For Valentines Day I decided to take my friend Joann and hike the trail from Tilden Park to Wildcat Canyon Park. This is the trail I wanted to hike last week.  It was a gorgeous day.  We started at the parking lot for the Little Farm and Education/Visitor Center.  If you are walking toward the Farm you want to stay to your left.  On the left hand side of the roundabout you will see this trail post.

 Follow the trail to Jewel Lake.  As you approach the lake you need to stay to the right and continue on to the lake.

As you continue around the lake you will cross this bridge.    At the end of the bridge you want to turn left.  There isn’t any posting to direct you this way.  You will see a post that has and arrow for the Wildcat Peak trail.  Do not take this one. You want to be on Wildcat Creek Trail.  Stay on the main road.  You will eventually arrive at this sign. You will be on this trail for a while.  It is well groomed and an easy hike.  You are now looking for the Havey Canyon Trail.  This is what you will see.  It has the name of the trail and also a warning that it is a rough trail.  You will follow the trail to the right.  I wasn’t sure what to expect with this warning.  It really wasn’t that bad.  It was just an ungroomed trail.  There was some mud but nothing too crazy.  I loved the tree cover and it felt less traveled.   Here are some pictures.    Continuing on the trail you will come to a water crossing.    As you cross the creek you will see a gate.    You need to go through the gate and stay on the trail.  We later figured out that the gate is there because you are now entering an area where cows are grazing.  Joann and I were a little startled when we came upon three cows laying right by the trail.   We could have walked up and petted them.  They didn’t seemed bothered by our presence. I have to say, cows seem much bigger when you are that close.  You eventually come out of the tree cover and  the trail turns into what looks like a cow path.  This is us further up the cow path.  You are pretty much at the top now and the views are great.   As you follow the cow path you will eventually hit the Nimitz Way.  This is a paved road.  You want to go right on Nimitz Way.  This is the view and what the road looks like. You will stay on Nimitz way until you reach the Laurel Canyon Trail.  This trail is not marked.  You will pass a post that directs you to Wildcat peak. DO NOT take that trail but the next trail will look like this.   Take this trail.  It will be on your right and is easy to pass if you are not paying attention.  After walking on this for a few minutes you will come to an intersection directing you to take either Laurel Canyon Trail or Laurel Canyon Rd.  Both end up at the same place.  We decided to take Laurel Canyon Rd.  At the end of this trail the post will direct you to the left or to the visitor center.  Follow this path all the way to the farm/visitor center.

I read about this trail from different sources. One source called the hike difficult, another gave it 3 out of 5 stars for difficulty.  It was 8 miles so the length is what makes it hard.  The actual elevation and climbing is very easy.  It was a beautiful clear day making the views great.  I don’t think I would do this hike in the summer.  The trails are mostly exposed to the sun and I could see it getting very hot.  Overall I had a great time.  This would be a great all day adventure for a family.  You could pack a lunch and enjoy it on the Nimitz way.  They have benches you can sit on and enjoy the view.  Just understand that if you are taking younger children it is a long hike.  If they can handle the length it would be doable. Enjoy!