Until Dawn Game Pass
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The Dawn Mine Trail hike takes you on a loop through history and beauty. You'll see the old abandoned Dawn Mine and then retrace your way back along the Mt Lowe railway. But more than that, it's a beautiful hike. You hug ridges with expansive views, you hike along a lush canyon stream, and then you descend along the ridge and soak in a vista that includes LA and the Verdugo Mountains. And there's just enough climbing to make it a decent workout.
The trailhead doesn't have an address on Google Maps; use the following address and then drive up the road until you reach a junction. The parking area is on your right at the top (before you go down the hill). There are no bathrooms or water fills at the trailhead, but there are some if you drive down the hill to the Millard camground parking area.
This is a backcountry hike and I recommend hiking gear. There are stream crossings (aided by rocks and logs), having good footwear is recommended. Trekking poles will help push the poison oak aside. And usually the stretch along Millard Creek has bugs. The first half of the hike is shaded; after the mine it's all exposed (but downhill).
Check out the complete list here. ( Updated July 2024)Dawn Mine Trail MapsThe trail to Dawn Mine used to be in pretty rough condition, but these days it's great. The Restoration Legacy Crew has done some incredible trail building. The hike is much easier than it used to be.
Use This Map:
View in CalTopo PDF Map GPX FileHow Will You Navigate?Using the Apple Watch for HikingGarmin Fenix 7 & Epix Review For HikersHow To Read a Topographic MapGarmin GPSMAP 67i ReviewElevation ProfileWhile there are a few ups and downs in the beginning, in general you'll climb to the mine, then finish with a steep climb up to the ridge, and then enjoy a nice long downhill cruise back to the start.3D MapFrom the beginning you make your way up Millard Canyon to Dawn Mine. Then it's a steep climb up to the old Dawn Mine Station on the Mt Lowe Railway, and back down along Sunset Ridge.Hike BriefYou'll follow the path of the Mt Lowe Railway for part of the hike. Dawn Mine used to use the railway to haul ore down the mountain. This is the old "Dawn Station" which is no longer there.
- Most mines in the San Gabriel Mountains weren't so successful; Dawn Mine was an exception. It operated on and off from 1895 to 1954.
- Dawn Mine's hundreds of feet of tunnels were a favorite for local explorers until the Forest Service closed most entrances in 2017.
- After visiting the mine, you'll pass the junction at "Dawn Station," which was a stop on the Mt Lowe Railway. When tourists learned of the mine, they wanted to visit. But the journey down and back was too tough, so a fake mine shaft was dug about 100 feet away from the stop for tourists to peer into.
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And follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and my monthly newsletter.Start the hike by heading through the gate on the paved Mt Lowe Road.You'll start heading uphill.And shortly after the start you'll see a trail off to the left and an interpretive display on the right. Go straight.The interpretive display is for the Mt Lowe Railway trail. There will be more of these on the return loop and are worth a look.After the road twists, you'll see this turnoff for the Sunset Ridge Trail, which you want to take.Here's the start of the Sunset Ridge Trail. From here on out you'll be on "trail trails" to Dawn Mine.I love this part of the Sunset Ridge Trail. As you hug the ridge you'll get big views into to the west.And then the trail swings around and you get sweet views into Millard Canyon, which you'll be traveling up to reach Dawn Mine.When you come to this split, go left to head to Dawn Mine. On the loop back, you'll come back out on the right.Soon after the junction you'll pass a private cabin; stay on the trail.Then you're going to cross over Millard Creek several times. Usually the creek is pretty low but can get a bit more challenging in the Spring. The trail is well defined as you can see in this shot.Keep an eye out for trail signs to mark twists and turns on this section. The trail crew has repaired the route, and it sometimes deviates from the old trails.And take time to admire the recent trail work, including the beautiful retaining walls and steps. The trail is generally in great condition thanks to volunteers.Keep following the trail up along Millard Creek.There can be some pretty aggressive poison oak when you cross the creek. And of course it is overgrown right here, at the narrowest section of the hike.The canyon starts to angle upwards and you'll climb through a steep, rocky area referred to as "the bounders."When you finish "the boulders" and the trail levels out, look to the right across the stream bed to see some washed away mining relics. From here until the mine there are rusty debris scattered around.When you go around a rocky bend, it looks like a trail goes right. But you want to head left.Here's another view just past that last spot, looking left. Loop around and keep left.When you get to the rock stairs, head up them. You can also take another route to the left through the creek bed. But the official trail is up to the right.Climb the beautiful switchbacks.You'll see a small trail leading through the trees. Take that trail for the short spur to Dawn Mine. When you're done at the mine, you'll come back here and continue to the right to do the loop hike.Just through the trees you'll see the mine ahead on the hillside.Here you are, Dawn Mine! A lot of the graffiti has been cleaned up too. Thank you volunteers!The swing that was once here seems to be gone now.
