Tag Archives: Verdugo Mountains

La Tuna Canyon Loop (Verdugo Mountains)

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Bench on the Verudgo Motorway

Downtown L.A. from the Verdugo Motorway

La Tuna Canyon Loop (Verdugo Mountains)

    • Location: Sun Valley.  From I-210, take the La Tuna Canyon exit and and head west for 1.4 miles.  Look for the third dirt turnout on the left side of the road (there is one almost immediately, one in about a mile and then the third one, which is the La Tuna Trailhead.
    • Agency:  Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
    • Distance: 6.7 miles
    • Elevation gain: 2,000 feet
    • Difficulty Rating: PG-13 (Elevation gain, steepness, trail condition, distance)
    • Suggested time: 3.5 hours
    • Best season:  October – May
    • USGS topo maps: “Burbank”
    • Recommended gear: hiking poles; sun hat
    • More information: here; Everytrail report here
    • Rating: 7

This is one of the more challenging routes in the Verdugo Mountains, with steep climbs, sharp drop-offs and loose stretches. The rewards, however, are great views that, on clear days, include the L.A. skyline, the San Gabriel Mountains, the Santa Anas and more. The hike can also be enjoyable when fog hangs over the trails, creating a sense of isolation hard to find in the San Fernando Valley.

From the parking area, the trail wastes no time ascending, climbing the wall of the canyon on a series of long switchbacks. A flat area and a slight descent, during which you can see the return route across the way, bring you to a wooded area. You may notice the ruins of an old truck lying among the oaks. After this stretch, you begin one of the steepest parts of the climb, which brings you to a fire road where you can take a well-deserved break on a wooden bench, facing toward the western end of the Verdugos.

On the Verdugo Fire Road, the main drag through the range, head left and continue climbing, at a more moderate grade. You follow the course of the fire road for two miles, with nice views of the Los Angeles basin on your right. Head left on the signed Plantation Lateral fire road, and in 0.3 miles, look for the La Tuna Foot Trail heading off to the left. The next two miles take you down (with a few short climbs) along a backbone ridge, with dramatic aerial views of I-210. For the most part, the trail is easy to follow, although there are some places where it is quite loose.

After switchbacking your way down the ridge, the other parking area comes into view. Near the bottom, the trail becomes very faint; just stick close to the side of the canyon wall. At the very bottom, you’ll pass by a seasonal waterfall set a little ways back from the trail. When you reach the dirt lot, turn left onto La Tuna Canyon Road. Although there is no sidewalk, the shoulder is fairly wide, so if you’re careful, you shouldn’t have any problems on the 0.4 mile walk back to the trail head. After the rough descent, even hikers who hate pavement will probably be glad to see it here.

Text and photography copyright 2011 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.

Deukmejian Wilderness Park

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Dunsmore Canyon from the Le Mesnager Trail

Stream at the top of the Dunsmore Canyon Trail

Text and photography copyright 2011 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. The author does not take any responsibility for injuries sustained during hikes or walks on the routes described here. Check the informational links provided for up to date trail condition information.

Deukmejian Wilderness Park

  • Location: 3429 Markridge Road, Glendale.   From the 210 freeway, take the Pennsylvania Ave. exit and head north for 1.1 miles.  Turn left on Brookhill St., go 0.3 miles and turn right on New York Ave. Go 0.7 miles and turn left on Markridge, and the park is on the right.
  • Agency: Glendale Parks & Recreation
  • Distance: 2.4 miles
  • Elevation gain: 900 feet
  • Difficulty Rating: PG
  • Suggested time: 1.5 hours
  • Best season: October – June
  • USGS topo map: Sunland, Burbank, Condor Peak
  • Recommended guidebook: Afoot & Afield Los Angeles
  • More information: here
  • Rating: 6

For a short hike, this trip provides a lot of scenic variety – and quite a good workout as well.  While “Afoot and Afield” considers it a year-round hike, having attempted it in July a few years ago, I respectfully beg to differ.

