Overview
Bedford Peak is a great hike/power-walk/hill training workout. Starting deep into Silverado Canyon, it’s a continual 3.3 mile climb up – and then lovely 3.3 mile jog all downhill. The trail is mostly single-track with very loose terrain, so go early and wear solid trail shoes.
Parking
31330 Silverado Canyon Rd, Silverado, CA, 92676, USA
You first pull into Maple Springs Visitor Center – which has a couple parking spots and the last port-a-potty before spending a couple hours on the trail. So it would behoove you to stop for a moment and utilize the facilities. You can park here – and hike up the road 5-10 mins to the trailhead – or continue driving on to the small dirt parking right at the trailhead. Either way, you’ll need a SoCal Adventure Parking Pass – which you can purchase at REI or Big-5 (daily or yearly passes).
The Start
The Trailhead starts just to the left of the dirt parking lot. It’s a bit hidden, but look for a post with an arrow on it – pointing up a narrow trail. A low gate keeps motorized vehicles out, go around and start hiking.
The Trail
The single-track trail winds up (and up and up) the canyon hills, providing some excellent views of the surrounding area. On a clear day you can see all the way out to the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island. The terrain is very loose, mostly loose dirt mixed with gravel and small rocks, so pay attention to your footing. It’s great training for technical incline/decline running. The slope felt like a steady 15-20% the whole way. Just be mindful, especially if running downhill. It is easy to slip once you pick up speed.
A couple times near the top, the path forks. Keep to the right and go through (or over) the gates each time to stay on track. The Hiking Guy wrote up a great guide with pictures here : https://hikingguy.com/hiking-trails/hiking-orange-county/hike-the-bedford-peak-trail-orange-county/
There is no cell signal near the top (at least for AT&T), so make sure you know your route and which way to turn at the forks before you go.
The Peak
A small sign marks the peak. There’s a bunch of scrub brush…. and that’s it. Some nice views, but all in all, a bit anticlimactic. There used to be a bench to relax and look out, but no more it seems. So pat yourself on the back and start the descent. After all, it’s not the finish but the journey, right?
Final Thoughts
Definitely go early. 1) to avoid crowds on the single track trail 2) to avoid bikers as there is precious little room to stand off to the side 3) there is no shade, so go before it gets too hot.
This is a great trail to train your hill legs, or as an intermediate step before undertaking a steeper hike such as Mt Baldy or the like.