Blair Park to Shandin Hills (San Bernardino)
- Location: Blair Park, 1466 W. Marshall Blvd., San Bernardino. From the 210 Freeway, take the H St. exit (75). Head north on H St. and almost immediately, turn left onto W. 30th St. Go one mile and turn right onto Little Mountain Drive. Go 0.3 mile and turn right onto Marshall Blvd. Turn left into the second parking area at the eastern end of Blair Park. From the 215 Freeway, take exit 46A for 210W but exit at West 27th St. Bear right onto West 27th St., go 0.1 mile and turn left onto Little Mountain Drive. Go 0.7 mile, turn right on Marshall Blvd. and park in the area at the eastern end of the park.
- Agency: City of San Bernardino (some trails are unofficial)
- Distance: 1.6 miles
- Elevation gain: 600 feet
- Difficulty Rating: PG
- Suggested time: 1 hour
- Best season: October – May
- Dogs: Allowed on leash (exercise caution during warm months)
- Cell phone reception: Good
- Water: None
- Restrooms: None
- Camping: None
- Recommended gear: hiking poles
sun hat
- More information: AllTrails report here; video taken from the summit here; Blair Park Facebook page here
- Rating: 3
This hike – up a steep, exposed ridge, next to a major freeway interchange, to an antenna-covered summit – might not be for all tastes, but it does offer a quick, convenient workout and despite being surrounded by civilization, it offers some panoramic views on clear days. The Shandin Hills are a small mountain range in northwestern San Bernardino, rising about 1,800 feet above sea level. Several fire roads, fire breaks and use trails provide access, notably from Blair Park, as described below. The following route is the quickest way from bottom to top, a vigorous climb that can be done in an hour or so. Hikers with more time can continue exploring further on some of the other trails.
From the parking area at the eastern end of Blair Park, walk up the stairs past the exercise stations and begin a no-nonsense, what-you-see-is-what-you-get climb up a steep and often loose fire break. After gaining 350 feet in 0.3 mile, the grade becomes more moderate, climbing another 50 feet in 0.1 mile to reach a T-junction. From here, you’ll see the antenna-dotted summit to the north. Turn left and follow the ridge, passing by another road dropping down to a residential area. Soon the trail splits; you can reach the top either by a slightly longer route or a shorter, steeper path. Both routes are easy to follow.
The antennas are hard to ignore but the views from the high point are still impressive. To the northwest are the San Gabriels, the Cajon Pass and Cal State San Bernardino. The San Bernardino Mountains dominate the landscape to the northeast while the southern views are mainly of the Inland Empire’s suburban sprawl, interrupted only by the Jurupa Hills and Box Springs Mountain.
Text and photography copyright 2017 by David W. Lockeretz, all rights reserved. Information and opinions provided are kept current to the best of the author’s ability. All readers hike at their own risk, and should be aware of the possible dangers of hiking, walking and other outdoor activities. By reading this, you agree not to hold the author or publisher of the content on this web site responsible for any injuries or inconveniences that may result from hiking on this trail. Check the informational links provided for up to date trail condition information.
I came here and wasn’t the biggest fan of this hike. You are right, definitely not for everyone. I just wasn’t feeling the scene. I also just came out with a post about some of my top favorite mountain trails in LA and was hoping to get your opinion on them:
https://blog.belyvly.com/2017/05/24/la-hiking-trails-on-mountain-terrain/
Let me know what you think 🙂 And once again, I can never appreciate your blog enough for being an excellent resource for trails.
Thanks for reading and for your kind words. Nice job on your post too, those are some great pics and I like the layout. As for Blair Park – no, it’s certainly no Baldy or Baden Powell but it’s a good workout and a good spot to know about for those who live in the area. Not every hike can be Baldy but if some of these local trails inspire people to take on bigger, more exciting hikes, I’m happy to write about them and give them space on this site.
Thank you for including hikes like these in your blog. I completely agree that not every hike needs to be “superlative.” In fact, every hike can’t be. What matters most, is what hikes are available near me? And so including hikes and trails like this one and others, inspires people to get off the street and walk in nature wherever and whenever possible. Keep up the work. I like your post on the Borea Canyon hike in the SB National Forest. I wonder if it can be taken all the way to Rim of World HS, where the old Daley Canyon Road use to be?
You’re welcome. When I first started hiking my goal was not just to knock out the biggies – Baldy, San Bernardino, etc – but also to explore the outdoor areas that I’d driven right past without realizing they were there. My goal with NHLA is not just to inspire folks to tackle epic hikes but also to enjoy the ones that are “hiding in plain sight” and I’m happy to hear that you’ve found the site useful.
As for your question about Borea, I don’t know how high the road goes or what the accessibility is. From Google Maps satellite view, it seems as if the trail goes most of the way up, but becomes kind of sketchy toward the top. If you’re active on Facebook, put the question out on the NHLA Facebook page and see if anyone who might have more info responds. You can also post on the SoCAl Hikers and Hiking Our California Facebook pages.