From the parking lot, pick up the dirt road leading uphill.  Take a right at the first junction and the a left, which brings you to the main trail ascending into Dunsmore Canyon.  You pass by a large oak that survived the Station Fire of 2009, and soon afterward, you reach a junction with your return route, the Le Mesnager Trail.  Stay straight and begin a steep, shadeless ascent into Dunsmore Canyon.  As you get higher into the mountains, you round a bend and suddenly things become quieter (and cooler) as the noise from the 210 freeway and other points below is blocked out.  The Le Mesnager Trail rejoins the Dunsmore Canyon Trail, which soon comes to an end, a mile from the parking lot.  Here, you can walk down to the water, where two creeks converge, and enjoy a quiet break before heading back.

You can, of course, simply retrace your steps on the Dunsmore Canyon Trail, but for more variety, I suggest making a loop out of this hike.  To do this, bare right on the Le Mesnager Trail and head uphill briefly.  A short spur takes you to a spot where you get a nice view of Glendale and the Verudg and Santa Monica Mountains.  (You may spot San Jacinto and the Santa Anas to the east if the air is clear).

The trail starts switchbacking downhill.  You pass a junction for the Rim of the Valley Trail and make a hairpin turn to the left, passing around the bottom of the knoll.  You can take another spur to get more views if you like, while the trail continues downhill, switchbacking through a garden and meeting back up with the fire road.  Head right and retrace your steps to the parking lot.

Stough Canyon Loop

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Westbound view from Stough Canyon

Heading down the Stough Canyon fire road

Text and photography copyright 2010 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.  The author does not take any responsibility for injuries sustained during hikes or walks on the routes described here.   Check the informational links provided for up to date trail condition information.

Stough Canyon Loop

  • Location: Verdugo Mountains near Burbank, at the Stough Canyon Nature Center, 2300 Walnut Ave.  From the I-5 freeway, take the Burbank Blvd. exit.  Turn right on Burbank Blvd. and take an immediate left on San Fernando.  Go right on Delaware and in 0.2 miles go right on Glenoaks.  Take a quick left on Walnut and follow it to its end at the nature center (1.8 miles.)  From the north, take the Scott Road exit on I-5, bear right on San Fernando and take a left onto Delaware.
  • Agency: City of Burbank
  • Distance: 2.4 miles
  • Elevation gain: 900 feet
  • Suggested time: 1 1/2 hours
  • Difficulty Rating: PG
  • Best season: October – June
  • USGS topo map: “Burbank”
  • Recommended gear: hiking poleswidth=; sun hatwidth=
  • More information: here; info on the nature center here (including video)
  • Rating: 6

Sometimes I feel like the more I know about hiking in L.A., the less I know.

The Verdugo Mountains are a particularly intriguing place, often overlooked in favor of the nearby Hollywood Hills,  Santa Monicas and San Gabriels – but they offer quick, convenient, great workouts.  For some reason, these hikes often feel very different from each other, even though they are usually pretty close as the crow flies.  The Stough Canyon loop is a fun trip that provides a good workout without being too intense.  It can also easily be linked with several other trails in the area for a longer hike.

From the parking area at the nature center, head up the fire road.  The beginning of the trail is fairly steep as it makes a quick S-curve, but once you get used to the grade it’s not that tough.  Look for a trail branching off to the left at half a mile.  (The loop can be hiked in either direction, but here we’ll describe it clockwise.)  You take this left and continue your climb.  Almost immediately, you get to a split, where a short spur to the left climbs to a point where you get nice views of the Hollywood Hills and the Burbank airport.

The main route continues, past the ruins of an old camp building.  After some more steady climbing, the trail tops out on a ridge, where you can see your return route below.  The trail dips down, heading northwest to join the Verudgo Fire Road.  Head right, coming soon to a clearing where the Stough Canyon road leads downhill back to the nature center.  A few benches make this a nice spot to take a break, where you can see the San Gabriels to the north and the L.A. Basin to the right.

On the way back down the fire road, you get more nice city views, and you pass by some interesting geology.  After 0.9 miles, you return to the first intersection, and you retrace your steps to the parking lot.  If the nature center is open, you can spend some extra time there; also be sure to check out the nature trail, with trees planted by some local girl scouts.  See, the money you spent on those cookies was put to good use!