Hi, I'm Cris Hazzard, aka Hiking Guy, a professional outdoors guide, hiking expert, and author based in Southern California. I created this website to share all the great hikes I do with everyone else out there. This site is different because it gives detailed directions that even the beginning hiker can follow. I also share what hiking gear works and doesn't so you don't waste money. I don't do sponsored or promoted content; I share only the gear recommendations, hikes, and tips that I would with my family and friends. If you like the website and YouTube channel, please support these free guides (I couldn't do it without folks like you!). You can stay up to date with my new guides by following me on YouTube, Instagram, or by subscribing to my monthly newsletter.
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One might wonder with all the experience, education and technical knowledge, how could you fail to achieve a passing score, which is roughly is roughly 56%? There were several factors, some of which were personal in nature. However, the professional factors that did directly impact my failure were:
- Not fully comprehending the CSP Blueprint and the skill related to the subject area
- Not recognizing that my experience in safety is limited to only those industries that I serve, but the CSP Exam questions related to a broader perspective of safety
- Relying on Test Prep Questions rather than reading referenced material to get a broad overview
- Not using basic test taking strategies and wasting the allotted time
The CSP Exam is broken into 9 weighted domains. Each domain is represented on the exam and the blueprint provides an outline of what knowledge you are expected to have. I paid particular attention to the knowledge, but the breath of knowledge was too broad. ""Core Concepts" of..." is a very broad description of disciplines that professionals spend years trying to obtain a degree i.e. chemistry, anatomy and physiology, mathematics etc. Most of the Prep Courses available will provide you with enough background of the core concepts in each domain, but the real focus should be on the skill you are expected to have because that is what you will exercise on the test. You will be required to calculate containment volumes and calculate statistics (Doman 1), for example, BUT that is only 9.95% of the exam AND the new Exam provides the formulas with the questions.
There is absolutely no need to memorize formulas, but you should practice doing ventilation, probability and other scientific calculations. In addition, choose an approved calculator that will do data functions! My advice would be to look at the skill in all domains and ask yourself, "Can I do or at least describe how to do this skill?" If you can't answer yes, focus on strengthening that skill. Devise a plan using the percentages. If you are terrible at calculations, don't frustrate yourself. Strengthen your knowledge in another area to balance missing a few questions in an area you are not strong.
I determined my weak areas to be Domains 3 & 4. Questions from those domains represent about 28% of the total CSP EXAM. I deduced that I would probably only get 10-15% of those questions correct, so I looked at other domains where I could make up those percentage points and put emphasis on learning. My overall calculation came out to be 69% which put me well above the 56% passing baseline. You are not going to "ace" the CSP Exam, but you can master a passing percentage of the subject matter.
I know Army Safety. I do not know Process System Safety. When would I ever have had the opportunity to learn or experience PSM? I've never worked in a refinery or any other high hazard industry. However, the CSP Exam expects the Certified Safety Professional to know basic aspects of safety in all industries. If you have spent your career in General Industry, learn about Construction. If you have spent your career in Construction, learn about PSM. If you've served as a line supervisor, learn about engineering economics, risk management, etc... The two key domains, Risk Management and Advanced Application of Key Safety Concepts, contain KSAs that I would never have had any practical experience and if I did have experience, it was limited to a specific industry. I spent a lot of time reading and learning about those industries rather than studying test questions.
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