Mount Wilson Observatory

OK… I’m rating this a 5star, but I will have to say, this kicked my ass. I have been working up to this hike for some time. Training 2 – 3 times per week, I thought I was ready to hit the summit of this monsterous peak… well boy oh boy, was I in for a surprise.
In the midst of being treated for upper respiratory infection, it probably wasn’t the best idea to schedule a hike on this given day… but that’s what we nurses do.
We ventured to the top via Chantry Flats. The hike is absolutely beautiful, lots of water along the way (you know we Californians get excited at the sight of water). The incline is steady, and sometimes treacherous, but it is doable.
We hiked for approximately 6hours before getting to the top. We did have a quick stop at Sturtevant Camp, took some photos and swung on the swing before continuing on. It was very foggy or maybe we were in a cloud. Once we got to the top, most of us lost battery life of our phones, but in reality, they were just too cold and shut off on their own.
We trekked Champagne with us to the top so that we could pop some bubbly to celebrate our victory march. Our hands were so cold, we barely could open our bottles.
I’m definitely a novice hiker, as I took out my rain jacket and gloves from my backpack prior to the hike… knowing that I needed room for my gourmet cheeses, crackers, and champagne. Huge mistake. My hands were so cold, my head was too. It started to drizzle up there, again, unprepared and longing for my jacket that I left on the kitchen table.
There is a cute little museum up at the top of Mount Wilson Observatory. Doors were open and we gladly went in. Great little place for history of this magnificent gem in our backyards.
Cosmic Café was naturally closed as it was a weekday. Wonderful bathrooms with ice cold running water to wash your cold hands with.
We took an alternate route down which met up with the trail that we started at. This hike is a must do if you live in the area. Even if you don’t, give it a try.

Excellent place to hide I take me myself and I and my dog I’ll take mine bag my banana my orange and my speaker and listen to the music all the way to the top of the summit

Last Thursday (March 24), I drove down to the Mt. Wilson Observatory to check out the telescope that astronomer Edwin Hubble used in the late 1920s to discover that the Universe is expanding. While the observatory is only 17-​plus miles from where I live, it took more than an hour and a distance of 50-​plus miles to reach the summit of Mt. Wilson… due to the long winding road through Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains. The ride was pretty fun and definitely worth it, seeing as how this is the only working observatory near Los Angeles (Griffith Park Observatory near Hollywood is more of a tourist attraction)…and the closest one after that is the Palomar Observatory (home to the 200-​inch Hale Telescope) near San Diego.
Along with checking out the historic 100-​inch Hooker Telescope (which Hubble used to make his discovery about the Universe’s expansion, which he confirmed in 1929), I also took pics of the domes housing the 60-​inch telescope, the two 150-​foot-​tall solar telescopes and the various domes housing the CHARA array interferometers that began operational use by Georgia State University in 2004. Also a sight to see is the «antenna farm»…which consists of several giant radio and TV antennas that were constructed as far back as 1947. The largest radio tower on Mt. Wilson today is a mast that is owned by Richland Towers. It stands at 972 feet-​tall.
This trip marked the second time I drove up to Mt. Wilson… the first time being in the summer of 2004 (though the observatory was already closed that day since I traveled there in the late afternoon). Would I drive up to this historic site again in the future, you ask? You bet! Hikers and astronomy buffs alike will appreciate Mt. Wilson Observatory and its surroundings. This is a great place to take kids to if you want them to learn about Mother Nature and the Universe in general. Plus, it’s definitely an ideal location to go to if you want to get some exercise. The walk from the parking lot to the observatory alone is quite a workout! Have a wonderful day!

One time, I got a star chart app on my phone, and started seeing the planets and stars, the sun and the moon, in relation to where I stood. I saw the constellations, the paths of satellites and comets. I saw as many stars under my feet as above my head. I understood, in that moment, the vertigo of hurtling through the universe on a tiny spinning marble, and I had to sit down.
When recently five planets were in alignment, I pulled out that app again, and in the wee hours of the morning, I could kinda see two from my bedroom window, and the other three when I ran around to the back porch. Suffice it to say, my house is no observatory.
While the Mount Wilson Observatory may not be as accessible or famous as its kid sister in Griffith Park, let’s not forget it was this location that made Griffith J Griffith exclaim: «If all mankind could look through that telescope, it would change the world.»
As we took the winding drive out into the hills, I wondered about the folks who picked this perfect spot from which to gander and ponder the universe. In the early 1900s, this was no easy feat. Today, there’s also an impressive array of TV towers that grace the hill. More windows to and from the world.
The place is chock-​full of historicity and scientification, if you’re inclined to learn. Tours are offered mid-​day on the weekends, and you can even rent the place and an operator/​guide to the stars for a full– or half-​night if you’ve got a cool grand to spare.
From these hills, the views of the San Gabriel valley are expansive and lovely, and available trails are as easy or as hard as you want them to be. During the late spring and summer, the Cosmic Café /​concession stand offers some space-​themed snacks, in a covered picnic shelter area which is open year-​round if, upon taking it all in, you (like me), just need to sit down.

