak is rated 4.6 out of 5 based on 42 reviews.
- Where is Castle Peak located?
- West Hills, CA 91307, United States
If you are starting from the trailhead, the hike up this peak is not for the faint of heart! Short, but very steep. There are also some places you will have to scramble up. Be very careful, but the reward is awesome!
Be prepared for very steep climb near the top with some slippery rocks, but beautiful views once you get there
Castle Peak gives you that peak of the mountain experience only minutes from the city. Don’t take the steep southern “trail.” Take the trail west from El Escorpian Park about 0.9 miles, then turn north up the trail that heads up the ridge. Continue east about 1 mile to the peak. The last 100 feet to the peak is steep, but much easier than trying to climb the south side. Enjoy a fantastic view of El Escorpian Park and the San Fernando Valley
Super steep hike up to the top, with lots of loose rocks. Definitely not for beginners or people scared of heights. I got almost all the way up, but was honestly too scared to try to get to the very top. Great views though.
I didn't go all the way to the top because I hiked up to the cave and was tired. However, I will say the path up is steep. There are a couple flat spots to rest but there's no shading...so bring water. I recommend keeping it in a backpack so your hands are free and you can take empty bottles back to the trash cans on the main trail at the bottom of the hill. I also think you should wear hiking shoes and maybe even use a walking/hiking stick. The view definitely gets better the higher you go but I'll have to hike up thru the rocky part another time. My legs were like spaghetti after all the walking/hiking I've done over the last couple days so I turned around but it's nice. I really suggest checking out the Cave of Munits also. I posted a review you can check out for that as well. Get out there and enjoy nature!
I choose not to hike to the peak, due to the extremely steep trail to the summit. The trail appears short, about a half mile or so, but goes straight up the peak. Likely only worth hiking if you really want a 360 degree view of the surrounding cityscape. The rest of the park is okay, and has a trail which follows a creek and a fairly large cave which are better hikes.
I was actually on the other side of Castle Peak- El Escorpion trail. Same trail network. It's beautiful there. As I've noted before in my reviews, I'm a big fan of these "urban wilderness" areas. I live in the big city- Los Angeles. And our backyards are these great places with wildlife, vista's and exercise :-)
Making a steep yet short ascent gives you an unparalleled view of the San Fernando valley from the west. I recommend doing the loop trail that includes the Cave of the Munits (which requires some light bouldering)
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Bell Creek Park
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