Eaton Fire Restoration Progress - Mt. Lowe Railway Connector

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With Sunset Ridge Trail pretty much ready for re-opening (Fingers crossed! This area remains closed to the public until further notice.), MWBA’s focus on trailwork and fire restoration shifted a little deeper into the Eaton Fire burn scar in December. On a recent Saturday we gathered at Loma Alta Park and then carpooled up Cheney Trail and Mt. Lowe Rd. to the Cape of Good Hope just above the upper trailhead for Sunset Ridge Trail. 

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After our tailgate safety talk, volunteers grabbed tools and hiked down the trail looking for trouble. 

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The Mt. Lowe Railway Connector trail between Echo Mountain and Mt. Lowe Rd is a short but important link between popular frontside zones. It clings to cliffsides and steep side-slopes as it follows the historic rail line. The fire burned intensely in this area, and the barren and extremely steep canyon walls eroded over the course of 2025. In places the flows washed out the tread and in other places it deposited huge piles of debris. 

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We re-benched wash-outs. 

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We scraped off debris flows. 

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We repaired drainages that had been scoured down to bedrock and then pummeled with boulders.

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The result of our efforts is a trail corridor that once again smoothly connects Mt. Lowe Rd to Echo Mountain and, importantly, the Sam Merrill trails.  There’s definitely more work to be done here on the railway, and then of course up into Middle Sam Merrill towards Inspiration Point. 

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So in 2026 MWBA will continue to work to restore fire-damaged trails in the Angeles National Forest with the assistance and guidance from our partners at the USFS. Keep an eye on our homepage and socials for dig day dates soon!

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