I could write a review for Mount Wilson Observatory, but I don’t have much more to add that has already been written by Michael S. on 11÷5÷2012.
I don’t think it is actively used for major purposes because there are so many other newer and more sophisticated telescopes around the world. I do think groups can rent them out for a half or full night. That might be fun to do.
They are trying to raise some money with the Star Parties. When we drove up there they were just setting up for one. I wish we could have stayed, but we had a hungry dog waiting at home for his dinner. I also forgot to bring a coat and hat. It gets really cold up there even if it is warm down in La Canada.
I would highly recommend driving up there and walking around the property. Just try to go before the end of November. I think they close the Cosmic Café and some other things the first quarter of the year.
Here is a great article in LA Magazine about it:

This is truly a hidden gem above the clouds. Only a half hour or so from the bottom of Glendale. It’s a beautiful drive! Great lookout spots along the way as well as hiking.
The observatory is really nothing like the commercialized Griffith Park Observatory. (I love both, but this one is more of a working observatory). Drive up into the Angeles Crest, Hwy 2 and make a right towards Mt Wilson. At the top of the mountain you’ll see two one way roads. Either one will get you there. The road that goes up will take you in between all the radio towers. (Really cool) and the one to the right will take you to the rim. (Also very cool). Both end up at the gates of the observatory. NOTE: they are not opened year round so check their website for current days and times. You’ll see a big black rot iron gate.
Drive in and park. There are signs to follow to get to the different telescopes. They do offer small tours for under $ 10 each, with discounts for children and seniors. I have not taken this tour yet but have seen a group that was able to go inside and stand under the big telescope where Hubble once sat.
There is quite a few stairs you need to climb to get up inside and it’s not handicap accessible. You are behind glass and they have an audio that explains what you are looking at.
My favorite here is the views. Take a hike and venture the many trails they have through the big pines.
YOU MUST BUY AN ADVENTURE PASS for parking here or anywhere on the Angeles Crest drive. You can buy one at the bottom of the hill at a sporting good store (most carry them. $ 30 for a year $ 5 for a second car, and I think it’s $ 8 for a day pass) or just as you enter the park there is a ranger station. (But can’t guarantee they are always open). And there is a concession stand that generally is opening at the observatory, called the Cosmic Café, as well that sells them. Proceeds help fund the State Parks so please look at it as helping our community and parks. Rangers will ticket.
Again this place is beautiful. Go up for a late lunch, take a hike, watch the sunset and enjoy a little piece of heaven above the clouds.
The Cosmic Café is inexpensive and yummy. Basic comfort foods, hot cider, hot chocolate, etc. Stop in and say hi. It’s outdoors and weather teens to be 15 – 20 degrees colder up here so dress in layers and most certainly bring a jacket.
Enjoy!!!

One of best kept secrets in L.A. If you are weary of the crowd and showbiz hubbub at the Griffith Observatory, Mt. Wilson is the antidote, a tranquil nature getaway 5700 feet above City of Los Angeles. Plan a whole day of picnic and nature walk/​hiking, but check the weather closure information prior to departure. The winding roads traverse through some spectacular scenery of the San Gabriel Mountains and the valley below. Make sure your car is up to the challenge!

A winding drive up to Mt Wilson and all of LA County lies before you. A great spot for sight seers and locals alike, not to be missed.

Wonderful hidden gem! Great place to get away from the city and away from people for quiet reflection or alone time. The winding road is worth the drive. The museum is not worth mentioning and the café is rarely open. Great place to go during the day to hike in peace. No gas, houses, food, or conveniences for miles, so full your tank and pack a picnic before you go. You should also make sure the road is open before you get there. Incredible views!!!

