Johnson’s Pasture is a 180-acre plot of land in the foothills of Claremont that’s a part of the larger Claremont Hills Wilderness Park. This 4-mile loop hike gains a respectable 860-ft of elevation, and provides some of my favorite views of the San Gabriel Mountains. In this guide, I’ll provide directions, a map, photos, and a detailed hike description for the Johnston’s Pasture Gale Mountain Loop.
The Johnson’s Pasture loop hike is located just east of the more popular ‘Claremont 5-mile Loop‘, and just south of the ‘Marshall Canyon Loop‘. Once you’ve tried out this hike through Johnson’s Pasture, you can do like I do, and mix sections of all three for days when you want to go for big miles.
Getting There: Directions And GPS Track
- The trailhead for the Johnson’s Pasture Loop is located in the north of Claremont on Indian Hill Blvd. There is no Indian Hill exit, so you’ll need to exit Baseline from the east or Towne from the west. Once on Indian Hill, head north until the road dead-ends at Armstrong Dr. There is a parking lot across from La Puerta Sports Park: 2599 N Indian Hill Blvd, Claremont, CA 91711
- Download GPX
- See track on Strava
Hike Profile
- Distance: 4 miles
- Elevation Gain: 860 ft
- Minimum Elevation: 1437 ft
- Maximum Elevation: 2152 ft
- Time: 1-2 hours
- Difficulty: (2/5)
- Dog Friendly: Yes
- Permit Required: No
- Parking: Free parking located at lot on Indian Hill Blvd
- Weather: This hike can be pretty warm in the summer, so start early or hike late in those months.
- Trail Condition: Starts out on a steep stretch of single track, continues on to fire road, and finishes on an asphalt road.
- Cell Phone Reception: Pretty good
Do you have the appropriate gear for this hike? Don’t hike unprepared!
See my current hiking gear list.
Hike Map And Elevation Profile
Hike Description:
0.0 Miles- Starting from the parking lot on Indian Hill Blvd, pass the yellow posts and take a left hand turn onto the asphalt Thompson Creek walking path.
There is a dirt path that parallels the asphalt Thompson Creek walking path that I prefer to take for this short stretch of trail.
0.2 Miles- You’ll reach a gate that welcomes you into the Sycamore Canyon Park. Take a right hand turn and enter Sycamore Canyon. Keep your eyes open, as the Thompson Creek trail sign is just ahead to the right.
Just after entering Sycamore Canyon, you’ll see a sign for a trail that leads to Johnson’s Pasture. The trail is fairly steep, but wooden posts have been added to help with footing.
As you look back, views of Claremont and the Inland Empire will begin to open up.
This hiking trail is dog friendly and a great place to bring the pups since traffic is usually minimal.
As you gain elevation, the San Gabriel Mountains will come into view. This is one of my favorite vantage points of Ontario Peak and Cucamonga Peak.
1.1 Miles- You’ll reach a clearing with two makeshift benches. This is a great place to stop and take in the views. Once you’re ready to keep hiking, head towards the fire road on the hill adorned by a large transmission tower.
As you reach the fire road, you are now hiking on E Pomello Dr. Take a left to continue this loop hike. If you would like to make this a much shorter loop, you can head right and arrive back to the Thompson Creek walking path.
1.5 Miles- You’ll reach a junction at the 1.5 mile mark where you’ll leave E Pomello Dr behind and officially enter in to Johnson’s Pasture. Take a right at the junction and follow the signs for Johnson’s Pasture.
The landscape shifts dramatically here, as the once exposed trail becomes a shaded grove.
2.1 Miles- You’ll reach a junction for Gale Mountain. If you were to continue on Johnson’s Pasture Rd, you would end up on the Claremont 5-mile Loop. Take a right hand turn instead at the junction and head towards Gale Mountain.
0.0 Miles- You’ll see a network of transmission devices at the top of Gale Mountain. It’s not a pretty sight, but the views looking out are quite nice. As you reach Gale Mountain, the dirt fire road becomes a paved access road.
3.2 Miles- The Gale Mountain access road meets up with the E Pomello fire road at 3.2 miles. From here, you’ll follow the dirt access path back to the Thompson Creek walking trail and the parking lot at the top of Indian Hill Blvd.
Share This!
From the nice photos you have posted, I see that this route can easily be used also for some trail running training.
It’s a very nice trail running area. There is a huge network of trails in the lower foothills here that are nice when our higher peaks are still covered in snow and ice. It’s also nice that I only live a few miles away 🙂