Vital Link Trail

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Flowers on the Vital Link Trail, Burbank

Descending the Vital Link Trail

Vital Link Trail

  • Location: north of Burbank in the Verdugo Mountains.  From I-5 in Burbank, take the Olive Avenue exit.  Go northeast for 1.2 miles on Olive, take a left on Sunset Canyon Drive, go half a mile and take a right on Harvard Road.  After 0.6 miles, go right on Wildwood Canyon Road, into the park, and go 0.3 miles to the second trailhead.
  • Agency:  Wildwood Canyon Park (phone: 818-238-5440)
  • Distance: 3.6 miles
  • Elevation gain: 1,600 feet
  • Difficulty Rating:  PG-13 (Steepness, elevation gain)
  • Suggested time: 2.5 hours
  • Best season:  October – May
  • Recommended gear: Hiking Poles
  • Recommended guidebook: Afoot & Afield Los Angeles County
  • USGS topo maps: “Burbank”
  • More information:  here; Everytrail report here
  • Rating: 7

The Vital Link trail of Burbank will have you burning more calories per mile than almost any other hike out there.  This short but very steep climb up a narrow ridge is not for the timid.  However, if you know what you’re getting yourself into, it’s a very enjoyable, easy to get to hike, especially for residents of downtown L.A. and the Valley.

The trail starts easily enough (from the second of the four trailheads in the park), wind your way up the canyon, beneath some oaks.  Enjoy the shade, there’s none on the rest of the trail (bring more water than you usually would for such a short hike).   Stay right at the next two junctions, as trails come in on the left from alternate starting points.  A third trail comes in from below; stay left and continue heading uphill.  At about 0.7 miles from the start, look for the Vital Link trail branching off to the left, just before a spur that leads to some picnic tables.

The Vital Link trail ascends the ridge, with great views on both sides.  You can see your goal in front of you, the Verdugo Fire Road.   There are points where the trail may seem a little obscure, but just continue heading up and you’ll reach your destination.  There’s a split on the way up; head right (the left route, which eventually rejoins, tends to get washed out.)

At the top, enjoy some well-earned views of the San Gabriel Mountains to the north and Burbank to the south.  If your thirst for hiking hasn’t been quenched, you can extend this trip by heading either way on the fire road, but most hikers will probably be happy to just head back down as they came.

On the descent, on which you will be glad if you brought hiking poles, enjoy great views of Burbank and the Hollywood Hills.   If your experience was like mine, odds are you’ll be offering encouragement to tired hikers climbing the last stretch to the fire road.

Text and photography copyright 2012 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.

Oakmont Loop

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Oaks in the Verdugo Mountain Open Space

Text and photography copyright 2010 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.  The author does not take any responsibility for injuries sustained during hikes or walks on the routes described here.   Check the informational links provided for up to date trail condition information.

Oakmont Loop

  • Location: Verdugo Mountains in northeastern Glendale.  From I-210, take La Crescenta Avenue south for about a mile.  You will pass Eilinita, one of the residential streets this hike visits.  Just after La Crescenta Avenue curves to the left, take a right on Oakmont View Drive.  Follow this winding residential street for about a mile to its end at Oakmont View Park.  Park in the lot and follow the signs to the beginning of the trail.  Parking is free.
  • Agency: Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy/Verdugo Open Space
  • Distance: 2.5 miles
  • Elevation gain: 600 feet
  • Suggested time: 1.5 hours
  • Difficulty Rating: PG
  • Best season: Year round; best in the late afternoon or evening
  • USGS topo map: “Pasadena”
  • More information: here
  • Rating: 5

If you live in the San Fernando Valley, you might assume that you’d have to drive to the ocean or up into the mountains to get away from the summer heat.  But you’d be wrong.  While this loop might not be a great place to hike at noon when the temperature is 100 degrees, its location on a northeastern facing slope makes it a good afternoon or evening hike.

From the parking area, head north on the Edison fire road, taking in views of the San Gabriels.  You may notice an obscure trail braching off to the right; this is your return route.  Stay on the main trail, which briefly ascends and then switchbacks down into Engleheard Canyon, which is heavily shaded by oaks.  Barely away from civilization, this part of the trail gives a true sense of isolation.

The trail then exits the woods and briefly enters a residential area, on Eilinita Street.  Follow Eilinita and take a right on Emmanuel and follow it to the end.  From here, pick up the Edison dirt road which climbs 500 feet over the next 0.8 miles to get you back to your starting point.  The ascent is vigorous, but again the oaks provide some shade.  The trail switchbacks up the slope and enters a meadow before rejoining the fire road.  At the junction, take a left and retrace your steps to the parking area.