“A quiet refuge from people and wild life forever,” declares a sign at the entrance to the Sam Merrill trail. While you’ll only linger here for a few hours, forever wouldn’t be too long. This hike feels more like a weekend destination than an after-work jaunt, unless you live in the neighborhood. And based on the camel packs and hiking poles, the crowd who comes is a bit more serious about hiking, than say, at Griffith, but that doesn’t mean it’s too challenging for a novice.
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