I enjoyed my trip to the Mt Wilson Observatory. In hindsight I wish I hadn’t done the docent guided tour only because I went with my young kids and it didn’t keep their attention. I didn’t realize until after I checked the web site that children under age 6 are not permitted. The cashier at the Cosmic Café never warned me. The tour lasted 2 hours. It was somewhat dry and technical and it definitely did not keep their attention. For adults it was informative and interesting but I think that you could get similar insight by reading the well written Wikipedia page on the Mt Wilson Observatory combined with a self-​guided tour.
Skipping the tour will also save you some money. To me $ 10.00 for adults and $ 8.00 for children is a little pricey.
If you’re a hiker then I would suggest trying out the nearby Mount Lowe Road to Inspiration Point trail. At 7.25 miles (out and back) it’s a lot more doable hike then the 15 mile Mt. Wilson trail. There’s a great summary of the trail on hikespeak:
I find it fascinating that there used to be a railway that took people up to the peaks of the San Gabriel Mountains to a 70-​room Victorian Hotel called the Echo Mountain House. Apparently, it was a very popular activity back in the 1800s. The railway and the hotel were destroyed by fires and floods but you can still view some of the relics on the trail. There are more than a dozen historical markers on the trail that detail the history of the railway. There is also a tunnel and a collection of sighting tubes at Inspiration Point.

I’m 53, have lived in SoCal my entire life and had never been here, and was pleasantly surprised. My teen boy and I did a self-​tour during a summer weekday and were about the only ones there. Beautiful outdoor forest alpine setting. The super historic 100 inch scope can be viewed from a viewing area inside the dome, and is where Dr. Hubble did his work. The Chanda Array of 8 smaller combined telescopes is also interesting. I will go again.

We went on the 2 – 3 hour tour of the telescopes. Great to see them in person. A must-​do activity for anyone even remotely interested in astronomy. Everyone in the group loved it.
Parking in the lot is $ 5. Buy the parking pass and tour tickets at the café. Café options are extremely limited. I recommend bringing your own lunch and find a picnic table under a tree.

Leaving from the Sierra Madre trailhead at 7:40 am we made it to the peak (7.5 miles from the bottom). Being the last week of March the Cosmic Café wasn’t open but we were prepared with our own sandwiches to enjoy the view.
After resting for 15 minutes we explored the sprawling campus and actually met «Steve», a scientist who allowed us to come in to the Solar Observatory. He was very nice and informative, showing us sunspots, but man, is that equipment outdated… Im talking 50 years outdated. I don’t think without any major grants Mt. Wilson Observatory will be around much longer. With most technology now being applied by satellites and no money from NASA, this 1960s era observatory may not make it.
We hiked down back to Sierra Madre (off the hill by 3 after spending 45 minutes at the peak) and had a great day.
Warning, this hike is NOT for beginners or the out of shape. It IS demanding, and as someone who hikes a lot, I want to warn you, bring LOTS of water (at least 3 liters), food and a first aid kit. You WILL get blisters.

IMPORTANT TIP– Don’t be dumb dodos like us and make a spur-​of-​the-​moment road trip up there without clicking on this Unilocal page’s official link to the observatory and looking up pertinent information such as whether or not they’re open, road conditions, etc.
O_​o

TRUST ME: This is a SERIOUS HIKE!
If you are not a regular hiker you are going to find this a very very challenging. I did the 15 mile (roundtrip) hike today and it took me a full 8 hours. I’m a regular hiker, but am also still in recovery post injury (ankle sprain & torn foot tendons).
It is an absolutely beautiful location but be warned if you plan to get there on foot or via bike you are in for a serious journey!

i love this place and at just an hour outside los angeles, it’s ideal for a quick respite from the city. there are breathtaking views from the top of mount wilson but be sure to bring bug repellent, in addition to sunscreen, because my boyfriend and i were being eaten alive by a menagerie of flying insects up there. the weather is also much cooler than the city, by a good ten to twenty degrees, so it’s a wise idea to dress in layers.
to get to the observatory you need to drive up, and up, and up a long winding highway through the angeles crest forest. the last stretch, where you detour off onto red box road, can be precarious but it’s also really fun to drive, requiring some serious manuvering through tight hairpin curves and alongside sheer cliffs. do not drink and drive! not only do you have to deal with possible altitude sickness, you’re going to need all your wits about you to make it up and down the mountain alive.
at the summit of mount wilson, on the observatory grounds, you’ll find hiking trails abound, some lovely public art, a little café, and a quaint astronomy museum. i highly recommend visiting on a weekend because they offer a walking tour that costs only ten dollars for two hours packed with information about the mountain’s history and the observatory, and you get to go into several of the buildings, including the planetarium that holds the gigantic one hundred inch hooker telescope.
but don’t stray from the paths! there are these trees all around which have pinecones that can weigh as much as ten to twenty pounds. colloquially, they’re called widow-​makers because a falling one can kill you. so don’t stray… or you may pay.
finally, the observatory is only open to the public from april 1 through november 30, so don’t make the trek up there off-​season or you’ll end up disappointed. the grounds are also closed to the public if there is ice or snow so it’s best to check their website to make sure weather conditions are favorable before visiting.

* Ding * Wanna Get Away?
Mount Wilson Observatory is an under-​appreciated 1-​hour getaway from Los Angeles. It never fails to help me leave the stress of the city below. The drive up Angeles Crest Highway & Red Box Road to the summit from Pasadena/​La Canada Flintridge is full of scenic views and pull-​outs.
* At 5715 feet above LA, the air, sky, & weather are different. 3 reasons to go!
* Between April 1 — November 30, the free observatory is open 10:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.
* Weather like snow, ice, etc. will force the closure of the entrance to Skyline Park.
* U.S. Forest Service Adventure Pass is required for parking ($ 5/​day or $ 30/​year)
* You can buy Adventure Passes online or at stores before driving up
* On weekends, you can also buy a pass at the Cosmic Café at the summit
* Mount Wilson is the one with all the TV/​Radio towers. Parking is next to the towers.
* Open weekends only, Cosmic Café is convenient for sandwiches, but so-​so.
* A better option is having your own picnic in the pavilion or a nearby picnic table.
* Besides food, bring water, sunscreen, and a jacket.
* The 60-​in Hale Telescope made Mt. Wilson famous in 1908.
* The 100-​in Hooker Telescope was the largest in the world from 1917 — 1948.
* The Hooker Telescope is visible from an open visitors gallery in the dome.
* Mt. Wilson is still serving research like the 150-​ft UCLA Solar Tower since 1912
* The paved trail from the parking lot to the observatory is about 10 – 15 minutes
* There are other trails for hiking/​exploring, too.
* 2-​hour walking tours led by docents Sat./Sun. at 1:00 pm ($ 10/​adult; $ 8/​child)
* The free small Astronomical Museum has some cool old photos and info.
* Group night tours (max 25 people) are available ($ 1700/​night or $ 900 ½ night)
* Check out the Webcam on the Solar Tower Telescope (updated every 4 minutes).
If you are a fan of astronomy, enjoy hiking, or just want to get away from Los Angeles for some cleaner air, clearer skies, & cooler weather then the Mount Wilson Observatory is waiting just an hour away.

We came here to see the Perseids meteor shower last night, although no «shower» was seen by us, we did see total about 15 different sizes and shapes of meteors.
It was so peaceful and quite here at night, all we could hear were the crickets, oh, I missed this so much! The bats came flapping about, the fireflies flickered here and there, I was so mesmerized by the stars and the peaceful soundings. What a good break this is from the hustle and bustle down below?! A few more groups showed up later, now we have a party, woohoo!
It was just the right temperature for laying on the blanket and starring in the sky, but patience and concentration are a must for the big reward! (hmm, why this sentence doesn’t quite convey my meaning and looks grammatically unsound?) Anyway, I looked at a passing car, and missed a big one.

Looks like according to the mount Wilson observatory website…
4÷3÷2012 — The Observatory’s Cosmic Café is now open Friday through Sunday, 10 am until 5 pm. Our program of 1 pm guided tours is once again underway on Saturdays and Sundays.
This place is awesome, and I love it! It’s cool to come up and check out the docent tours, and and checking out the grounds. Albert Einstein used to come up here for research, which is super amazing because I have seen his pictures in peoples homes in the Pasadena area near cal tech. Meeting friendly folks along the way, there is quite a few. :) I highly recommend the hot dog! I’ve been ordering this quite frequently and it taste really good and the buns are fresh. Quite honestly, anything on the menu is good, I often hear «delicious» from the other tables. If you ever meet the observatory grounds director Hal himself, you’ll be in for a real super treat. Really friendly guy.
The snack bar has been completely redone and complies with Health department regulations. Equipment looks shiny new. And super clean. My understanding is, they operate the snack bar to raise funds for a new visitor center for the public. They have limited hours, weekends only. Also there is a winter closure.
I wish they have an iphone recharge station :(I’ll be more than happy to pay a few bucks!
Yearly winter closure for 2012 starts on December 3^rd Monday. Reopening sometime in 2013.
Oh man, the view from up here is spectacular. I’m really glad the café is up and running by super chatty people too.

After hiking 7 miles from the Mt. Wilson trail this was a well needed and deserved meal.
They serve sandwiches, hot dogs, cold/​hot drinks, chips, candy, and ice cream bars. I ordered the turkey sandwich with avocado. The sandwich was plentiful and they don’t skimp out on the avocado. All sandwiches come with coleslaw and it’s fresh and tasty! My friends had fritos covered in chili and cheese they said it was good but I didn’t try it.
The workers are very friendly and although they sell bottled water they were refiling everyone’s empty bottles for free. Obviously it’s tap but still nice of them to do.
Definitely a great place to relax before heading back down the trail. Or you could plan ahead and have one car waiting for you at the top in the parking lot. I wish we did this instead!